BBC draws up Gary Lineker exit announcement plan with presenter set to leave Match of the Day

The BBC reportedly intends to announce Gary Lineker’s exit today after it emerged the Match of the Day presenter would be leaving the broadcaster in 2026.

The 63-year-old has been the main host of the popular football programme ever since 1999, when Des Lynham left for rivals ITV.

On Monday night, The Sun broke the news that Lineker would be leaving in 2026.

His current deal with the Beeb is due to expire at the end of the season and it’s claimed he will pen an 18-month extension that will run until the next World Cup, which is due to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Lineker will have hosted Match of the Day for nearly 30 years by the time he departs.

And the Daily Mail say his exit is set to be officially announced later on Tuesday, with the BBC drawing up plans to make it official.

Lineker’s departure from the BBC will leave a sizeable hole given everything he’s contributed to the broadcaster over the past 25 years.

There have been murmers that Alex Kay-Jelski, who is currently the corporation’s director of sport, has been keen to revamp Match of the Day.

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Though viewership remains strong, Kay-Jelski is said to feel that the programme needs freshing up with a different host at the helm.

He was frustrated by Lineker’s outspokenness on his Rest is Football podcast earlier in the year, with the ex-Tottenham and Leicester star branding one England display ‘s**t’ while they were targeting Euro 2024 glory.

Mark Chapman is the frontrunner to replace Lineker, having hosted Match of the Day 2 for over a decade.

Gabby Logan, who has covered other big sporting events for the BBC, is also in contention.

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Last year, Lineker clashed with BBC bosses over his political views.

He was briefly taken off air – with a host of figures behind the scenes backing the 63-year-old.

The likes of Alan Shearer and Ian Wright refused to go on Match of the Day, while players and managers were also unhappy with the way the veteran was treated.

Though Lineker was reinstated and brought back on air, it now looks as though he’s going to be focusing more on his podcast in the future.

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A source has told The Sun that Lineker loves working on Match of the Day.

However, he ‘wants to leave on a high’ with the 63-year-old hoping England can win the next World Cup following the recent appointment of Thomas Tuchel.

“Gary absolutely adores Match of the Day, and has been incredibly happy at the BBC,” he said.

“But he has been at the helm since 1999, and by the time he leaves, he will have been at the Beeb for 30 years.

“He wants to leave on a high – and if England win the World Cup, it doesn’t get much higher.

“It’s one of the industry’s worst kept secrets that the new BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski and Gary aren’t exactly close. The former is very keen to make his mark by bringing in new faces, and slashing wage bills.

“Negotiations have been ongoing for the past six weeks and finally a deal has been struck that everyone is pleased with.

“Gary is incredibly popular with both players and viewers, and news of his departure will send shockwaves around the Corporation. In other words, no-one is immune from change.

“Gary will be 65 when he leaves; frankly, he isn’t getting younger and just feels the time is right to focus solely on his mogul interests outside the BBC – namely his Goalhanger podcasting business which is becoming huge Stateside.

“BBC execs, meanwhile, will be giving Match of the Day a reboot to keep it fresh in the wake of such a huge departure.”