This season’s Match of the Day went ahead without Gary Lineker, but the show’s other star Alan Shearer has previously shed light on his future at the BBC.
Alan Shearer has no plans to quit the BBC any time soon, but he also doesn’t want to one day host Match of the Day. The former England striker has continued to present the program following Gary Lineker’s departure.
With the new Premier League campaign well underway, Match of the Day continued without the iconic Lineker. He has hosted the show for 26 years, but announced last year that he would step down before this season. In May, it was announced that it would be severing ties with the BBC completely after it sparked an anti-Semitic uproar.
Mr. Lineker was replaced by three hosts, Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan, who rotated and continued in the roles frequently held by regular hosts Mr. Shearer and his friend Micah Richards.
When Lineker announced his impending departure, many called for Newcastle hero Shearer to be replaced as host. However, the 55-year-old made it clear that headlining the show is not his cup of tea.
Lineker’s final show was discussed in November 2024 in remarks on The Rest is Football podcast, shared by Lineker, Shearer and Richards. By then, Lineker had made it clear that his tenure as host was almost over.
read more: Alan Shearer challenges verdict on sacking Premier League manager – ‘That’s crazy’read more: Alan Shearer’s complete Premier League predictions – Tough Man United’s call will ‘hurt’ Liverpool
In one episode of Match of the Day, Shearer was tasked with delivering a quip aimed at Lineker in the show’s opening scene. When asked about his hosting duties on the podcast, he made his position clear in a 15-word statement.
“No, I’m very happy with what I’m doing, so I’ll leave it to the experts,” he admitted. “I did the opening (of the program)! By the way, I decided to do it about a minute before it aired, so I was really nervous.
“I was so scared of myself, even though I could only say eight words. I have a newfound respect for presenters. I know it’s not easy, but to be honest, for a moment I felt like I had a problem with my throat.
“The countdown in our ears was like, ’10, 9, 8,’ and then it came on the air and we were like, ‘And cue.’ For a second, I thought, ‘If I mess this up now, I’m just going to look like an idiot.’
“I still sweat when I think about it. Honestly, it’s so important that I was like, ‘If I get one word wrong here, this is going to destroy me.’ You see when you get one word wrong, a meme spreads. Just, ‘Don’t mess up here, get it right.’ Thankfully, I didn’t.”
Shearer and Richards continued to feature in the Match of the Day after Lineker’s departure, but the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer gave his colleague a heartwarming send-off.
Mr Shearer said in an email: “He (Lineker) got a really emotional sendoff, which was well deserved. He was a great broadcaster and a great friend of mine. We will all miss him.”
“It’s different for me and Mika, because it’s not like I won’t see him again. I mean, we’ve recorded two podcasts, so we’ll continue to work together.
“Match of the Day is everything to him. He loves it and it means the world to him. Off the air he’s very calm, very generous. You’re a great friend.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Up to 60% off Premier League kits and merchandise
various
fanatic
Click here to purchase sale items
Fanatics has taken up to 60% off football kits and merchandise. Until Sunday, fans can find discounted products from Premier League clubs including Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Spurs and more.
