EXCLUSIVE Alan Shearer makes decision on his Match of the Day future after 'great friend' Gary Lineker's ugly BBC exit
Alan Shearer has confirmed he'll be staying on Match of the Day after his good friend Gary Lineker prematurely exited the BBC following an anti-Semitism scandal.
Lineker, who had hosted the iconic show for 26 years, did so for the last time over the weekend after sharing an Instagram video about Zionism which included an emoji of a rat - a symbol used to denigrate Jewish people throughout history. He later apologised.
In an exclusive interview with Mail Sport, Shearer said he would be continuing his Match of the Day punditry, and called his longtime colleague Lineker a 'brilliant broadcaster.'
'He got a really emotional send off on Sunday, and one he deserved, and he's a brilliant broadcaster, and he's a great friend of mine, and we will all miss him,' Shearer said in an interview promoting the Premier League Summer Series.
Lineker announced in November that he'd be leaving Match of the Day at the end of the season, though he was due to stay on with the BBC through the 2026 World Cup as he presented the USA, Canada and Mexico-hosted tournament.
However, Lineker, Shearer and fellow pundit on the show Micah Richards will continue to host their 'The Rest is Football' podcast together.
'It's different for myself and Micah, because it's not as if we're not ever going to see him again,' Shearer added.
'I mean, we've done two recordings of our podcast as well, so we're still going to be sort of working together.'
Lineker received an emotional send off on Sunday as the BBC put together a seven-minute tribute featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola, Virgil van Dijk, Ian Wright, and even Andrea Bocelli.
Shearer and Richards also paid tribute to their friend and co-worker, while Lineker's sons, Paul Gascoigne and Arne Slot were also among those to offer kind words.
'Match of the Day is everything to him,' Shearer said in the tribute. 'He loves it, it means the world to him. Off air he's very calm, very generous. You are an amazing friend.'
Lineker, who has previously been outspoken in his support of Palestine, said it 'wasn't meant to end this way' at the start of his farewell show, which came after he shared the aforementioned video from the group Palestine Lobby.
After his repost of the video, the former star deleted it from his feed and issued a public apology, insisting he did not see the rat emoji present.
He said: 'On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references.
Lineker shared reel on Instagram which originated with pro-Palestine group Palestine Lobby and featured an image of a rat
'I very much regret these references. I would never knowingly share anything anti-Semitic. It goes against everything I believe in.
'The post was removed as soon as I became aware of the issue.'
Lineker's exit from the public broadcaster means he will not be part of the 2026 World Cup coverage as previously planned, or coverage of the FA Cup next season.
Additionally, 'This is Football' - which is part of Lineker's Goalhanger company - has been dropped by BBC Sounds.
He will leave the company without a pay-off from his £1.4million salary.
At the end of Sunday's show, Lineker paid tribute to the wider Match of the Day team, saying: 'Let me take the opportunity to thank all the other pundits I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years. You've made my job so much easier.
'Also, thanks to all those you don't see at home. The work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort. From the editors to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs.
'Thank you all you're the very best. Everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits.
'It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous.
'I'd like to wish Gabby (Logan), Mark (Chapman), and Kelly (Cates) all the best when they sit in the chair The programme is in the best of hands.
'My final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for all your love and support over the years. It's been so special. I'm sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye.'
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