Gary Lineker has been the face of the BBC’s flagship sports programme for more than 25 years, but with his upcoming departure at the end of this season, we’re asking: how will the show fare without him?
Gary Lineker has been the face of the BBC’s flagship sports programme for more than 25 years, but with his upcoming departure at the end of this season, we’re asking: how will the show fare without him? Gary Lineker has been the face of the BBC’s flagship sports programme for more than 25 years, but with his upcoming departure at the end of this season, we’re asking: how will the show fare without him?
Gary Lineker has been the face of Match of the Day for more than three decades – and we want to know what YOU think the show should look like without him.
The 63-year-old has been fronting the programme since 1999 – becoming one of the most established and well-known football pundits in the country. But it has now been confirmed Gary will step down from his role at the end of the 2024-25 season.
The ex-England star took over from Des Lynam and has since dominated the screens of football fans across the UK, understood to be earning a career-high of around £1.35million a year as the BBC’s highest-paid star.
Gary first joined Match of the Day after hanging up his boots as one of England’s most celebrated strikers. With an impressive career that included stints at Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, and Tottenham (not to mention leading England’s attack during the 1990 World Cup), Lineker was already a household name. His switch from the pitch to the studio seemed a natural progression, and it didn’t take long for him to settle into his role fronting the flagship sports programme.
If you can’t see the poll, click here
For many, Gary has been the face of the show, guiding us through the weekend’s highlights and offering his thoughts with his trademark dry wit and charm. Whether it’s seamlessly transitioning between match highlights, cracking a joke with the pundits, or handling the occasional awkward moment with ease, Lineker always made it look so easy.
Over the years, Gary’s time as host has produced some great moments. There was the time he had to calm the team when they were laughing at a (not-so-serious) debate over whether MOTD should cover non-Premier League football. Or the cheeky exchanges with pundits such as Ian Wright, where their playful banter often turned into one of the highlights of the show. But it’s not all about jokes and light-hearted moments. He’s also managed to steer some pretty serious discussions, particularly when football touches on wider societal issues.
Lineker’s stellar broadcasting career has also been marked by some controversy, most notably in March last year when he was briefly absent from Match of the Day following his social media comments criticising the UK government’s asylum policies. The fallout led the BBC to conduct an independent review of its social media guidelines, but Lineker was quickly reinstated to the show.
Looking ahead, the 63-year-old may continue his association with the BBC beyond 2026, with a potential focus on podcasts, an area where he has found considerable success in recent years. The BBC has also confirmed that Gary has signed an 18-month deal to continue his association with the broadcaster – with a substantial pay cut – that means he will still continue to present their FA Cup coverage and the 2026 World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada.
But with Gary off MOTD from the end of this season, who would like to see step into his shoes – and will you miss him heading up the show?
Share your thoughts on Gary Lineker and the future of Match of the Day in our poll above.
Mirror – Sport
