Gary Lineker pockets £30m of licence fee payers' money

GARY Lineker will have cost licence fee payers more than £30million during his 26-year BBC career, analysis has suggested.

- Martyn Brown

The Match of the Day host, who currently earns around £1.3million a year, is to step down from the flagship football show at the end of this season.

But the 63-year-old will continue to front the BBC's FA Cup coverage in 2025/26 and will host shows during the 2026 World Cup.

Figures from the BBC's annual accounts reveal the former England striker has been paid around £9.3million during the past six years alone.

When he finally hangs up his presenting boots for the Beeb, Lineker will have earned at least £30million, it was said.

Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager at The TaxPayers' Alliance, said Lineker's salary for just six years could pay for nearly 55,029 yearly licence fee payments at the current rate of £169.50.

Staggering

She said: "For years, Gary Lineker has been not just the best-paid employee of the BBC, he's been the best-paid employee of any public sector organisation.