GARY LINEKER TO STEP DOWN FROM MATCH OF THE DAY AFTER 25 YEARS

Gary Lineker is to step down from BBC's Match Of The Day after 25 years at the end of the current football season. The presenter will continue to front BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup.

A BBC source told The Sun: "Gary absolutely adores Match of the Day, and has been incredibly happy at the BBC. “But he has been at the helm since 1999, and by the time he leaves, he will have been at the Beeb for 30 years. He wants to leave on a high - and if England win the World Cup, it doesn’t get much higher...

"It’s one of the industry’s worst kept secrets that the new BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski and Gary aren’t exactly close. The former is very keen to make his mark by bringing in new faces, and slashing wage bills. Negotiations have been ongoing for the past six weeks and finally a deal has been struck that everyone is pleased with. "

Match Of The Day airs on BBC One and iPlayer.