Gary Lineker responds to Match of the Day exit rumours seconds into live show

Gary Lineker's future as the face of the BBC's football coverage has been plunged into doubt as he continues to be linked with a move away from the corporation

Gary Lineker playfully addressed the swirling rumours that Saturday night's Match of the Day could be his swansong.

The presenter, who earns £1.3 million annually, is facing uncertainty over his BBC tenure as he enters the last year of his contract at 63.

Having led the programme since 1999, whispers have emerged suggesting Lineker might soon be stepping down. An article by The Daily Mail this week cited an internal BBC email hinting at preparations for a statement about his departure.

This fuelled widespread conjecture that Saturday's episode might mark Lineker's farewell. However, he tackled the speculation directly from the start of the show.

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Immediately after the opening credits, Lineker quipped: "Seven games on the way and it's my final show.... Before the international break," reports the Mirror.

Earlier in the week, Lineker had declined to address these specific claims when pressed. Meanwhile, the BBC has sought to quash such rumours, emphasising that Lineker is still under contract and no future decisions have been made.

A BBC spokesperson clarified: "We have nothing to announce, and we have not agreed next steps with regard to his contract. He is on contract until the end of the season."

Rumours suggest that Lineker, who faced a brief suspension last year after drawing a controversial parallel between the Tories' immigration policy and Nazi Germany, might be considered expendable under the new director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski. Reports from the Mail on Sunday indicate dissatisfaction with some of Lineker's opinions expressed on his popular podcast, 'The Rest is Football'.

A confidant of Lineker conveyed to the Mail on Sunday: "Gary doesn't deserve this. If they are worried about how much they pay him, then they should pay him less. What's Gary supposed to do?

"He's been a great presenter, people love him. He's Mr Football. The BBC are lucky to have had him."

Earlier in the year, when asked about his tenure on Match of the Day during an appearance on BBC Breakfast, Lineker mused: "It depends how long they want me, I suppose," adding, "I love doing it at the moment; 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!"