Gary Lineker will host Match of the Day for the final time on Sunday but, in the wake of an antisemitism row, he’ll no longer continue working for the BBC in the 2025-25 season as planned
The BBC are expected to pay tribute to Gary Lineker as he bids farewell to Match of the Day on Sunday. It was confirmed in November that, as part of a contract extension, this would be Lineker’s final season presenting the Premier League highlights show, but recent events have made the upcoming episode especially poignant.
Lineker, 64, confirmed at the start of this week that he’d be leaving the BBC altogether this weekend. The former England striker had been due to continue working for the BBC throughout the 2025-26 season, leading their FA Cup coverage and presenting at next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
But after receiving backlash both internally and externally for sharing and then deleting a pro-Palestine video which featured an ‘antisemitic’ rat emoji, Lineker announced that he’d be leaving the BBC early. The ex-Barcelona, Tottenham and Everton apologised but the fallout led to his exit after 26 years presenting Match of the Day.
His final episode is set to be an emotional one, with Lineker stepping into the hot seat for a final time before he’s replaced by the trio of Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan next season. The Mirror reported earlier this week that bosses are pulling together an emotional montage of the 64-year-old’s most memorable moments.
Famous players, managers and colleagues are set to pay tribute, and Lineker could be given a special Match of the Day cap, similar to the one which Ian Wright received one when he left the show last year. The show has been extended to a bumper 100 minutes, finishing at 12:10am, in order to accommodate all of the action from the final day of the Premier League season and the tributes.
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Multiple BBC chiefs paid tribute to Lineker on Monday when his early departure was announced. Tim Davie, director general of the coorperation, said: “Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season.
“Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made.”
Will Match of the Day be a success with its new presenters? Have your say in the comments section.
Meanwhile, the BBC’s director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, emailed staff following the news. “You will have seen in the past few minutes that Gary Lineker will be leaving the BBC at the end of the current football season. I appreciate the last week has been difficult and emotional for many of you,” Kay-Jelski wrote.
Thank you for all the messages and conversations, even if some of them weren’t easy to have. And I hope you understand that I had to wait until now to tell you the news. It is sad to be saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster and I also want to thank Gary for his years of service.
“As ever, if you have questions, you know where I am. Let’s finish the season strongly with Gary’s final show, enjoy an incredible summer of sport and look forward with excitement to what lies ahead.”
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