Gary Lineker: How he went from football sensation to BBC star

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Final whistle: Gary Lineker hosted Match of the Day for 25 years

Gary Lineker, who will lope away Match of the Day on the tip of this season, BBC News understands, has been the precise hand who guided tens of millions of followers thru soccer's agonies and ecstasies. As host of the flagship indicate for 25 years, he is also one amongst the company's perfect-profile presenters, earning £1.3 million last year. His one-line pay-offs on the tip of every and each indicate, summing up both the followers' temper and the match, would possibly presumably well presumably also possess looked seamless. Nevertheless they were the tip end result of years of honing his craft and presenting abilities.

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Gary Lineker well-known qualifying for Euro 92 after the match between Poland and England in 1991

As a ancient footballer of noteworthy pedigree - alongside with England captain and striker, with 48 targets in 80 appearances - he famously by no approach received a crimson or yellow card for the length of his profession. His potential to own his frigid on the pitch stood him in lawful stead for a profession in live broadcasting when he retired as a participant in 1994.

Even while he became level-headed in college, he had his sights verbalize on sports activities journalism, deciding it'd be his tumble-advantage if soccer did no longer work out. Clearly it did. Identified for his potential to acquire gaps within the opposition's defence, and his "poacher's instinct" , Lineker became the 1986 World Cup Golden Boot winner, and the tip aim-scorer in England three instances, every with a plenty of membership: Leicester Metropolis, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur. Nevertheless while his sports activities profession became at its height on the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals, Lineker frolicked with journalists staying on the identical resort because the England team. "As early as my mid-20s, I knew which course I needed to head in after I retired from taking half in," he told the BBC in 2014. "I'd conception the newspaper guys write their opening paragraphs and take a seat with the radio journalists and talk over with them about how they did their job." His final aim became to shut up because the presenter as antagonistic to a pundit. Nevertheless he admitted his transition into radio and TV "took pretty plenty of work".

Lineker received the Golden Boot, for main aim scorer, at Mexico's 1986 World Cup

His early broadcasting attempts were "somewhat appalling", he told the BBC's Media Expose's Ros Atkins in 2021. Initiating out on Radio 5 Stay "became all phase of the discovering out assignment", he said. "I managed to stumble my arrangement thru it, and I learned from indubitably lawful other folks alongside me who were extremely helpful within the early days." Lineker constructed on that possess, writing all his grasp scripts and carving out a position for himself. Having watched ex-sports activities stars David Gower presenting the cricket and Sue Barker presenting the tennis, he wondered why it wasn't the identical in soccer. “I correct idea, as a participant who’s conducted shapely on the tip, if I would possibly presumably well presumably also crack presenting it would possibly presumably well well give me a enviornment of interest," he told BBC Radio 4 podcast Don't Expose Me the Rating in 2019. "It would give me an profit over your complete others." In the intervening time, his recognition as a footballer persevered. In 1991, Arthur Smith and Chris England wrote a stage play known as An Evening With Gary Lineker, a few couple trying to re-ignite their marriage for the length of the 1990 World Cup semi-final. Starring Caroline Quentin, Clive Owen, Paul Merton and Martin Clunes, it became filmed for TV in 1994 - with Lineker making a cameo look.

David Gower, Gash Hancock, Rory McGrath and Gary Lineker on They Own It be All Over in 2002

He also started constructing his wider TV profession, showing as a team captain on BBC One's comedy panel indicate, They Own It be All Over, from 1995 to 2003. As a presenter, he acquired himself observed when he stood in for Des Lynam on the Saturday afternoon sports activities indicate Grandstand, in 1997. By the mid-90s, Lineker became also showing on Match of the Day as a pundit. This gave him a top discovering out spot - shapely next to its skilled and slick host Lynam. "Des became very helpful - I ancient to inquire of pretty plenty of questions relating to the minute things that he did, and picked up a number of of his nuances," the standard footballer said. "He told me to be fearless as soon as quickly with closing strains, and now to no longer worry to take a take into legend at to be fun. "Again, the minute pay-offs I usually possess on the tip of the indicate are one thing that got right here from him."

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Lineker said Des Lynam became "the doyen of sports activities presenters and a complex act to follow"

By 1999, Lineker became website online hosting the indicate, and reaching audiences the BBC usually struggled to entice and own. Americans would also tune in to glance his chemistry with the indicate's pundits - alongside with other ancient footballers resembling Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Micah Richards and Alan Hansen. Lineker's questions kept the analysis flowing, while he became repeatedly spellbinding to half a joke and belief of his grasp. He also memorably launched the indicate in his pants in 2016, having pledged to "possess the first MOTD of next season in barely my undies" if his ancient membership Leicester received the Premier League, which they did. Shearer and Wright couldn't own straight faces. Their friendships recurrently shone thru. In June this year, Lineker and Shearer despatched an emotional message of enhance to Hansen, after listening to the guidelines that he became seriously in wretched health in well being facility.

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Climbing to the tip: Lineker tries out a ice climbing wall

Nevertheless despite his rapport alongside with his colleagues, off-hide matters were now no longer as easy. As one amongst the BBC's perfect-paid presenters, on a odd foundation topping the record of the workers whose salaries are declared, he faced fixed scrutiny. Lineker did no longer nervous a ways from speaking out about his grasp views, in particular on social media, while simultaneously working for a broadcaster dedicated to impartiality. In March last year, he posted on X relating to the authorities's asylum policy - resulting within the BBC temporarily suspending him. Shearer, Wright and other BBC sport presenters refused to look on air, in suppose at his absence. Match of the Day became reduced to a 20-minute model minus its host, pundits and commentary - and the legend made headline information for a entire lot of days, with politicians and media commentators all weighing in on the agonize. BBC director frequent Tim Davie therefore apologised to licence price payers for the disruption, calling it a "complex day" for the company. Lineker became reinstated 9 days later. The presenter later said the response to his tweet became "silly - it don't possess been". "I love the BBC. I've been there for as regards to 30 years but other folks possess mistakes, they recognise that and they addressed it and within the tip, fortunately, we're all advantage to work," he said.

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Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer possess fronted many main soccer tourments

The headlines and dramas generated by his online views bolstered now no longer perfect his high star location - but additionally how enthusiastic the BBC became to grasp on to him. The incident brought on a overview of BBC social media guidelines. Closing September, unique rules were printed for BBC flagship presenters, announcing they wishes to be allowed to explicit views on considerations and insurance policies, but close speedy of political campaigning. Lineker said the suggestions were "all very excellent". By February this year, he said he became the utilization of X less recurrently, announcing the platform had become "an increasing kind of extra toxic" under its unique owner, Elon Musk. No matter this, he and the BBC are level-headed parting firm, and its flagship soccer indicate no longer has a host. Lineker has plenty of outdoors enterprise pursuits, alongside with the a success podcast manufacturing firm he co-founded, known as Goalhanger. It produces presentations alongside with The Leisure Is History, The Leisure Is Leisure and The Leisure Is Politics, which received the Champion prize at this year's Podcast Awards. Nevertheless for the BBC, Lineker's departure comes sizzling on the heels of a entire lot of scandals. Dilapidated Match of the Day and The One Expose host Jermaine Jeanas became sacked in August following complaints about attach of dwelling of work conduct. In September, the BBC apologised to Amanda Abbington and upheld a number of of her complaints in opposition to her 2023 Strictly dance accomplice Giovanni Pernice, while clearing him of basically the most serious allegations. In the identical month, Mr Davie said he would possibly presumably well presumably also now no longer watch disgraced ex-information presenter Huw Edwards working on the company yet again. Edwards became given a six-month penal complex sentence, suspended for two years, after he admitted charges of making coarse images of younger other folks.

So the BBC is speedy of some lawful headlines - and Lineker's departure approach it now has to acquire an necessary host to enjoy his sneakers, which is ready to now no longer be a straightforward assignment.

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