Gary Lineker has stepped down from his anchor role on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show as he is phased out as a leading face of the corporation.
Last December’s awards ceremony, which he presented alongside Alex Scott, Gabby Logan and Clare Balding, was his last, it has now emerged.
A BBC announcement follows confirmation 24 hours earlier that the former England striker is to step down after 25 years on Match of the Day at the end of the season.
“We can confirm Gary has decided to step down from the team presenting BBC Sports Personality of the Year,” the BBC said in a statement. “After 23 years, last year’s 70th anniversary was his final show.”
His decision to stop hosting Spoty was said to have been taken before he agreed reduced terms on an 18-month extension to the current £1.35 million-a-year deal that made him the BBC’s top earner. However, he will remain with the BBC, after both parties agreed to a contract extension through to the end of the 2026 World Cup.
He will also continue presenting the Match of the Day: Top 10 podcast on BBC Sounds, and will share an episode a week of his The Rest Is Football podcast.
Sources maintain his Spoty decision was unrelated to his subsequent contract extension decision. Insiders, however, are split on whether Lineker’s otherwise reduced role at the BBC ultimately has been his decision or the corporation’s. BBC News reported that he had been open to staying on at Match of the Day but was not offered a new deal.
Lineker has yet to comment on social media, but said in a statement shared by the BBC: “I’m delighted to continue my long association with BBC Sport and would like to thank all those who made this happen.”
Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport, said: “Gary is a world-class presenter and we’re delighted that he’ll lead our coverage of the next World Cup and continue to lead our live coverage of the FA Cup.
“After 25 seasons Gary is stepping down from MotD. We want to thank him for everything he has done for the show, which continues to attract millions of viewers each week. He’ll be hugely missed on the show but we’re so happy he is staying with the BBC to present live football.”
Telegraph Sport reported on Tuesday how Match of the Day 2 presenter Mark Chapman is among the favourites to replace Lineker on a potential revolving rota of hosts for the Saturday show. However, multiple sources say Chapman has concerns about taking on more work. He makes no secret that his favourite job is covering live action on Radio 5 Live’s afternoon show.
The BBC has said only that “future plans for Match of the Day will be announced in due course”.
In the latest The Rest is Football episode, Lineker fails to mention his Match of the Day departure or address football’s transgender rules, despite inviting the public to suggest questions.
Lineker had first asked for suggestions for a “question and answer” version of the podcast with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards on Sunday, prior to his BBC exit becoming clear.
After the post on X, he was quickly challenged by Martina Navratilova, Sharron Davies and other women’s campaigners to discuss football’s failure to stop biological males playing in the women’s game.