Gary Lineker jokes about BBC Match of the Day exit as replacement 'contender' emerges

Gary Lineker's clip with the BBC is winding down and the Match of the Day big volition depart travel 2026 arsenic questions are asked implicit who volition yet regenerate him

Gary Lineker produced a witty gag astir his Match of the Day aboriginal arsenic helium hosted the amusement for the archetypal clip since his exit was confirmed.

The Premier League was backmost this play pursuing the latest planetary interruption and Lineker was bringing viewers their accustomed extremity highlights. The BBC past week announced Lineker volition permission the role, which helium has had since 1999, astatine the extremity of the existent season.

It has led to plentifulness of statement regarding who whitethorn regenerate him with pundit Alan Shearer opening the amusement - highlighting his broadcast skills - with a statement. He said straight to the camera: “All bully things indispensable travel to an end.”

Lineker replied by joking: “Yes Alan – Lee Carsley’s England reign is over. It’s backmost to concern successful the Premier League.”

Carsley's interim stint has conscionable travel to an extremity pursuing the caller triumph implicit the Republic of Ireland. Thomas Tuchel volition present instrumentality complaint arsenic helium plots England's way to the World Cup - wherever Lineker volition contiguous BBC's coverage.

The erstwhile England planetary volition stay with the corp aft some parties agreed to a declaration hold done to the planetary tourney successful 2026. He volition big BBC's sum of the FA Cup successful the adjacent play and Lineker volition besides contiguous the Match of the Day: Top 10 podcast for BBC Sounds

The BBC has said aboriginal plans for Match Of The Day would beryllium “announced successful owed course” with Mark Chapman, Alex Scott, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan among those being tipped arsenic candidates to regenerate him. Lineker has told the BBC who is penchant is erstwhile it comes to sourcing a replacement, but has kept that private.

The 63-year-old said connected his successor: "Obviously I don't cognize who it'll be, and I would ne'er archer publically my preference. I don't deliberation that'd beryllium the close happening to bash but whoever it is, I would accidental beryllium yourself."

He added connected the Rest Is Football podcast: "I consciousness this is present the close time. I deliberation [with] the adjacent [highlights] contract, they're looking to bash Match of the Day somewhat differently, truthful I deliberation it makes consciousness for idiosyncratic other to instrumentality the helm."

The BBC has decided nary to uncover its nonstop plans for the item show, stating that much accusation volition beryllium shared "in owed course". A connection hinted astatine changes being made, suggesting that the programme volition proceed to adapt: "The amusement continually evolves for changing viewing habits bringing its unsocial and unmatched investigation and commentary crossed each platforms."

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