Who could replace Gary Lineker in Match of the Day? | UK news

Gary Lineker’s 25-year spell as Match of the Day (MOTD) host marks the end of an era.

While fans will be sad to see the back of the former England striker when he resigns at the end of this season, speculation about who his successor will be has already taken the internet by storm.

It won’t be known who will take the reins until the BBC officially announces it, but here’s a look at some of the names that could be in the hat.

Mark Chapman

Veteran sports presenter Chapman is undoubtedly the bookies’ favorite having hosted the original Match Of The Day 2 program for more than a decade.

He’s a familiar face to the fans and has more experience than most, also deputizing for Lineker on the main show on occasion when he wasn’t available.

Of course, Chapman’s permanent move to the Saturday show means someone will likely have to take his place at MOTD 2 on Sunday.

Alex Scott

Former Arsenal defender Alex Scott has led the rankings of female football pundits since retiring from the game in 2017.

Her breakthrough year in 2018 saw her become the first female pundit to be taken to a men’s World Cup by the BBC, before becoming Sky Sports’ first female football pundit later that year.

Since then, she has become another stand-in presenter on MOTD when Lineker can’t make it.

Gabby Logan

Veteran presenter Gabby Logan, who has become one of the most recognizable faces on UK television, has also occasionally filled in for Lineker.

The former gymnast has an MBE for services to sports broadcasting and promoting women in sport, presenting at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Invictus Games, FIFA World Cup, Euros and Six Nations for the BBC since 2007.

She is also a regular anchor for Amazon Prime Video sports matches and has started hosting some of the live games shown on the platform in recent seasons.

Alan Shearer

The former Newcastle striker took Lineker’s place as England’s top striker when he retired in the 90s – could history repeat itself with one of TV’s biggest jobs?

Shearer might not be a presenter, but he has more experience than anyone when it comes to MOTD, having sat alongside Lineker as a regular analyst for years.

If the BBC is looking to keep things familiar for its audience after Lineker’s departure, having someone appearing alongside him not only on MOTD, but also on the MOTD podcast and Lineker’s own podcast, The Rest Is Football, could be a safe bet.

Micah Richards

The former Manchester City and Aston Villa defender has also been one of the mainstays of MOTD in recent years alongside Lineker and Shearer, so he will only have to switch chairs for the role of presenter.

The 36-year-old himself admitted that his injury-plagued football career did not reach the heights of Lineker and Shearer, but his pundit career has flourished since his retirement in 2019.

He has formed a formidable trio with former England internationals on both the MOTD and The Rest Is Football podcasts and has built a similar rapport with soccer stars Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher on American network CBS Sports.

Lineker has previously hinted at the odds of Richards taking over at MOTD, telling The Rest Is Football podcast: “Four to one? Blimey. I’d love to see you take over. I think you’d be brilliant in the chair.”

Kate Abdo

British sports broadcaster Kate Abdo has taken her career to new heights since becoming a host on American broadcaster CBS Sports, where she often covers Champions League football alongside Micah Richards, Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher.

Her shared tastes with the three former footballers and impressive presentation skills have helped the network’s coverage grow in popularity, especially on social media, where their interactions often go viral.

It might be a more difficult deal if the BBC wanted to go in Abdo’s direction, as she reportedly signed a four-year deal with CBS last year.

Jason Mohammad

Mohammad, who currently hosts the BBC’s Final Score on Saturday afternoons, has also filled in for Lineker and Chapman on MOTD programs since he started working for the company in 1997.

The Welsh TV and radio presenter, who has been among the BBC’s biggest winners, is there among the bookies’ favorites for the job.

Kelly Somers

Somers, who became only the sixth woman to present MOTD in 2020, has worked with the BBC, Talksport, Premier League and Prime Video to name but a few.

She became a frequent face for football fans as she covered England’s men’s matches at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, and has continued to front Channel 4’s coverage of the national team for the past two years.

Dion Dublin

Another BBC Sport regular, former Aston Villa and Manchester United striker Dublin is there on the bookies’ lists.

He appeared regularly on MOTD, along with other BBC shows such as Football Focus and Final Score, but also branched out from the world of football to host daytime property show Homes Under the Hammer.

Gary Neville

Manchester United great Neville has become a major force on Sky Sports since his retirement in 2011.

Lineker himself has sung Neville’s praises, saying in 2013 that he wished he had had him on MOTD. His point, though, was that Neville was able to deliver his now signature long, in-depth analysis of less dense schedules, whereas MOTD has to be concise because of how many games it tends to cover in a short amount of time.

Neville has recently appeared as a guest entrepreneur on BBC business show Dragon’s Den and corporate comedy show Have I Got News For You.

But the former England right-back has been a prominent supporter of the Labor Party and has made political remarks while hosting ITV’s coverage of the 2022 World Cup finals, something that may ease the BBC’s mind given friction over Lineker’s political views from the past.

Lineker was briefly removed from MOTD in March last year following controversy over comments he made on social media criticizing the asylum policies of the then Conservative government.

Laura Woods

Woods has become the face of TNT Sports’ Champions League football coverage since rebranding from BT Sport last year when he took over from Jake Humphrey as main presenter.

It was a natural progression for the former Talksport radio host, who had already become one of the most popular football hosts on TV before landing the huge role. Could she be in line for another huge gig now that Lineker is stepping back?

Jake Humphrey

Prominent host Humphrey retired from television in his own right last year to focus on his high-profile podcast, in which he interviews top performers in sports, entertainment, business and health and wellness.

He has a wealth of TV experience not only from his time leading the line at TNT Sports, but also presenting Formula 1, Football Focus, Final Score at BBC Sport.

He has already made history on MOTD, previously becoming its youngest ever host when he replaced Lineker.