HE may be giving up his £1.36 million-a-year job, but the BBC’s highest-paid star will be just fine after building a canny media empire of his own.
We revealed this week that Gary Lineker will be leaving Match of the Day after 25 years at the end of this season.
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The football pundit will quit the BBC after anchoring the Corporation’s 2025/26 FA Cup coverage and the next World Cup.
In a statement confirming he’s stepping down, Lineker said: “I’m delighted to continue my long association with BBC Sport and would like to thank all those who made this happen.”
While many might shudder at the thought of stepping away from such a well-paid role, Lineker’s booming projects away from the Beeb could still see his estimated £30million fortune DOUBLE in the coming years, according to experts.
And it’s all thanks to his TV production company, Goalhanger Films.
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The firm has already been behind high-profile BBC shows, including Football, Prince William And Our Mental Health in 2020, but it’s also found success with steaming giants, selling a Serena Williams documentary to Amazon last year.
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes big beasts like Netflix will now have Lineker’s future projects in his sights – and could reward him with a multi-million pound deal, if David Beckham’s £20 million payday was anything to go by.
He tells us: “This is a golden moment for Gary to make even more money, spread his broadcasting wings and create compelling content that will help him double his wealth.
“I’m sure he will be selling his documentaries and series back to the BBC but now he has the option to sell to the highest bidders with the biggest viewership, making him one of the most powerful men in the media and it’s only going to get more successful for him as the demand is increasing.
“Netflix has massive budgets and knows that his shows rate really well, like his Prince William doc.
“With his black book full of the greatest sports stars in the world – and royals – plus Netflix’s high demand for content, he will be top of their list for programmes, and could earn tens of millions.”
Goalhanger also has an extremely successful podcast production arm, which is now signed up with global entertainment agency WME.
In 2022, Lineker hailed the “incredible growth” of Goalhanger Podcasts, and admitted he could leave the BBC to work on it full time – so it’s very possible that’s what his plans are.
He told The New Statesman: “Maybe. Who knows? Life’s thrown many things at me. And I’m 61.
“We don’t really know what the boundaries are in terms of growth. But it’s a very, very good business.”
Brand deals
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Goalhanger has produced some of the biggest podcasts in the country, including The Rest Is Politics , hosted by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, and The Rest Is History, presented by Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook.
And it has found success Stateside recently, too, launching The Rest Is Politics: US.
Last year, Gary began fronting The Rest is Football podcast with Micah Richards and Alan Shearer – which has 320,000 subscribers on YouTube.
And Nick thinks he’ll continue to earn even more from YouTube thanks to his many brand deals.
His most famous is Walkers – who he’s been working with for 30 years, and appeared in over 150 adverts for.
Lineker is estimated to earn around £1 million a year from the crisps giant, and signed another three-year deal with them in 2022.
He’s also got his own range of specs in high street chain Vision Express, with glasses frames starting at £99 and sunglasses at £39.
Shirts brand TM Lewin, also signed Lineker up, to promote its budget range, starting at £25.
In 2023, he launched his own line with Next, modelling his own clothes online.
Having previously also hosted for the likes of NBC and TNT Sports, Nick says a move to YouTube for Lineker may be on the cards – as he’ll be free from the BBC guidelines.
He adds: “He will soon be using YouTube to carry on his football commentary and be able to monetise this.
“Without the BBC stronghold for limited commercial activity, he will be getting offers from brands who want to piggyback on the perennial success of his Walkers crisps ads and maximise on his popularity.”
Lavish life
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Lineker’s business acumen has led to him owning a £4 million home in Barnes, London – complete with gym and cinema – as well as a car collection worth over £300,000.
That included his super-smart Jaguar F-Pace, worth around £50,000.
But he’s also been seen riding a Mercedes SL550, BMW 650i convertible, Range Rover Sport and a Jaguar XJ.
The hotshot striker was even spied in a £20,000 Mini Cooper Turbo once upon a time.
The car collector has also invested in insurance company, Ticker, which aims to reduce premiums for drivers between the ages of 17 and 25, and is backed by former Formula 1 driver Mark Blundell.
Nick finishes: “Lineker has cleverly created a media business that doesn’t need to rely on him and is set to make much more money after BBC.”
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