Gary Lineker bids teary goodbye to ‘utterly joyous’ Match Of The Day

Gary Lineker bid an emotional goodbye as he signed off hosting Match Of The Day after 26 years, saying it had been an “absolute privilege” and “utterly joyous” to front the show.

The player-turned-pundit’s early departure from the broadcaster follows a social media row after the 64-year-old shared a post about Zionism, which featured a depiction of a rat, historically an antisemitic insult.

He presented his final episode alongside fellow pundits, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, with whom he also hosts podcast The Rest Is Football, which is produced by his company Goalhanger Podcasts.

Gary Lineker says goodbye to #MOTD after 25 years. pic.twitter.com/u1DORcO6Po

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) May 25, 2025

In his final message, Lineker said: “Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits. It’s been an absolute privilege to host Match Of The Day for a quarter of a century.

“It’s been utterly joyous.”

Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman will replace the Leicester-born star and share the presenting role on Match Of The Day from the next Premier League season, and Lineker wished the trio “all the very best when they sit in this chair. The programme is in the best of hands.”

Lineker, the BBC’s highest-paid presenter, issued an unreserved apology as it was confirmed he would leave his presenting role at the BBC early and will no longer front the corporation’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup or the FA Cup next season.

He ended his on-air thank you saying: “And my final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching, thank you for all your love and support over the years. It has been so special, and I am sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye. Goodbye.”

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