Podcasts, ITV, Fox? Gary Lineker switch hypothesis swirls after BBC go out

It is a situation instantly from the footballing global. A public falling out, resulting in a celebrity participant changing into a loose agent. From the instant Gary Lineker’s hastened departure from the BBC was once introduced this week, after he apologised for amplifying a social media publish with antisemitic connotations, hypothesis started over his subsequent transfer. In fact, then again, the 64-year-old had already been eager about his plans past the broadcaster.

This week, business insiders had been questioning whether or not the BBC’s highest-paid presenter might be the topic of an audacious bid through a rival or be wanted through an in another country community. But Lineker might be running carefully with every other broadcaster once this summer season.

Having navigated one transformation, from objective poacher to depended on anchor, the presenter is now loose to finish every other – from a face of the established media to a streamer difficult the previous guard.

In an indication he is able to embody the position of media disruptor, talks are going down that would result in his podcast, The Rest is Football, launching presentations that includes event clips of this summer season’s Club World Cup, whose individuals come with Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. His Goalhanger Productions corporate is discussing the speculation with Dazn, the worldwide rights holder for the event, which kicks off subsequent month.

It is not only his platform of selection this is converting after his BBC departure. While Lineker’s on-screen draw has at all times been a streak of cheekiness, within the podcast he and his common Match of the Day sparring companions Alan Shearer and Micah Richards take a extra irreverent – and sweary – tone. Lineker led to headlines right through closing yr’s Euros through describing an England efficiency as “shit” in a single episode. By this summer season, he’ll be totally unleashed from the BBC’s strictures.

The possible deal signifies the ambitions of Lineker and Goalhanger Productions, the extremely a hit podcast corporate he co-founded, which oversees titles together with The Rest is History and The Rest is Politics. Cracking america, the place the Club World Cup is going down, is a concern. Lineker has in the past made transparent that podcasting is the place he sees his post-BBC long term.

It additionally tees up subsequent yr’s World Cup in america, Canada and Mexico. While he’s now not taking up presenting tasks for the BBC, there’s evident scope for The Rest is Football livestreams to behavior fast post-match research.

“We’re keen to take a similar approach to what we did around the [2024] Euros, with The Rest is Football going out more regularly across the tournament,” stated a Goalhanger consultant. “We’ll certainly be covering the World Cup, though no production plans have been finalised yet.”

Unsurprisingly, Lineker has been slicing again on his commitments this week. He was once stated to be in fact devastated through what he admitted was once a significant error – reposting a video about Zionism that used a rat emoji, echoing an outline of Jewish other people utilized in Nazi Germany. He deleted the publish and apologised day after today, however anger had already constructed throughout the BBC amongst workforce and executives. With his social media job having led to repeated warmth for the company, all sides agreed sufficient was once sufficient.

Lineker was once because of make a starring look at a podcast convention in central London on Thursday however pulled out. While he has already had provides of latest initiatives of quite a lot of sorts, buddies stated his quick issues have been to take day trip and get ready for crucial circle of relatives wedding ceremony. It may not be till the summer season that he sits all the way down to take into accounts a less attackable, longer-term plan.

But that has no longer stopped hypothesis throughout the TV global a few big-money switch. Some issues can also be dominated out. He may not be switching to cookery programmes, a prior be offering from the BBC that he discovered simple to withstand.

He would come to any new broadcaster with the luggage of quite a lot of skirmishes over political impartiality, reasonably excluding this week’s incident. But his standing as a depended on display screen presence is definitely established. Match of the Day has carried out smartly underneath Lineker’s reign. While viewer numbers have declined as media behavior have modified, its target market percentage has grown from 20% in 2002 to 29% in 2025, in line with the analytics corporate Digital-i. The display’s moderate target market up to now this yr has been 2.3 million and it has held lovely stable for the reason that Covid pandemic.

So is there any likelihood Lineker shall be focused through a conventional BBC rival? The evident publish could be heading ITV’s World Cup protection, however maximum business figures who spoke to the Guardian consider that extremely not going. The channel has invested in Mark Pougatch, its lead soccer anchor. In apply, parachuting Lineker in would contain hanging “a lot of noses out of joint” on the broadcaster, stated one business previous hand, including: “There’d be a mutiny.”

Even those that imagine it a chance regard it as not going. “I’d say about a 10% chance,” stated one tv insider. Another gave it much less credence: “No chance.”

Sky Sports presentations probably the most Premier League video games through some distance, and spends some huge cash for the ones rights. Industry figures stated it ran a decent send on the subject of its group. “You can almost be a bit too big to fit into another organisation,” stated one determine in soccer broadcasting.

Some have speculated that an in another country broadcaster equivalent to Fox in america is also a much more likely house, the place Lineker’s social media historical past could be much less of a priority. But those that have labored with him say he loved running for a outstanding UK broadcaster. “Gary likes being with one of the main players,” stated one former colleague, including that the presenter paid shut consideration to how the BBC rated in opposition to ITV right through main soccer tournaments.

The actual choice, say some who know him, will come all the way down to how he feels after such a lot of years on the BBC and bruising encounters with the media. “It’s up to him,” stated one. “I’m not sure that he would jump at just anything. He’s very close to his boys and that’s very important to him. It would have to suit Gary and I think he’ll probably take some time out anyway.”

Another former colleague agreed. “I’m a big fan of Gary, who developed from an average presenter to a star,” they stated. “But he might decide to have a different life.”