Gary Lineker makes £1.6million purchase as net worth revealed following BBC exit
Gary Lineker has completed two property deals worth £1.6 million ahead of his early departure from the BBC.
The 64-year-old presenter will host his final Match of the Day tonight after 26 years in the role, leaving the broadcaster altogether.
The former England footballer, whose net worth is estimated at around £30 million, has invested in two properties in Surrey as he prepares for life after the BBC.
Lineker was originally scheduled to leave the BBC in 2026 after next season’s FA Cup and World Cup, but is exiting early following a controversy over an antisemitic social media post.
On May 2, Lineker purchased a 6,700 square foot plot of land in Cheam village for £1 million.
The land comes with outline planning permission to build eight apartments.
The approved plans include a selection of one, two and three bedroom properties. Additionally, he spent £630,000 on a four-bedroom detached house in Coulsdon.
Lineker has secured mortgages for both properties through Jersey-based company Hambury Limited.
The presenter established a property development company called GCGL Properties in 2020 with his builder friend George Constand.
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These investments suggest Lineker is expanding his property portfolio as he transitions away from his BBC career, while he is currently worth £30m, having been paid £1.35m a year by the national broadcaster.
Lineker’s early departure follows an incident where he shared and then deleted a post from the group Palestine Lobby on his Instagram account.
The post, which featured an image of a rat, prompted calls for his dismissal from the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
In his apology, Lineker stated: “I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic it goes against everything I stand for.
“However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am.”
In a video apology, he explained he hadn’t noticed the rat emoji, saying: “If I had, I would never, ever have shared it. The minute I was made aware, I quickly deleted the post.”
Lineker will now focus on his successful Goalhanger Podcasts business, which includes The Rest Is Football, co-hosted with Match of the Day colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.
His podcast network reportedly receives over 40 million downloads monthly.
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In a recent interview, Lineker indicated he doesn’t expect to work much on television after leaving the BBC, potentially allowing more time for property investments.
The presenter currently lives in a £4 million home in Barnes, south-west London.
His Match of the Day role will be taken over by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan from next season, who are also favourites to front the BBC’s live football coverage.