Goodbye Gary Lineker?! Match of the Day host tipped to depart after BBC email about host’s future ‘leaked’ online

Former Tottenham and England striker Lineker is the highest-paid presenter on the BBC’s books, but questions have been asked of his future at the corporation for some time. There are still several months left to run on his contract, with the 63-year-old previously telling John Watson on BBC Breakfast of his immediate plans: “I mean, I love doing it at the moment (and) I’ve got another year doing it, at least. We’ll have to wait and see what happens. It’s an ever-changing feast, football, and television and football, and rights for the Premier League and stuff like that so all of these things will play a part. But I just feel that it’s been a privilege to present it for 25 years now. I must be getting old.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  That stance may be shifting, with the Daily Mail claiming to have seen a “leaked” email that hints at BBC bosses readying an official statement that will confirm Lineker’s departure from MOTD hosting duties. An official statement given to MailOnline says: “We have nothing to announce, and we have not agreed next steps with regard to his contract. He is on contract until the end of the season.”

  • WHAT LINEKER SAID

    Lineker was in no mood to discuss his future when approached by the Mail, telling a reporter outside of his home in London: “F*ck off, I won’t talk to you. Go away.” He has stated his pride at filling an iconic role across more than two decades, saying of giving the British public their Premier League highlights fix: “It’s been a part of my life, a big part of my life right from the start. I watched it as a kid, it was the one night my dad would let me stay up to watch Match of the Day. Because a lot of the population don’t have Sky or TNT or any of these streaming channels that show football and the Premier League, I think about half the population get their Premier League fix from Match of the Day and still do.”

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Speculation is rife regarding who could step into Lineker’s shoes if the decision is taken by all concerned to move Match of the Day in a different direction. Long-time MOTD 2 host Mark Chapman is considered to be among the favourites to take over the main job if it comes available, with Gabby Logan and Alex Scott also in the mix.