BBC told Gary Lineker ‘will decide when he leaves’ after Match of the Day exit ‘leak’

Gary Lineker’s future as Match of the Day host has been in the spotlight this week amid reports the BBC are readying a change with tonight’s edition going out as normal

Gary Lineker arrived at BBC HQ through a side door on Saturday ahead of hosting Match of the Day amid rumours suggesting his days are numbered.

But a source close to the former England star, insists: “He’ll decide when he leaves.”

Lineker is in the final year of his current contract as host of the show, which he has anchored since in 1999. However, it has been suggested that BBC Sport chief Alex Kay-Jelski is ready to make changes. The Daily Mail claims to have seen an internal email from the BBC, which suggests that the corporation is drawing up a statement to announce his departure.

Lineker himself has refused to comment on that specific allegation when questioned this week. The BBC themselves have moved to dismiss those reports, underlining the fact that Lineker remains under contract and no decisions have been taken beyond that. A statement from a BBC spokesperson said: “We have nothing to announce, and we have not agreed next steps with regard to his contract. He is on contract until the end of the season.”

The suggestion is that Lineker, who was temporarily taken off air last year after comparing the Tories’ immigration policy to Nazi Germany, could be dispensable under new director of sport Kay-Jelski, who the Mail on Sunday claims is unhappy with some of Lineker’s views that have been made on his hit podcast, The Rest is Football.

Lineker described England’s performances in the early stages of Euro 2024 as “s***” – which, it’s claimed, left BBC staff “embarrassed”. The former England international also found himself in a row with corporation bosses following a social media post last season.

The aforementioned email, supposedly from Kay-Jelski, is claimed to have announced that Saturday night’s MOTD would be Lineker’s last and reportedly included BBC director general Tim Davie hailing an ‘incredible’ career from a ‘world class presenter’.

A source close to Lineker told the Mail on Sunday: “Gary doesn’t deserve this. If they are worried about how much they pay him, then they should pay him less. What’s Gary supposed to do?

“He’s been a great presenter, people love him. He’s Mr Football. The BBC are lucky to have had him.”

Earlier this year Lineker was quizzed on his future in the Match of the Day chair whilst on BBC Breakfast. “It depends how long they want me, I suppose,” he said. “I love doing it at the moment; I’ve still got another year left, at least. So we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

“Obviously it’s another change in football and television and the rights of the Premier League and stuff like that. All of these things will play a part. But I just feel it’s been an absolute privilege to have presented it for 25 years now. I must be getting old!”

The BBC are thought to be leaning towards having Chapman as Lineker’s eventual Match of the Day replacement, as per reports. He is already well known to fans given he presents Match of the Day 2 on Sundays, a role he’s filled since 2013. The 50-year-old is also a presenter on Radio 5 Live and recently was announced as the presenter of the BBC’s new Champions League highlights show.

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