‘Gary Lineker will keep on the BBC so long as HE needs’, says skilled
Much like Gareth Southgate, Gary Lineker will be the one to decide when he leaves his job – not his BBC bosses, experts told MailOnline today.
The former striker has just 12 months remaining on his £1.35m-a-year deal presenting Match of the Day and England games, including last night’s final defeat to Spain.
But while in Germany for the BBC, he has reportedly raked in at least £125,000 from his Rest is Football podcast, based on advertising prices paid per listener since the start of the tournament.
There is also more cash rolling in from his Goalhanger Podcasts business, behind the hugely successful The Rest is Politics and The Rest is History brands. And as well as his work for the BBC, the 63-year-old, who is worth an estimated £30million, continues to be the face of Walkers Crisps – mentioning them on his podcast, He is also the director of a property development company.
Nick Ede, one of the UK’s leading brand and culture experts, told MailOnline that Mr Lineker will be the one who decides when he calls it a day at the BBC, saying he will have a job for life there if he wants it – even if he uses his status at the corporation to boost his other interests.
He said: ‘I think he’ll stay at the BBC as he loves it’, adding especially as he ‘can still also make millions’ from other projects including his podcast, which has been sponsored through the Euros by Sky Sports.
‘Gary has had a quite a few lucky escapes with the BBC, his words and his other earnings. He gets away with a lot because he is very popular and has been such a massive part of the BBC line up for so many years’, he said.
Gary Lineker clutches a glass of red as he records his The Rest is Football podcast with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, which has been daily while in Germany for the Euros
Gary Lineker in the BBC Television studio during the UEFA EURO 2024 final match between Spain and England at Olympiastadion with Micah Richards, Juan Mata and Rio Ferdinand to his right
‘I think he’ll do both [Match of the Day and The Rest is Football] while he can. And he will last until his contract is nearly up and then decide what to do.
‘I’m sure he will get a lot of offers so he will be open to all of them. He may decide to go with a streamer for his next move. Reaching hundreds of millions rather than tens of millions, while he can’.
Some have been left upset by his business interests.
One source told The Times: ‘The horse has bolted with all the commercial work the talent are doing. It’s very surprising. How are they getting away with it?’.
The insider said others were ‘dismayed’ by how Lineker was boosting his podcast helped by his platform on the BBC.
Last week it emerged he has reportedly been snubbed from presenting the BBC‘s new Champions League highlights programme next season – raising questions about his future.
The BBC signed a groundbreaking three-year deal back in 2022 to broadcast highlights of Europe’s elite club competition from the start of the 2024-25 campaign, with 16 shows planned on Wednesday evenings from September to May.
However, according to The Telegraph, despite Lineker hosting the BBC’s flagship football show, Match of the Day, he won’t be a part of their new programme.
Given he had previously presented BT Sport’s Champions League coverage, the 63-year-old was seen as a frontrunner for the role, but the report goes onto claim that Gabby Logan has instead been picked by BBC bosses.
Gary Lineker (pictured last night) reportedly won’t host the BBC’s new Champions League highlights programme
The BBC has signed a three-year deal to show the competition’s highlights from next season
There was already a lack of clarity over whether his contract would be extended after his suspension from Match of the Day last year, which led to several of his fellow pundits striking in solidarity, something that embarrassed leading BBC figures.
Lineker was reprimanded by the BBC in March 2023 after posting on social media that the Conservative government’s language around asylum policy was ‘not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s’.
These comments caused significant controversy and resulted in the BBC taking him off Match of the Day that week, with Alan Shearer and Ian Wright among those to strike in protest at the decision.
Meanwhile, the report goes onto add that the BBC did hold talks with Lineker over their new Champions League show, but failed to make him a formal offer.
It is understood that his busy schedule, which includes his hugely successful Rest is Football podcast, coupled with his lack of desire to travel up to BBC’s Salford studio for midweek programmes, have played a role in the decision.
Elsewhere, Lineker continues to be forthright in his political views, something that is viewed uneasily by those at the BBC.
Gabby Logan is said to have been chosen to present the new BBC show in favour of Lineker
Lineker has a year left on his BBC contract, with the decision raising questions about his future
However, after that suspension last year, an independent panel subsequently ruled that the channel’s non-news presenters should be allowed to express political opinions.
This included the 63-year-old labelling their display against Denmark as ‘s**t’, something skipper Harry Kane hit back at.
The BBC are expected to confirm more about their new Champions League commitments next month.
