4 hours ago
3
Match of the Day viewing figures have taken a significant nose dive since Gary Lineker's controversial exit, according to a report.
Lineker, 64, was axed by the BBC in shame in May over his Instagram post about Zionism featuring a rat that ignited an antisemitism row.
The former England striker departed after sharing an Instagram story about Zionism featuring a rat - a vile antisemitic trope used by the Nazis to characterise Jews as vermin.
He said that he understands 'the error and upset that I caused' and will no longer work for the BBC presenting FA Cup matches this season and at the next World Cup in North America in 2026 after he had initially extended his deal.
Lineker presented his final show at the end of last season, before being replaced by Kelly Cates, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman in the highlights show hotseat.
But his exit has coincided with hundreds of thousands of viewers deciding not to watch the long-running show, and instead opting to catch the online highlights.
Match of the Day viewing figures have plummeted since Gary Lineker's BBC exit, according to a report
Lineker was replaced by Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates as the show's presenter
The Telegraph report that average viewing figures show that 2.39million fans are tuning into the show on a Saturday night, compared to 2.68m this time last year.
It is also said that one show was watched by nearly 3million last season and came close to dipping below 2million this year.
Research does, though, suggest that viewing figures were falling before Lineker's exit, and the BBC have said that highlights on their new online platform are being watched by 1.7m people on average each week.
In Lineker's final season, the August-October period saw numbers drop from 2.92m people on average by more than eight per cent.
The show has, however, retained its dominance in the timeslot, attracting an average of 34.8 per cent of people watching television, compared to 34.7 per cent for the same period in the previous two years.
Match of the Day's sister show, Match of the Day (broadcast on Sunday), has also seen a dip in viewing figures.
Lineker had already agreed to step down as Match of the Day host for this season before the antisemitism row, but was still set to present FA Cup and World Cup games.
That was scrapped in May as the presenter, earning £1.35m a year as the corporation's highest-paid presenter, departed with no pay-off.
Lineker shared a now-deleted reel on Instagram featuring a rat that ignited an antisemitism row
Lineker, 64. was due to continue working with the BBC this season but had his £1.35million-a-year contract scrapped
Announcing his exit in a BBC statement, the former England footballer said: 'Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember – both on the pitch and in the studio.
'I care deeply about the game, and about the work I've done with the BBC over many years. As I've said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for.
'However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.'
The BBC's director of Sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, emailed staff minutes later and said: 'I appreciate the last week has been difficult and emotional for many of you. Thank you for all the messages and conversations, even if some of them weren't easy to have'.
He added: 'It is sad to be saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster and I also want to thank Gary for his years of service'.
The BBC were approached for comment.
