Gary Lineker has confirmed his Match of the Day exit with the countdown on until his BBC departure, with the former footballer handing some advice to his eventual successor

Gary Lineker had three reasons for leaving BBC Match of the Day at the end of the season, according to former team-mate and fellow broadcaster Alan Smith. Earlier this week, the Beeb dropped the bombshell news that Lineker would be walking away from their popular football programme next year.

Gary Lineker has confirmed changes are planned to Match of the Day after admitting it was “the right time” for him to leave the show and joking “it won’t be long ’till I’m in a box”. Breaking his public silence on his exit from the BBC’s flagship football programme at the end of the season,