Gary Lineker’s ‘incentive’ to quit the BBC: GB News’s Tom Harwood dissects move that ‘suited all parties’
GB News commentator Tom Harwood has claimed that Gary Lineker had “financial incentives” to leave the BBC, following the presenter’s admission that the corporation wanted him to step down from presenting Match of the Day.
Lineker revealed in a BBC interview with Amol Rajan that he felt the broadcaster preferred him to leave the flagship football programme after 25 years.
Harwood suggested Lineker’s successful podcast business Goalhanger was likely generating “even more than the millions the BBC was paying him”.
The comments come as Lineker prepares to end his MOTD tenure this season before leaving the BBC completely after the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking to the BBC, Lineker said: “Well, perhaps they want me to leave. There was the sense of that.”
Discussing the recent interview, Emily Carver told GB News: “I think Gary’s probably right in his assessment that the BBC likely wanted to get rid of him.
“He cost a huge amount of money and was causing a lot of headaches. I mean, remember he likened the government’s asylum policy to 1930s Germany. He had a lot to say about Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, too.”
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Tom Harwood responded: “Yeah, it’s not about holding personal political views. I’m sure there are lots of people who’ve taken in a refugee, as Gary Lineker did for a few weeks.
“But I think the bigger issue is the way in which Lineker wanted to be a political figure online, getting into arguments and debates so openly while also being such a high-profile face of the BBC.”
Emily added: “I mean, he’s definitely a member of the sort of left-wing commentariat some might even say far-left.
“He did address the comparison he made between the government’s asylum policy and 1930s Germany.
“He said, ‘I don’t regret saying it publicly because I was right. What I said was accurate.’ So, in that sense, he doesn’t regret it.
She added: “But he also said, ‘I love the BBC, and I didn’t like the damage it did to the organisation.’ Whether he thinks it was the wrong thing to do is a little confusing.”
Tom said: “But here’s the thing if you’re such a high-profile presenter on a publicly funded broadcasting organisation, of course that organisation is going to have a say over what you post online.
“Naturally, the organisation could suffer reputational damage from your behaviour outside the program you present.
“That’s just the reality. I think another point here is that Gary Lineker runs a very successful podcast company he’s making a lot of money, probably even more than the millions the BBC was paying him.
“So perhaps there were financial incentives for him to move on and do his own thing. That’s kind of where the world of broadcasting is heading anyway. I think it suited all parties.”
Lineker is set to be replaced by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan from August.
His Goalhanger Podcasts, founded in 2019, has become hugely successful with shows including The Rest Is Football, which he co-hosts with Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.
According to reports, Goalhanger podcasts collectively achieve more than 40 million downloads monthly.
Lineker told the BBC the new scenario “suits me perfectly” as he will still present FA Cup coverage and the 2026 World Cup before leaving completely.
The presenter has indicated he will focus more on his podcast business after his BBC departure.
Lineker has been the BBC’s highest-paid on-air talent for seven consecutive years, earning an estimated £1.35million in 2023/24.