BBC issues statement over future of Gary Lineker’s contract after email leak
The broadcaster denied an announcement was pending regarding the 63-year-old
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Your support makes all the difference.The BBC has issued a statement responding to fresh doubts over Gary Lineker’s future at Match Of The Day after emails suggesting his departure were leaked.
The broadcaster revealed it has not yet agreed a contract renewal with its highest-paid star, and denied speculation it was preparing to announce the end of his tenure.
MailOnline reported it had seen an email purportedly from BBC bosses preparing to announce the 63-year-old’s departure from the broadcaster after 25 years, with BBC director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski leading the decision.
The corporation denied the announcement, and affirmed he was under contract until the end of the football season, which is set to expire after the Champions League season in May next year.
“We have nothing to announce, and we have not agreed next steps with regard to his contract,” a spokesperson for the BBC said. “He is under contract until the end of the season.”
MailOnline said it had been unable to verify the authenticity of the email.
Lineker has been the BBC’s highest paid on-air talent for seven consecutive years and the only star to earn more than £1m in the year 2023/24 according to the corporation’s annual report published in July.
The former England footballer took over the flagship football highlights show, which is one of the BBC’s longest-running shows, having been on air since 1964, in 1999 after predecessor Des Lynam joined ITV.
Lineker told The Independent in August that he remained happy in his role at the broadcaster despite it having its “issues”.
“Match Of The Day is such an iconic show, 60 years is such a long time and I have presented it for 25 of those years,” he said. “Podcast-wise, things have really exceeded our expectations but, at the same time, I love being part of Match Of The Day. I love working for the BBC.
“I know it has its issues and it has its troubles but I think it’s brilliant. I think sometimes we don’t shout about how good we are at the BBC and what we offer.”
Rumours over his eventual departure have sparked debate before, with Lineker himself commenting earlier this year. Asked by BBC Breakfast about how long he would continue, he said: “I don’t... I don’t know!
“It depends how long they want me, I suppose. I love doing it at the moment; I’ve still got another year left, at least. So we’ll have to wait and see what happens. Obviously it’s another change in football and television and the rights of the Premier League and stuff like that.
“All of these things will play a part. But I just feel it’s been an absolute privilege to have presented it for 25 years now. I must be getting old!”
He was taken off air by the BBC last year having compared the language used to launch a government asylum seeker policy to 1930s Germany. The incident sparked a backlash and resulted in a number of his fellow pundits, including Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, boycotting Match Of The Day over his absence from the show.
Lineker later returned to the programme but new BBC social media rules have since banned flagship presenters from making attacks on political parties.
A representative for Lineker has been contacted for comment.