Gary Lineker: Piers Morgan claims "pal" left Match of the Day before he could be sacked
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As widely reported this week, former footballer Lineker will leave the BBC’s football highlights show at the end of the season, having spent the past 25 years at the helm of the show. The ex-Barcelona and Tottenham striker will also take a pay cut to cover the 2026 World Cup for the broadcasting network.
But columnist Piers Morgan has suggested that Lineker, 63, is leaving the programme at just the right moment- hinting that previous run-ins with the BBC could have made him a “divisive” figure among executives. In his column for the Sun, he added that the pair “enjoy” debating their political differences, and frequently meet up.
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Hide AdMorgan said: “Gary’s a smart, funny, loyal guy and always excellent company. We probably agree on more things than we disagree, but both enjoy fiery conversational combat, and however contentious things may get, our evenings together always end as this one did, with another hug, and a resolve to do it again soon.


“He’s also been a brilliant Match of the Day host, and live sport presenter. And of course, he was one of England’s best-ever footballers.
“So, amusing though it is to see how angry some people get about him, and his right to express his opinions - he got particularly incensed over dinner when I said he was now a more divisive public figure than me - the bottom line is this: he’s a good bloke, with a good heart, and extremely successful at everything he puts his mind to.
“Which is more, I suspect, than can be said for a lot of his most vociferous critics.”
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Hide AdThe tabloid has previously reported that Lineker does not get along with the BBC’s new head of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski. He is reportedly “very keen to make his mark by bringing in new faces and slashing wage bills,” while the Match of the Day frontman has been the broadcaster’s highest-paid star for many years.
In a statement Kay-Jelski said: “Gary is a world-class presenter, and we're delighted that he'll lead our coverage of the next World Cup and continue to lead our live coverage of the FA Cup.”
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