Gary Lineker seen arriving at Match of the Day studios ahead of final show tonight after controversial BBC exit
GARY Lineker arrived at the Match of the Day studios thorough an underground entrance ahead of his final show.
The sports pundit was snapped entering with his bag slung over his shoulder as he arrived through the basement car park.
After 26 years as Match Of The Day host, he will present his final highlights show tonight covering the last day of the Premier League season.
The 64-year-old was due to cover next year’s FA Cup and World Cup but bowed out early.
This move sparked a battle for his signature between rival broadcasters.
It follows a controversial row over his use of social media.
The Leicester-born star, who moved seamlessly from footballer to one of the most famous presenters at the corporation, was temporarily suspended in March 2023.
He was embroiled in an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the then-government’s new asylum policy.
In November 2024 he announced he would be stepping down from presenting Match Of The Day at the end of the season, but would still host World Cup and FA Cup coverage.
He exited the broadcaster early after apologising for sharing and then deleting a post on his Instagram account from the group Palestine Lobby.
It was illustrated with a picture of a rat, which prompted calls for him to be sacked.
After this the BBC said Lineker would leave his presenting role following the conclusion of Match Of The Day for the 2024/25 season.
The Beeb added that he would not present its coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season’s FA Cup.
Lineker was the corporation’s highest-paid presenter, with the BBC’s annual report for 2023/24 showing his salary to be to around £1.35 million a year.