BBC respond as Gary Lineker's Match of the Day future cast into doubt by 'leaked' email

Gary Lineker's tenure as the face of Match of the Day is under scrutiny following reports of a 'leaked' email - from the BBC - looking into his future as host of the flagship show.

Since 1999, Lineker has been synonymous with the popular football highlights show, although his current contract is scheduled to conclude at the end of the 2024/2025 season. Now, there are murmurs that BBC's director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, might be planning to part ways with him ahead of schedule.

The Daily Mail reckons to have seen an internal BBC email, indicating that plans are afoot to replace Lineker as the show's host. In a response to The Daily Mail, a BBC spokesperson said: "We have nothing to announce, and we have not agreed next steps with regard to his contract. He's on contract until the end of the season."

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Meanwhile, Lineker declined to offer comment when the same newspaper sought a response at his residence, as per reports from The Mirror. Earlier this year, speaking on BBC Breakfast, Lineker confessed uncertainty about how much longer he would continue hosting the show, commenting: "I don't... I don't know!

"It depends how long they want me, I suppose. I love doing it at the moment and I've still got another year left, at least. So we'll have to wait and see what happens. Obviously it's another change in football and television and the rights of the Premier League and stuff like that.

"All of these things will play a part. But I just feel it's been an absolute privilege to have presented it for 25 years now. I must be getting old!"

Lineker, the BBC's top earner with a £1.35m annual salary, was reported in September to be negotiating with the corporation to continue his role on a reduced salary of £1m. Match of the Day, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, is reportedly being eyed for modernisation by the BBC, in order to appeal to a younger demographic.

Despite having worked with other broadcasters and hosting a podcast with his fellow pundits Micah Richards and Alan Shearer, Lineker shared with BBC Breakfast the unique significance of MOTD in his life. "It's been a part of my life, a big part of my life right from the start," he explained. "I watched it as a kid, it was the one night my dad would let me stay up to watch Match of the Day."