Gary Lineker to Depart BBC's Match of the Day

Gary Lineker, renowned for his role as host of BBC's Match of the Day, will exit the show at the end of the current Premier League season in May 2025, as revealed by BBC News.

The announcement is anticipated from the BBC soon.

Lineker, who started hosting the football program on August 7, 1999, will mark 26 years in the role before his departure.

According to The Sun, Lineker will also step down from the BBC post-2026 after leading coverage of the FIFA World Cup in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Although his representative and the BBC press office have yet to comment, it is understood that Lineker was willing to continue his role, but the BBC did not extend a new contract offer to him.

Former BBC director general Greg Dyke praised Lineker as 'the outstanding sports presenter of his time,' but noted that 'life moves on, presenters don't stay forever.' Despite his impending departure, Lineker remains a popular figure and the highest-paid star at the BBC with a declared salary exceeding £1.3 million annually.

Lineker, aged 63, has also been instrumental in covering high-profile sporting events like World Cups and European Championships for the BBC, and was involved with the corporation's Sports Personality of the Year ceremonies.

Offscreen, he co-founded Goalhanger, a podcast production company.

His career as a footballer saw success as a top striker for England and clubs including Leicester, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Barcelona.

Before his recent negotiations with the BBC ended, Lineker had entertained the possibility of extending his tenure.

After his exit, the BBC faces the challenge of appointing a successor, with names like Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Alex Scott being considered.

Lineker's career was not without controversy; he was briefly suspended over a social media post about the UK asylum policy, prompting the BBC to review its social media guidelines.

The resulting rules now allow prominent presenters to express views on policies without politically campaigning.

Alastair Campbell, co-presenter of Lineker's podcast 'The Rest Is Politics,' described him as 'a very hard act to follow' and 'an excellent broadcaster and a very good guy.' The BBC's financial difficulties, including £700 million in savings and job cuts, might have influenced the decision not to renew Lineker's contract, as suggested by Dyke.

Lineker's upcoming departure marks the end of an iconic era in sports broadcasting.