Gary Lineker‘s future as the BBC‘s highest-paid presenter appears to be in doubt after the leak of an email purporting to be a draft announcement about his departure.
MailOnline said it had seen an email that suggested BBC chiefs, including director general Tim Davie, were drawing up a press notice about Lineker’s exit. MailOnline said it was unable to confirm the authenticity of the email. The BBC is not confirming or denying its existence.
The email purports to be from Alex Kay-Jelski, the BBC’s director of sport, and its contents suggest that Saturday will be Lineker’s last appearance on Match of the Day, the Premier League highlights show. It reportedly features a comment from Davie, who describes Lineker as a “world-class presenter.”
A BBC insider said Saturday is not Lineker’s final show and there are no imminent plans to announce his departure, though it is accepted he is in the final year of his deal. A BBC spokesperson said: “We have nothing to announce and we have not agreed next steps with regard to his contract. He is under contract until the end of the season.”
Deadline has contacted Lineker’s agent for comment. Approached for comment by MailOnline, Lineker told a reporter: “F*** off, I won’t talk to you. Go away.”
Lineker has presented Match of the Day for 25 years and has been the BBC’s highest-paid presenter for the past seven years, earning £1.35M ($1.8M). He is highly regarded by BBC management and well-liked by audiences, but his relationship with the corporation has become fractious over his use of social media.
Lineker was briefly suspended last year over a single tweet, in which he compared government rhetoric on asylum seekers to Nazi Germany. His punishment sparked embarrassment for the BBC as other sports presenters walked out in solidarity. Lineker was swiftly reinstated. Questions have continued to be raised about his impartiality on X (formerly Twitter) though his posting on the platform has reduced significantly in recent months.
Lineker was asked about his future at the BBC in an interview with a colleague earlier this year. He said: “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.”