Gary Lineker has revealed that talks have begun over potentially extending his stint as the BBC’s Match of the Day host.
The 63-year-old, who has been hosting the iconic football highlights show for 25 years, is under contract with the BBC until the end of the season, although reports last week surprisingly claimed that an email from the broadcaster’s director of sport suggested that Saturday would be his final show.
Lineker gave a light-hearted nod to those reports during Saturday’s programme as he began his opening segment with: ‘Hello. Seven games on the way and it’s my final show… before the international break.’
Speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker was asked by Alan Shearer if he could provide an update on his situation at Match of the Day, with Shearer joking that his contract is due to expire next summer along with Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
‘I think there is one significant difference – the Liverpool fans really care about those things,’ Lineker replied.
‘It’s been a strange few days, as you know, like Trent, like Virgil, like Mo, I’m coming to the end of my contract in the summer so it’s natural at some point that you have to have conversations and they’ve just started.
‘I don’t know why it all spiralled out of control but all is okay. But you’re [Shearer and Richards] in a similar predicament you two as well.’
Micah Richards then said: ‘What’s more concerning is that I’m 4/1 to replace you!’
Lineker replied: ‘4/1? Blimey, I’d love to see you take over, Micah. I think you’d be brilliant in the chair.’
Richards said: ‘No, I wouldn’t, no, no, no.’
Shearer then joked: ‘I’m not signing my new contract of you’re the presenter, by the way.’
Richards laughed and replied: ‘I’d be telling them to get rid of you! Fresh blood!’
Lineker then told Richards: ‘I told them with your eyesight you could never read an autocue.’
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