‘It’s my final show – before the break’: Gary Lineker jokes amid departure rumours

This week, Gary Lineker is said to have cursed at a reporter due to inquiries regarding his rumored exit from Match of the Day.

However, the BBC's top-paid personality was feeling more lighthearted on Saturday night as he humorously suggested that he was presenting his last show, all while rumors about his future on the program were growing.

This week, the BBC refuted claims that Gary Lineker's tenure as host of its main football program was ending. On Thursday, they clarified that no agreements had been made and confirmed that Lineker is contracted to continue until the season concludes.

Lineker, who earns £1.35 million a year, joked about the speculation on Saturday while hosting this week's football highlights program on BBC One.

"Hello everyone. There are seven games coming up, and this is my last game for now," he remarked. After a brief pause, he continued, "At least until the international break."

Alan Shearer and his co-commentator Micah Richards chuckled at the joke made in the first minute of the show, which won’t be broadcast next week as the Premier League takes a break for international matches.

This week, the Daily Mail revealed that it had obtained a preliminary email indicating that Saturday would mark Lineker's last time hosting Match of the Day.

The newspaper reported that it was unable to confirm whether the email was genuine. This email featured a message from BBC director general Tim Davie. Furthermore, when a reporter from MailOnline confronted Lineker at his home to inquire about the rumors, the former England striker responded, “Leave me alone, I don’t want to talk. Go away.”

Lineker’s contract is set to expire next year, and there’s been a lot of talk about whether he will stay on, especially after his public disagreements with the organization led to a revolt from the staff last year.

In March 2023, the BBC suspended him from broadcasting after he posted on X that the government's wording around a policy concerning small boat crossings was “similar to the language used by Germany in the 1930s.” However, he was brought back after some of his fellow presenters stood in solidarity and chose not to participate in their shows.

In an interview with BBC Breakfast in August, the 63-year-old discussed his future on the show. Lineker expressed that hosting the program for the past 25 years has been a great honor, but he isn't sure how much longer he will continue. He commented, “It’s really up to them to decide how long they want me to stay. Right now, I truly enjoy it. I have at least another year ahead of me, so we’ll just have to see what unfolds.”

On Sunday, the BBC reaffirmed its stance and declined to provide any comments on Lineker’s statements. A representative stated: “We have no updates to share and haven’t decided on the next steps regarding his contract. He remains under contract until the season ends.”