Gary Lineker to leave Match of the Day & chase American dream? Ex-England star in ‘could do’ admission as questions continue to be asked of BBC future
Gary Lineker has made a “could do” admission when asked if he may be tempted to walk away from Match of the Day and go chasing an American dream.
- Highest-paid presenter at the BBC
- Current contract expires in 2025
- Ready to slow down in his mid-60s
WHAT HAPPENED?
The former England international, who is approaching his 64th birthday, has spent 25 years fronting the BBC’s flagship Premier League highlights show. Having accepted that position in 1999, he is now the highest-paid presenter on the BBC’s books.
THE GOSSIP
There has been talk of Lineker’s current £1.3 million contract being his last, as MOTD bosses look to usher the iconic programme into an exciting new era, although there has been no official announcement from any of the parties involved.
WHAT LINEKER SAID
Lineker has plenty on his plate away from Match of the Day and has told Esquire when asked if he would be open to moving into podcasts full-time – potentially cracking America in the process – if ties with the BBC were to be severed: “I could do. Whether that will be the case I don’t know. At some point, I have to slow down somewhere… I’m getting old.”
WHAT NEXT?
Lineker already fronts ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast alongside fellow former England stars Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. He has greater freedom on that show to speak his mind, with it suggested that some of the comments made there have got him into trouble with BBC executives.
