Alan Shearer confirms stance on replacing Gary Lineker as Match of the Day host

With Gary Lineker set to step down from hosting Match of the Day at the end of this season, current BBC colleague Alan Shearer has made clear his own stance on replacing the MOTD icon

Alan Shearer would rather leave hosting Match of the Day to the professionals as Gary Lineker prepares to step down from the BBC show.

With Lineker abruptly admitting that he will no longer host the fan-favourite program from next season, while continuing with the BBC until 2026 to cover their 2026 World Cup and FA Cup broadcasts, the hunt to replace him has now lingered for some time.

Frontrunners Mark Chapman, Alex Scott, and Kelly Cates have all emerged as real contenders. But no concrete news on who will step in for the departing Lineker has materialised yet, though the man himself alluded to peer and pal Shearer perhaps being in with a shout.

When it was suggested to the former Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers striker that he leads fan polls regarding who they feel should be the next host, Shearer quickly shut down the idea, indicating he’d rather leave that to presenting experts.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Shearer was joined by Lineker, who discussed hosting the show on the weekend – a show which the former opened: “We did Match of the Day Alan, which, of course, you opened!” Lineker exclaimed, to which his colleague replied: “I did! By the way, I was so nervous because we’d only decided to do that about a minute before we went on air.”

Lineker carried on: “Just before the start of the show, yeah, because that was my… I was originally going to do the opening one that you did, and then suddenly someone said, ‘you could do that Alan,’ and so we went, ‘actually, that would be a really good idea’.”

Shearer, on the other hand, revealed he was incredibly nervous about presenting the opener: “I only had to say eight words, and I was s******g myself. I’ve got a new respect for presenters.

“I know it’s not easy, but, honestly, I was like, for a minute, my throat was bad, and the countdown in your ear it’s like, ‘10, 9, 8,’ and then went on air, and then we were waiting for it to go, ‘and cue’. For a second, I was thinking, ‘if you f*** this up now, you’re just going to look a right idiot.’

“I’m even sweating now thinking about it. Honestly, I was thinking, ‘if I get one word wrong here, this is going to ruin me’, with it being so important – I can just see the memes going around If I get a word wrong. Whatever, you just don’t f*** it up here; just get it right.’ Thankfully, I didn’t mess up.”

This discussion prompted the departing Lineker to mention a poll he had seen in which Shearer led fans’ votes as the pundit who they wished fill the current Match of the Day host’s boots.

“I saw a poll yesterday, Alan, that proposed possibilities of who might present Match of the Day next season, and you came out on top with 22%, so you better get used to it!” Lineker cheekily quipped.

“No, I’m quite happy doing what I’m doing,” Shearer quickly retorted, all but ruling himself out of one day holding the role. “I’ll leave that to the experts.”

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