Gary Lineker held back tears as he signed off from his final edition of Match of the Day on Sunday, ending a 26-year tenure as host. The BBC announced in November that Lineker would leave the football show at the end of the Premier League season, which concluded on Sunday.
Departure Details
- Lineker was initially set to remain with the BBC to cover both the men’s FA Cup and World Cup but has now left completely after apologizing for sharing an antisemitic social media post.
- In his farewell, he acknowledged the controversy surrounding his departure, stating, "it wasn’t meant to end this way." He quickly clarified that the season hadn’t ended until that day, as there were still two matches remaining at kick-off time.
Closing Remarks
Despite not addressing the reasons for his departure during his closing remarks, Lineker expressed gratitude towards viewers:
- "It’s been an absolute privilege hosting Match Of The Day for nearly 25 years… It’s been utterly joyous."
- He thanked fans directly, saying, "Thank you for watching, thank you for all your love and support over these incredible years. It really means everything."
- He concluded with a heartfelt, "Time To Say Goodbye."
Future of Match of the Day
Lineker’s exit marks a significant change for Match of the Day. Starting next season, Kelly Cates will be joined by Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan, although it remains unconfirmed whether they will continue together beyond their initial stint.
Background Context
Lineker’s departure follows an apology he made in January for sharing an antisemitic social media post earlier this year. The former England striker faced calls from some Conservative MPs, including Suella Braverman, who urged him to resign after his comments comparing refugees seeking asylum to illegal immigrants crossing the Channel.
He later expressed understanding of the impact of his words, stating, "I understand how hurtful words can be."
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
