**Gary Lineker’s BBC Run Ends as Alan Shearer Steps Up in Salary Rankings**
Veteran sports presenter Gary Lineker has maintained his position as the BBC’s highest-paid on-air personality for the eighth and final consecutive year, though the broadcaster’s most recent salary report reveals significant changes for the network’s highest earners. The annual disclosure shines a light on figures across BBC radio and television, coinciding with broader discussions about pay transparency at public institutions.
Lineker, renowned for his long-standing role as the face of Match of the Day, led the 2024/2025 figures with an earnings bracket of £1,350,000 to £1,354,999. This payment reflected his involvement in the BBC’s flagship football highlights programme alongside his contributions to European football coverage. However, his tenure with the BBC came to an abrupt end in May, following his early departure at the conclusion of the Premier League season.
The presenter’s exit was precipitated by controversy on social media, where Lineker apologised for sharing a post regarding Zionism that included an image widely recognised as an antisemitic trope. This episode resulted in his agreement with the BBC ending sooner than initially imagined, and Lineker will not be helming the broadcaster’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season’s FA Cup.
Sitting just below Lineker in the pay rankings was Radio 2’s Zoe Ball, whose reported income fell between £515,000 and £519,999. Ball, who hosted the Radio 2 Breakfast Show until December last year, has since made her return to the station with a newly launched Saturday afternoon slot, starting in May 2025. Her shift in role reflects ongoing changes within the BBC’s radio division.
Meanwhile, past England striker Alan Shearer saw his status rise sharply within the pay league, becoming the corporation’s third-highest-earning on-air personality with an annual income between £440,000 and £444,999. This represents a climb from eighth place the previous year, underscoring Shearer’s increasing prominence as Match of the Day undergoes a reshuffle. As the BBC looks ahead to a fresh era with new presenters Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan, Shearer will continue to offer his insights as a football pundit, encompassing both domestic and European tournaments.
Elsewhere among the top earners, Greg James, the Radio 1 Breakfast Show presenter, retained a strong fourth place earning between £425,000 and £429,999. His total also incorporated work on Radio 4’s Rewinder. Both Fiona Bruce and Nick Robinson, attributed joint fifth place, each received between £410,000 and £414,999. Bruce’s remuneration covered Question Time among other television engagements, while Robinson’s included podcasts and coverage of the UK general election.
These revelations come amidst a period of heightened scrutiny for the BBC, with national debates surrounding its editorial choices in coverage of high-profile events such as the Glastonbury Festival, and its approach to documentaries like Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone. Questions have also been raised by an official inquiry into behaviour on programmes like MasterChef, including allegations against established presenters.
Sharing the remainder of the top ten, BBC Radio 5 Live’s Stephen Nolan earned between £405,000 and £409,999, trailed by Laura Kuenssberg, who moved up the pay table earning between £395,000 and £399,999. Vernon Kay and Justin Webb completed the list, each moving into higher salary bands compared to previous years, as roles shift within the organisation.
Notably, the BBC’s revelations about pay come at a time when the broadcaster continues to face public inquiry over its use of licence-payer funds. The annual salary report, which details payment brackets rather than exact figures, is a key component of the corporation’s efforts to maintain public trust and transparency in an era when such figures are increasingly under the microscope.
While the figures confirm some continuity at the BBC, they also highlight an organisation in flux—balancing tradition, ongoing public scrutiny, and the ever-changing landscape of broadcasting. The departures, promotions, and controversies detailed within the report signal a new chapter for the BBC’s most recognisable faces, as well as for the network itself.