Gary Lineker: How he went from football sensation to BBC star
Picture credit: PA Media
Ending note: Gary Lineker presented Match of the Day for a quarter of a century.
According to BBC News, Gary Lineker, who is set to depart from Match of the Day after this season, has served as a reliable presence for countless fans, helping them navigate the highs and lows of football.
Having been the host of the main show for 25 years, he is among the most recognized presenters at the corporation, earning £1.3 million in the past year.
His quick one-liners at the end of every episode, capturing the feelings of the fans and the essence of the game, might have appeared effortless.
However, they were the outcome of many years spent perfecting his abilities and showcasing his talents.
Photo credit: Getty Images
After the 1991 match between Poland and England, Gary Lineker expressed his excitement for qualifying for Euro 92.
As a notable former football player, who held the position of England captain and scored 48 goals in 80 matches, he is well-known for never having received a yellow or red card throughout his career.
His knack for staying calm during matches served him well when he transitioned to a career in live broadcasting after retiring from playing in 1994.
While he was still in school, he aimed to pursue a career in sports journalism, planning it as a backup if his football aspirations didn't pan out.
Recognized for his talent in exploiting weaknesses in the defense and his knack for scoring from close range, Lineker won the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup. He also became England's leading goal-scorer three times, doing so while playing for three different clubs: Leicester City, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur.
During the height of his sports career at the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals, Lineker was often seen mingling with reporters who were staying in the same hotel as the England squad.
"In my mid-20s, I already had a clear vision of the path I wanted to take after I finished my playing career," he shared with the BBC in 2014.
"I used to observe the newspaper reporters craft their introductory paragraphs and spend time with the radio journalists, discussing their work processes."
His main goal was to ultimately become the host instead of just a commentator.
However, he acknowledged that moving into radio and television required a significant amount of effort.
Lineker secured the Golden Boot as the top goal scorer during the 1986 World Cup held in Mexico.
He described his initial attempts at broadcasting as "pretty terrible" during an interview with Ros Atkins on the BBC's Media Show in 2021.
Beginning his journey on Radio 5 Live "was an essential part of the learning experience," he mentioned.
"I found my way through it, and I had the support of some amazing people around me who were incredibly helpful during those initial stages."
Lineker drew from that experience, crafting all of his own scripts and establishing a distinct position for himself.
After seeing former athletes David Gower and Sue Barker hosting cricket and tennis events, he wondered why football didn't have a similar setup.
"I figured that having played at the highest level, if I could succeed in presenting, it would set me apart," he shared during a 2019 appearance on the BBC Radio 4 podcast Don't Tell Me the Score.
"It would put me ahead of everyone else."
At the same time, he remained a well-liked figure in the world of football. In 1991, Arthur Smith and Chris England created a play titled An Evening With Gary Lineker, which tells the story of a couple attempting to restore their relationship during the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup.
Featuring Caroline Quentin, Clive Owen, Paul Merton, and Martin Clunes, this television production was shot in 1994, and includes a brief appearance by Lineker.
David Gower, Nick Hancock, Rory McGrath, and Gary Lineker appeared on the show "They Think It's All Over" in 2002.
He also started to expand his television career by serving as a team captain on the BBC One comedy panel show, They Think It's All Over, from 1995 until 2003.
He gained recognition as a presenter in 1997 when he filled in for Des Lynam on the Saturday afternoon sports program, Grandstand.
By the mid-1990s, Lineker had started featuring as a commentator on Match of the Day.
This provided him with an excellent opportunity to learn, as he was situated right beside the knowledgeable and polished host, Lynam.
"Des was incredibly supportive. I often inquired about the finer details of his actions and picked up on some of his unique styles," the ex-football player mentioned.
He encouraged me to occasionally be bold with my concluding remarks and to not shy away from attempting to add some humor.
"Once again, the small rewards I occasionally earn at the conclusion of the show are something I picked up from him."
Image credit: PA Media
Lineker remarked that Des Lynam was "the leading figure among sports presenters and a challenging role to replicate."
By 1999, Lineker had taken on the role of host for the show, successfully appealing to viewers that the BBC often found it difficult to engage and keep.
Viewers were also eager to watch his interactions with the show's analysts, which included former football stars like Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Micah Richards, and Alan Hansen.
Lineker's inquiries fueled the discussion, as he consistently contributed his own thoughts and humor.
He famously kicked off the show in his underwear back in 2016. He had made a promise to "host the first Match of the Day next season in only my boxers" if his old team, Leicester, clinched the Premier League title, and they actually did!
Shearer and Wright struggled to maintain their composure.
The bonds they shared were evident. In June of this year, Lineker and Shearer expressed heartfelt support for Hansen after learning that he was gravely ill and hospitalized.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Reaching new heights: Lineker gives a climbing wall a shot.
However, even though he got along well with his coworkers, things were more complicated behind the scenes.
Being among the BBC's top-earning presenters, frequently appearing at the top of the list of disclosed salaries, he was under continuous observation and criticism.
Lineker openly expressed his opinions, especially on social media, even though he was employed by a network that values neutrality.
In March of the previous year, he shared a post on X regarding the government's policy on asylum seekers, which led to a temporary suspension by the BBC.
Shearer, Wright, and several other sports presenters from the BBC declined to go on air in protest against his nonappearance.
Match of the Day was cut down to a brief 20-minute version without its usual host, analysts, or commentary. This decision sparked major headlines for several days, prompting reactions from politicians and media experts who all expressed their opinions on the matter.
BBC Director General Tim Davie later expressed his regrets to licence fee payers for the inconvenience, describing it as a "challenging day" for the organization.
After nine days, Lineker was brought back.
The speaker later remarked that the reaction to his tweet was "absurd - it didn't need to happen."
"I really appreciate the BBC. I've been a part of it for almost 30 years now, but everyone can slip up. They understand that, take responsibility for it, and thankfully, we're all back to our jobs now," he shared.
Picture credit: Getty Images
Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer have hosted numerous significant football tournaments.
The attention and controversies surrounding his online following not only boosted his fame but also highlighted the BBC's eagerness to keep him on board.
The event led to a reassessment of the BBC's social media policies. In September of last year, updated guidelines were introduced for the BBC's main presenters, indicating that they can share their opinions on various topics and policies, but should refrain from engaging in political campaigning.
Lineker described the suggestions as being "completely reasonable."
By February of this year, he mentioned that he was using X less frequently, explaining that the platform had turned "more toxic" since Elon Musk took over.
Even so, he and the BBC are still separating, and the main football program no longer has a presenter.
Lineker has a variety of ventures beyond football, including a thriving podcast production company he co-established, known as Goalhanger.
It creates programs such as The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Entertainment, and The Rest Is Politics, which took home the Champion award at this year's Podcast Awards.
However, for the BBC, Lineker's exit follows closely behind a number of controversies.
Jermaine Jenas, who previously hosted Match of the Day and The One Show, was dismissed in August due to concerns raised about his behavior at work.
In September, the BBC expressed regret to Amanda Abbington and acknowledged a few of her concerns regarding her 2023 Strictly dance partner, Giovanni Pernice, but found him not guilty of the more serious accusations.
In that same month, Mr. Davie stated that he didn't believe Huw Edwards, the former news presenter who has faced scandal, would return to work at the corporation.
Edwards received a six-month prison term, which has been put on hold for two years, after he confessed to creating inappropriate images of minors.
The BBC is looking for some appealing headlines, and with Lineker leaving, they have the challenging job of finding a remarkable replacement for him. This won't be an easy feat.
