Gary Lineker has been the BBC’s highest-paid star for several years, and his £1.75million salary was once described as “outrageous” by former Mastermind host John Humphrys
Gary Lineker’s eye-watering £1.75million salary for his role on BBC Match of the Day was once slammed as “outrageous” by veteran presenter John Humphrys. Despite a self-imposed pay cut in 2019 that brought his earnings down to £1.3m, Lineker has consistently been one of the Beeb’s top earners.
The sports broadcaster, 64, is due to step down from MOTD after a 26-year stint as the face of the BBC’s prime football programme. Veteran broadcaster Humphrys, with 34 years under his belt hosting BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, reacted with scepticism to Lineker’s voluntary salary reduction in 2019.
He said at the time: “We don’t know how much, so ask me when we know. I don’t know. I thought £1.75million for a wee bit of chatting was outrageous.”
Lineker’s departure from his long-standing position was announced last November, with the BBC later revealing that the baton would be passed to Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Kelly Cates.
In a recent discussion with Amol Rajan, Lineker hinted that the BBC might have been keen on him exiting the prominent MOTD role. “Well, perhaps they want me to leave,” he said. “There was the sense of that.”
He acknowledged how the cycle of broadcasting rights influenced his likely exit but noted that staying on for the FA Cup and World Cup has, in fact, put him in a favourable position.
Reflecting on his time at the helm, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Everton striker added: “It’s time. I’ve done it for a long time, it’s been brilliant. In the end, I think there was a feeling that, because it was a new rights period, it was a chance to change the programme.
“I think it was their preference that I didn’t do Match of the Day for one more year, so they could bring in new people. So it’s slightly unusual that I would do the FA Cup and the World Cup, but to be honest, it’s a scenario that suits me perfectly.”
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