Former England footballer and current Match of the Day presenter, Gary Lineker, has joked that his time on the show may be coming to an end. During a podcast episode with BBC colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards discussing the best football pundits, Lineker quipped that he is "ancient" and that Jermaine Jenas is likely to replace him in the host's chair for the Premier League highlights show.
Lineker's comments come after he took a spell off-air due to backlash over his tweet comparing government rhetoric about migrants to Nazi propaganda. Despite this controversy, Lineker remains a popular figure among football fans and has been presenting Match of the Day since 1999.
However, there may be bigger changes ahead for Match of the Day as BT Sport is reportedly interested in taking over rights from 2025-26. Currently, BBC's package is worth £211.5million.
In addition to potential changes at work, Lineker recently won a legal battle against HMRC after being accused of owing nearly £5million in unpaid tax.
As one of England's most beloved football figures and a prominent voice on social issues like immigration reform and refugees' plight globally; it will be interesting how things unfold for Mr.Linekar post-Match-of-the-Day era!