Alan Shearer's message to Gary Lineker says it all after MOTD host confirms BBC exit

Alan Shearer has been a regular panelist on Match of the Day during time as host, and will clearly miss the presenter as much as anyone. Lineker has , with Sunday's episode set to be his last.

Shearer was still playing when Lineker took charge of the show for the first time. Since retiring, though, he has grown into a role as panelist on the highlights show and co-commentator during some of the BBC's live coverage.

Lineker confirmed his exit in a video on . Shearer was among the famous faces to pay tribute to the presenter in the replies, simply writing: "Thank you for everything".

Olympic athlete and broadcaster Iwan Thomas was another to pay tribute, writing: "Always been a proper gentleman since met and occasionally worked with since the mid 90s. Without doubt one of, if not the BEST broadcasters of my generation, oh and not bad at sticking a ball in the net too... good luck in the future."

John Bishop, the comedian and former footballer, also shared a message of thanks. "Gary you leave a great legacy as a player , as a presenter and as a man. Good luck with everything else you do next," Bishop wrote.

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

Lineker had been due to leave Match of the Day this summer before remaining on the BBC's payroll for live football coverage. However, he has left ahead of schedule following backlash to a social media post about the situation in Gaza.

“ has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember – both on the pitch and in the studio," Lineker said when confirming his exit. “I care deeply about the game, and about the work I’ve done with the 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.”

Alex Kay-Jelski, the BBC's director of sport, sent an email round to staff on the day Lineker's exit was made official. Sunday's Match of the Day will be his farewell appearance.

"You will have seen in the past few minutes that will be leaving the BBC at the end of the current football season. I appreciate the last week has been difficult and emotional for many of you," Kay-Jelski's email read.

"Thank you for all the messages and conversations, even if some of them weren’t easy to have. And I hope you understand that I had to wait until now to tell you the news. It is sad to be saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster and I also want to thank Gary for his years of service.

"As ever, if you have questions, you know where I am. Let’s finish the season strongly with Gary's final show, enjoy an incredible summer of sport and look forward with excitement to what lies ahead."

and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our