The BBC has refuted claims that Gary Lineker is preparing to part ways with the broadcaster.
On Thursday evening, the Daily Mail reported that it had seen a supposed leaked email from BBC bosses suggesting that they were preparing to announce Saturday’s edition of Match Of The Day would be his last.
However, a spokesperson for the corporation said: “We have nothing to announce and we have not agreed next steps with regard to his contract.”
It was noted that Gary is now in the final year of his contract, with the BBC insisting he “is under contract until the end of the season”.
HuffPost UK has contacted the BBC for additional comment.
Approached by a reporter for the Mail outside his home, Gary said simply: “Fuck off, I won’t talk to you. Go away.”
We have also contacted Gary Lineker’s team for comment on this story.
Gary has hosted Match Of The Day since 1999, and for the last seven consecutive years has been the highest-earning member of the BBC’s on-air presenting team, despite a previous pay cut.
Last year, Gary was at the centre of a media storm when social media posts criticising the then-government’s policy on migration were found to be in breach of the company’s guidelines around impartiality.
As a result, it was decided that he would not present that week’s edition of Match Of The Day, leading to several of his BBC Sport colleagues pulling out of their presenting duties in solidarity.
Following the widespread backlash against the BBC’s decision, Gary was reinstated days later, with director general Tim Davie announcing that there would be an independent review of the corporation’s social media guidance in light of the controversy.