Gary Lineker raises his suspicions about BBC as he explains quitting Match of the Day

Gary Lineker has suggested executives pushed him towards his exit from .

The ex- and striker, who has been at the helm of the show for nearly a quarter of a century, is set to step down when his current contract concludes at the end of this season. Lineker's and there's now only a few episodes remaining in his tenure.

However, he will continue to lead the BBC's coverage of FA Cup matches and the 2026 World Cup. He first started presenting the show in 1999, taking over from legendary sports broadcaster Des Lynam. With his exit now in sight, Lineker suggested in an interview with the channel that BBC bosses had indicated their preference for him to leave the show.

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Via , he said: "It's time [to leave]. I've done it for a long time. It's been brilliant. It's been great. Well, perhaps they want me to leave. There was the sense of that, yes.

"I've got another year and I'm going to do the FA Cup and World Cup and they're taking our podcast now, the Match of the Day Top Ten, as well as The Rest Is Football that I do with Alan [Shearer] and Micah [Richards]."

Lineker also hinted that he would have preferred to stay on if given the chance. He added: "I always wanted one more contract, and I was umm-ing and ahh-ing about whether to do three years [more] and I think with the way the rights issue comes up, it didn't.

"I'm not saying they didn't want me to do one more contract, they did because they've given me one more contract. In the end, I think there was a feeling that, because it was a new rights period, it was a chance to change the programme.

"I think it was their preference that I didn't do Match of the Day for one more year, so they could bring in new people. So it's slightly unusual that I would do the FA Cup and the World Cup, but to be honest, it's a scenario that suits me perfectly."

Lineker, a stalwart of sports broadcasting for over two decades, hinted that while other networks may vie for his services, he is considering stepping away from television. He added: "It won't be more telly. I think I'll step back from that now.

"I might appear on something or come back and chat to you in 20 years' time if I'm still alive. No politics, no. I'm not interested in politics, I've never had a view (chuckles).

"I think I'll probably focus more on the podcast world, because it's such a fun business and it's just been so incredible but I'll travel a bit more. I'll have a bit more time, weekends off and more time for trips away."

The BBC deliberated over who would take over from Lineker as the host of Match of the Day, ultimately opting for a trio of presenters. Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will form a three-person team starting from the next season.

With only five gameweeks remaining in the 2024/25 Premier League season, Lineker has an equal number of episodes left to present. It's been a tough campaign for the 64-year-old on a personal level, witnessing his childhood club Leicester City suffer a devastating relegation.