Search icon

Football

02nd Apr 2025

Gary Lineker on his next career move after Match of the Day exit

Colman Stanley

“I’ll do the odd thing.”

Gary Lineker will leave BBC’s Match of the Day following the conclusion of this season’s Premier League, after 26-years as host of the iconic highlights show.

The former England, Spurs, Leicester, and Barcelona striker will stay on with the BBC until 2026, but it is unclear where exactly he will go afterwards.

Lineker also runs the podcast production company Goalhanger Podcasts, which includes his own show, The Rest is Football, hosted with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.

Speaking with FourFourTwo, Lineker said: “I don’t think you’ll see me doing much football, apart from the podcast.

“I’ll do the odd thing, but I don’t think you’ll see me appearing regularly on another channel.

“We’ve had talks with Sky at various points, but I always wanted to stick with the BBC.

“I could have earned a lot more, though I know I’ve been well paid anyway, obviously.

“I’ve had offers to go elsewhere but I just loved being with the BBC, and also how it helps everything else you do. 

“It’s not only the kudos, the audience is much bigger. More people still watch Match of the Day than probably the biggest live game on Sundays.

“Also, I’m quite loyal. I’ve had the same guy cut my hair for 40 years, the same guy training me in the gym for 30 years, the same agent since I was 18.”

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10

Topics:

BBC,Gary Lineker