GB News host Bev Turner has joked “let me play the world’s smallest violin” after it has been revealed that Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker’s wages could drop significantly from his current £1.35million deal.
The 63-year-old is set to be offered a new contract with the BBC worth £1million-per-year, losing out on 35 thousand.
Speaking on GB News, host Bev Turner said: “It has been revealed that talks over his future as Match Today presenter have just started as he nears the end of his BBC contract.
“He’s 63 years old, Lineker now and he faces a possible pay cut. Get out your world’s smallest violins, fellas.
“A pay cut from his £1.35million salary, which is supposed to be about 25 per cent. I think they’re talking about massive pay cut.
“The negotiations are underway. Does he deserve that much money?”
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Former Labour MP Bill Rammell, speaking on the programme, defended high salaries in the media industry.
He stated: “The BBC, you know, is a competitive media industry and it does need to pay high salaries to attract the best talent.”
Rammell added that Lineker is “widely liked and admired by the public, and is a superb presenter of Match of the Day”.
Lineker’s current salary of £1.35million makes him the BBC’s highest-paid on-air talent for seven consecutive years.
Amidst speculation about his future, Lineker joked on Saturday’s Match of the Day, saying: “Hello. Seven games on the way and it’s my final show.”
After a well-timed pause, he added: “Before the international break.”
The BBC has denied any imminent announcement regarding Lineker’s future, stating he is under contract until the end of the football season.
However, rumours persist about a potential split at the season’s end, with the broadcaster allegedly preparing a statement to announce Lineker’s departure.
Lineker addressed the speculation on The Rest is Football podcast, comparing his situation to Liverpool players nearing the end of their contracts.
He said, “It’s been a strange few days. As you know, like Trent, like Virgil, like Mo, I’m coming to the end of my contract in the summer.
“It’s natural at some point that you have to have conversations and they’ve just started.”
