Alan Shearer has opened up on life without Gary Lineker in the Match of the Day studio.
The iconic BBC football highlights show has embarked on a new era following the sudden exit of Lineker in May, which brought an end to his 26-year tenure as host. The 64-year-old’s exit came days after he apologised for inadvertently sharing a pro-Palestine social media post which featured a picture of a rat.
Lineker has been replaced by experienced presenting trio Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan, who will share duties in the hot seat. Chapman and Cates have already got their first show of the season under their belt, with Logan set to take centre-stage for the third Premier League matchweek this Saturday.
Shearer, a staple pundit of the show since 2009, co-presented in both MOTD episodes of the new campaign and has welcomed the new dawn for the show, downplaying the impact Lineker’s absence has had.
“ I guess it's like a footballer leaving a football club,” Shearer told The Independent. “The programme is always going to be bigger than any individual.
“But is it different? Well the programme's not different, obviously the personnel have changed but the feedback has been really positive. Hopefully that will continue.
“ I think the best thing to come out of it is that it’s Match of the Day - it hasn’t changed. The theme tune is still the same. It still works exactly the same. There's nothing major that’s happened and I guess that's what everyone needed and wanted.”
Shearer, 55, still has a professional and personal relationship with Lineker, working regularly with the former England striker on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“I see Gary, whether that's on Zoom or whether it's (in person) two or three times a week because of the podcast,” he added. “I was with him last week so the relationship won't change with him. It's just the Saturdays will change on Match of the Day.”
Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer, was also sure to emphasise that Lineker’s replacements are anything but out of their depth.
Chapman, 51, has been broadcasting for more than 25 years and has long been the presenter of BBC’s Match Of The Day 2.
Cates, the 49-year-old daughter of Liverpool icon Kenny Dalglish, fronts Sky Sports’ coverage of the Premier League and also hosts BBC Radio 5 Live’s Tuesday night sports slot.
Meanwhile, former gymnast Logan, 52, became one of the first female sports anchors to break into terrestrial television and has covered several Olympic Games, the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games during her tenure at the BBC, as well as presenting Match Of The Day in Lineker’s absence on many occasions.
“The three presenters that are coming in, it's not as if they're new to presenting,” Shearer said. “They're as experienced as they come and they’re great presenters in their own right. Very different, but great presenters.”
Alan Shearer was speaking at the launch of Betfair’s Safe Sub: when your player comes off, it’s not over yet. Your bet rolls onto the player coming on: applies on selected leagues and markets.
