Gary Lineker, who’s quickly to hold up his Match of the Day boots after 25 years, has stated he felt the BBC needed him to depart the weekly highlights present.
Lineker, who has had a chequered relationship with the nationwide broadcaster over the previous couple of years, instructed BBC presenter Amol Rajan “maybe they needed me to depart… there was a way of that” when discussing his exit.
He was responding to a query from Rajan for an Amol Rajan Interviews episode on why he’s selecting to depart now when the present is doing so effectively. “Maybe they needed me to depart,” was Lineker’s response.
Lineker, who’s being changed by three hosts subsequent season, is remaining with the BBC to current FA Cup and World Cup protection together with podcasts and he stated that whereas this transfer is “barely uncommon… to be trustworthy it’s a situation that fits me completely.”
The BBC didn’t touch upon at present’s Lineker remarks however pointed Deadline to the assertion made on the time he introduced his exit, which was billed as “Gary Lineker agrees a contract extension with the BBC.” At the moment in November 2024, BBC sport boss Alex Kay-Jelski referred to as Lineker a “world-class presenter, and we’re delighted that he’ll lead our protection of the following World Cup and proceed to guide our reside protection of the FA Cup.”
Lineker’s newest feedback, which are actually accessible to observe on BBC iPlayer, could reopen wounds.
The ex-soccer professional kickstarted an unprecedented BBC presenter strike when he was stood down from Match of the Day internet hosting duties two years in the past after posting a tweet evaluating UK authorities coverage on small boats to that of Nazi Germany.
Lineker returned the next week however sparked a whole overview into BBC presenters’ use of social media and Lineker’s social media use has since raised questions. Final yr, Lineker described the state of affairs between him and the BBC after the tweet as a “lover’s tiff” and stated “we’re high-quality once more now.”
At £1.35M ($1.8M) per yr, Lineker is at the moment the BBC’s highest-paid presenter. His last Match of the Day will happen subsequent month because the UK soccer season wraps up.
