Soccer

Gary Lineker jokes about his Match of the Day departure with Alan Shearer

Saturday’s episode started with Shearer saying: “All good things must come to an end.”

File photo dated 13/11/24 of Gary Lineker during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2022 held at MediaCityUK, Salford. Gary Lineker has stepped down from his role as presenter of Sports Personality Of The Year (SPOTY), according to a BBC spokesperson. The corporation said that last year’s awards ceremony, which he presented alongside retired Lionesses full-back Alex Scott, and TV presenters Gabby Logan and Clare Balding, was the former England striker’s last. Issue date: Wednesday November 13, 2024.
File photo dated 13/11/24 of Gary Lineker during the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2022 held at MediaCityUK, Salford. Gary Lineker has stepped down from his role as presenter of Sports Personality Of The Year (SPOTY), according to a BBC spokesperson. The corporation said that last year’s awards ceremony, which he presented alongside retired Lionesses full-back Alex Scott, and TV presenters Gabby Logan and Clare Balding, was the former England striker’s last. Issue date: Wednesday November 13, 2024. (David Davies/PA)
By PA Sport staff

Gary Lineker shared a joke with Alan Shearer about his Match of the Day departure as he hosted the show for the first time since the confirmation that he is to step down.

The BBC last week announced Lineker will leave the role, which he has had since 1999, at the end of the current season.

Saturday’s episode started with pundit Shearer, his fellow former England striker, saying direct to the camera: “All good things must come to an end.”

Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker shared a joke about the latter’s departure from Match of the Day
Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker shared a joke about the latter’s departure from Match of the Day (Owen Humphreys/NMC Pool/PA)

Lineker replied by quipping: “Yes Alan – Lee Carsley’s England reign is over. It’s back to business in the Premier League.”

Although exiting the flagship football highlights programme, the 63-year-old will remain with the BBC after both parties agreed to a contract extension through to the 2026 World Cup.

He will host BBC Sport’s coverage of the FA Cup in the 2025-26 campaign and continue presenting the Match of the Day: Top 10 podcast for BBC Sounds, which will also host The Rest Is Football podcast, produced by Lineker’s Goalhanger Podcasts, with one episode released on the platform each week.

The BBC has said future plans for Match Of The Day would be “announced in due course” with Mark Chapman, Alex Scott, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan among those being tipped as candidates to replace him.