Gary Lineker believes he can pull off a coup during the BBC’s Match of the Day

Gary Lineker he believes that he will be able to fend off the “coup” attempt. remove it from the presentation Match of the day (MoTD).

Speculation continues to swirl that the BBC is preparing to cut ties with Lineker. The leaked email suggested the broadcaster was preparing a statement announcing his departure, amid claims the new sports chief was backing moves to shake up the presenting line-up.

But Lineker, whose £1.35m contract with the BBC expires in the summer of 2025, later said discussions had started anew. extended his 25-year term host of the flagship football program.

If fans sensed that there was nothing to see here and that perhaps there was more going on behind the scenes, they might be right.

Asked by AND in response to suggestions that the BBC may be preparing to end his reign, Lineker’s representatives responded with the words “Operation Shrimp” along with the flag of the Republic of Benin in West Africa.

Operation Shrimp was a failed coup attempt in Benin in 1977, when French mercenaries tried to remove Mathieu Kerékou, leader of the revolutionary communist party of an African nation.

Kérékou obtained advance knowledge of the attackers’ intentions and, with North Korean support, repelled the attack. He remained president for another 14 years and returned for another 10-year term in 1996.

Lineker’s comparison may be dramatic, but it shows his desire to extend his tenure MOTD. Even with extensive outside business interests – his Goalhanger podcast company is worth around £30m – Lineker has no intention of being sacked from his day job.

The 63-year-old has already faced the gravest threat to his job after the BBC briefly suspended him last year for criticizing the Conservative government’s immigration policies on social media.

When other experts, including Alan Shearer, refused to appear on the show MOTD in solidarity with Lineker, causing one edition to be withdrawn, BBC bosses quickly reinstated him.

Lineker has expressed a willingness to take a £350,000 pay cut to sweeten the new deal, but some at the BBC believe cutting ties with the star would help show the Labor government it is serious about saving money ahead of discussions over the future of the license fee.

“A change of government will make it easier for the BBC to move on from Gary,” a former senior executive said. “Previously this would have been seen as a move to bow to pressure from the Conservatives over his social media tweets, but that will not be the case with Labour.”

Other corporate figures suggested that Lineker could still play a significant role in the “refreshed” MOTDalbeit for a much lower salary and shorter contract period.

Speculation about Lineker’s immediate future was fueled by the leak of an email allegedly sent from Alex Kay-Jelski, the BBC’s head of sports since June, containing a draft press release announcing the presenter’s departure.

The BBC has not confirmed or denied the authenticity of the email published by Daily mailwhich included a quote from Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, paying tribute to Lineker.

Mr. Kay-Jelski wants to “refresh” MOTDand junior presenters are helping to prepare Saturday’s show for the future, broadcast sources say.

However, viewership for the Lineker-led show remains high, even though Premiership goals are now available on YouTube within minutes of the final whistle.

The presenter has reportedly offered a £350,000-a-year pay cut to remain in post MOTD for the next two or three years.

“The BBC is talking to a lot of people about contracts and, as always, there is some emotion,” said one BBC journalist.

Lineker, whose maximum salary was £1.75m, agreed a five-year contract to run the BBC’s football coverage in 2020. But the corporation, which is laying off 500 jobs in a bid to save £200m, now intends to offer two or three one-year contracts with top talent for lower pay.

– say Mr. Kay-Jelski’s allies MOTD needs to “evolve” now that Premiership goals are freely available on YouTube.

The BBC wants to do this MOTD a more visible “brand” on weekends, rather than just meeting to watch on Saturday evenings, AND Understands.

Another source said: “Politically it would be easier to lose Lineker under a Labor government now. But it’s really about whether the BBC wants to make a grand gesture by declaring that the days of hugely inflated talent pay are over.

“Many want to keep Gary and he has shown he wants to stay by taking a pay cut. But it may be in the broader corporate interest that it is better to let him go.

As the debate over its future heats up, Goalhanger has become the largest independent podcast producer in the UK. It is now expanding to live events, with stage presentations The rest is politics the hit concert, presented by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, played to a crowd of 13,000 at the O2 Arena last week.

Lineker and his Goalhanger co-founders, former BBC director Jack Davenport and former ITV Sport controller Tony Pastor, could be in line for a multi-million pound payout if they agreed to sell the company to the US podcast giant.

There is frustration among BBC bosses with Lineker and his colleagues MOTD experts Shearer and Micah Richards express their often harsh opinions on the podcast produced by Goalhanger, The rest is football.

The show registers approximately eight million views per month on YouTube alone.

During last summer’s European Championship, Lineker branded England’s 1-1 draw with Denmark “crap”, which irked captain Harry Kane and threatened the BBC’s relationship with the England team.

These comments helped The rest is football generated £125,000 in the opening weeks of the euro.

“It’s strange that the BBC pays Lineker to be the face of football and he expresses his most controversial opinions elsewhere,” said a former BBC executive.

Former sports editor of “Gazeta Wyborcza”. Daily mailKay-Jelski was tasked with representing the BBC in discussions with rights holders, including the Premier League, as well as driving viewership of sporting events across the BBC’s digital services.

Lineker and Shearer’s “double act” is also appreciated in the BBC sports department. Reports indicate that the BBC has also entered into negotiations for a new programme MOTD contract with Shearer, who earned £380,000 in 2023.

With a contract extension yet to be confirmed, it is believed that Lineker’s representatives have notified ITV and the streaming platforms that currently show Premiership and Champions League matches of his potential availability. His current contract with the BBC is non-exclusive and allows Lineker to host the ITV game show, Sitting on a fortune.

No competing broadcaster can offer the same platform and exposure as MOTD however, given that Lineker’s current BBC contract requires him to lead the nation through the summer’s international football tournaments, as well as playing the role of frontman Sports Personality of the Year prizes.

Lineker, whose reluctance to limit his use of social media has made life difficult for BBC bosses, said he wanted to work for the corporation as long as they wanted him to.

If Lineker were to sign a new contract, the ideal way to leave the team would be to congratulate Thomas Tuchel for leading England to glory in the 2026 World Cup final.

The BBC declined to comment.

A BBC source said of Lineker’s situation: “We have nothing to announce and we have not agreed the next steps regarding his contract. He has a valid contract until the end of the season.”

Sources rejected any suggestion that the change of government would have any impact on Lineker’s future.