Gary Lineker seen arriving at Match of the Day studios ahead of final show tonight after controversial BBC exit
GARY Lineker crept into the Match of the Day studios thorough an underground entrance to avoid attention ahead of his final show.
After 26 years as
, 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.
Most read in Sport
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.
1
Gary Lineker was snapped leaving a car with his bag slung over his shoulder as he entered through the basement car park
Credit: MCPIX
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
3 hours ago
- Irish Independent
On the Box: ‘Pride and Prejudice' at 30 – does the BBC's beloved 1995 series still sparkle?
The two most famous big-screen versions are the 1940 film with Greer Garson as Elizabeth Bennet and Laurence Olivier as Fitzwilliam Darcy, and the 2005 one with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. But when it comes to bringing Austen's most popular novel to television, the BBC just can't keep its hands off it. It was first adapted in 1938, and again in 1949, 1952 and 1958. These four versions are considered lost productions. The BBC had another shot at it in 1967, and yet another in 1980. But the best-remembered, most critically acclaimed and most enduringly popular BBC adaptation of all is the six-part 1995 one with Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth and Colin Firth as Darcy. To mark the series' 30th anniversary, and the 250th anniversary of Austen's birth, BBC4 is reshowing it this week with three episodes on Wednesday, June 4, at 10.15pm and the remaining three at 11.15pm the following night. STUFFY Up to that point, British TV's period literary dramas tended to be staid, stuffy, stagey productions, heavy on reverence for the source material and light on visual flair or innovation. They were shot mainly on videotape in a studio, with a clunky transition to film inserts for the outdoor scenes. Pride and Prejudice changed all that – and indeed changed the way period dramas were made from then on. Producer Sue Birtwistle insisted the series be shot on 16mm film – an expensive undertaking that pushed the budget, shouldered between the BBC and America's A&E Network, up to a million pounds an episode. Screenwriter Andrew Davies, who shared Birtwistle's love of the novel, wanted this version to be a more modern interpretation and to have something the previous ones lacked: a real sense of the attraction/tension between the smart, free-spirited Elizabeth and the seemingly haughty, emotionally reserved Darcy. In other words, he wanted to make it sexy as well as romantic. He certainly succeeded in his aim. A famous scene in episode 5, when Elizabeth comes upon Darcy as he emerges from a swim in a lake, his soaking wet shirt clinging to his torso, became Pride and Prejudice's most iconic moment, despite being an addition by Davies that had no equivalent in the novel. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more To say the series was a success is a chronic understatement. It was a cultural phenomenon. Between 10 and 11 million viewers in the UK watched it on Sunday nights, with a further 3.7 million tuning in in the US, where it was shown on A&E in double-episodes over three consecutive nights. Even before the final episode had aired, the double-cassette video of the series had sold 100,000 copies, unprecedented at the time. There were hundreds of articles about it and a shower of awards nominations on both sides of the Atlantic, including a best actress Bafta win for Ehle. The American-born actress chose not to capitalise on her newfound fame and instead returned to the theatre with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Firth, who was nominated for a Bafta, but lost to Robbie Coltrane in Cracker, became an international star almost overnight, as well as a reluctant sex symbol (due to that wet shirt). Thirty years on, how does Pride and Prejudice measure up against today's TV dramas? The answer is extremely favourably. It's briskly paced and the satire of money and class distinction has a nice, sharp edge to it. The chemistry between Ehle and Firth still jumps off the screen (the pair were a real-life couple for a year) and is the main reason it remains so watchable. Not everything stands up to 21st-century scrutiny, though. Alison Steadman, as Elizabeth's status-obsessed mother, is so gratingly far over the top, she appears to have wandered in from a film called Carry on Jane Austen. As the bitchy, snobby Caroline Bingley, Anna Chancellor goes full-on panto villain, alternating between sneering and wearing the sour expression of someone who's accidentally taken a bite out of a lemon. The series should probably be TV's last word on the novel. It isn't, of course. Netflix is making a new version with Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden.
The Irish Sun
7 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Premier League star wows thousands of fans as he plays guitar on stage with the Kaiser Chiefs at huge anniversary gig
THE Kaiser Chiefs pulled off the loan transfer coup of the summer - in front of thousands of delirious fans. 4 Patrick Bamford seemed to enjoy his cameo almost as much as winning promotion back to the Premier League... almost! 4 Kalvin Phillips tagged in Patrick Bamford and Middlesbrough's ex-Leeds hero Luke Ayling in his Instagram post 4 Bamford made a crowd-pleasing appearance Bamford electrified the atmosphere at Leeds' Temple Newsam still further as the crowd loved his surprise cameo. The Kaiser Chiefs are best known for their massive hit I Predict a Riot. which was also the theme tune for the Whites' party after Championship title glory. But no-one predicted Bamford's appearance at the gig on the 20th anniversary of the group's first album. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL The 31-year-old, who won a single England cap four years ago, also went down memory lane - or Elland Road - with his choice of shirt for the event. He wore a Leeds top from 2000-01 with 'Viduka 9' on the back. Ex-frontman Mark Viduka, 49, had his longest spell in English football with the Whites - from 2000-2004. And he too reacted to Bamford's guitar-playing cameo. Most read in Football 4 The Kaiser Chiefs added to the party mood across the city BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK But it's just possible Viduka was referring to the hitman's kit rather than his musical ability as the Aussie posted: "What a privilege." Bamford's effort was all the more remarkable as it followed Inside Leeds stars' wild title celebrations as Bamford and Ampadu 'leave Burnley fanbase in meltdown' with karaoke song Daniel Farke's side are returning to the Premier League after two seasons out. And many reckon Phillips will be making his own comeback - to Elland Road. The 29-year-old has had a dire three years away after joining Phillips bigged up Bamford on Instagram as he responded to the star's rocking intervention by posting: "What an absolute legend". That's also the status Phillips had at his hometown club Leeds. But the anchorman he could be out for two months following surgery on an Achilles problem. And for now Wham Bam is the man - thanks to the Chiefs. One fan raved: "Crowd were amazing and a lot of fun was had! Cameo performance from P Bamford an absolute highlight!!' Another wrote: "Great day out at what was a mini-festival more than a gig. Kaiser Chiefs were amazing, bringing Patrick Bamford and the Championship trophy out on stage added to a very Leeds-centric gig (so many LUFC shirts there)."
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'I think we'll be fine' says Cork City's Seani Maguire before jetting off for mid-season break
The League of Ireland's mid-season break is upon us, and Shelbourne manager Damien Duff has again made clear how he feels about it. 'There's an air of the jolly boys out, they are meeting at the terminal tomorrow, they are meeting at the pub in the terminal. "It's a week on the gargle. That's not the football education I had in England,' stated Duff, who recently described this mid-season break as "amateurish." But it's fair to say some of the footballers feel a little differently about it. 'I'm going to Portugal with the family Sunday, for a couple of days, so it'll be a nice little break, just myself, my wife, the baby, and the grandparents,' admitted Seani Maguire, speaking minutes after Duff in the aftermath of Cork City's 1-1 draw with Shelbourne on Friday night. 'I've a couple of buddies over there as well. Yeah, look, I think the mid-season break, you can look at it two different ways, where you can go and just have a break totally away from football. 'But I think the message was clear from the manager in there, that we'll be back in the Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and throughout the week leading up to the Bohs game, because this is a big 18 games for us.' That result proved to be enough to edge City a point clear of bottom club Sligo Rovers at the halfway point in the Premier Division campaign, but it was the performance under newly appointed manager Gerard Nash that provides the club with reasons to be hopeful. 'I think we'll be fine. A couple of lads coming back fit, hopefully a couple more bodies through the door, and we'll see us win a lot more games than we lose' added Maguire, who was also keen to praise Cathal O'Sullivan following rumours linking him with a move to FA Cup winners Crystal Palace. Read More Colin Healy sees Kerry take care of Longford 'I think young Cathal will make his own decision. I think he can be whatever he wants. I think he's one of the best young fellas I've played with, and that includes England. 'Not just because of his talent, it's just his attitude towards everything, I think that's what teams in England will look for first, because you can just see it clear as day how good he is on the ball, he's a joy to play with. 'When he eventually goes to England, I'll be gutted not to play with him again, because of how good he is. 'But I'll be keeping tabs on his career, because I think he'll definitely play for Ireland, he's that good, and he'll definitely go and play at the highest level in football in England. 'His first touch is unbelievable, and it's not just his taking players on 1v1, just the basics of football, he does really well. 'He plays like a fella that's probably 10 years older than his age. He's brilliant, and as I said, his attitude is A1. 'He's so strong. Even in training there could be two or three lads hanging off him, and he just stands up. 'You see him in games there, he's getting kicked, he's getting lashes in the back, and he just keeps going and going and going. 'He'll go on to have an unbelievable career, I've no doubts about that.' Maguire also spoke highly of Djenairo Daniels, who he has struck up a promising partnership with in the absence of the injured Ruairí Keating. Cork City's Djenairo Daniels celebrates scoring a penalty with Sean Maguire. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane Daniels signed for City at the end of April with the club announcing at the time that it was a short-term deal until July. But it is understood the 23-year-old Dutch striker's deal will actually expire at the end of the season, although he could still sign for another club this summer with City entitled to a fee. 'DD, since he's come in, he's done really well,' continued Maguire. 'Obviously he didn't play in quite a while, and to come in and play so many games in a short space of time is a credit to him. 'He's a fit lad, he's a strong boy, he's quick, he has everything to be a top striker. He's scored goals there that are poacher's goals. 'You can see tonight the little, short and long passes, and the combination plays that we were doing, and I enjoyed playing with him tonight. 'I've only just come back in the team, and started to play with him, and I don't want to have that partnership with him, and to see him go. 'Hopefully the club get it sorted, and he'll be here for however long he wants to be.'
