Alan Shearer sends four-word message to Gary Lineker with BBC fate confirmed

Premier League legend and pundit, , made it clear that he will miss working with

Lineker, 64, , with Sunday's episode set to be his swansong. Shearer was still an active player when Lineker first took the reins of the show all the way back in 1999, when the World Cup golden boot winner replaced Des Lynam.

With the help of Lineker, Shearer has flourished in his role as a pundit on the highlights programme and co-commentator during some of the BBC's live broadcasts. Among the famous faces paying tribute to the presenter in the comments was Shearer himself, who simply wrote: "Thank you for everything".

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Shearer's message speaks volumes, as is highlights his gratefulness for the help Lineker has given him along the way. While it is short, it is also deep in meaning without being a complete goodbye, as Shearer will continue working with Lineker as part of the podcast they do together, with the help of Micah Richards.

Olympic athlete and broadcaster Iwan Thomas also paid his respects, 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."

Comedian and former footballer John Bishop shared a message of gratitude as well, which said: "Gary you leave a great legacy as a player, as a presenter and as a man. Good luck with everything else you do next."

Lineker had been scheduled to depart Match of the Day this summer but remain on the BBC's payroll for live football coverage, reports However, he has left earlier than planned following backlash to a social media post about the situation in Gaza.

In his video, Lineker said: "Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember – both on the pitch and in the studio. I care deeply about the game, and about the work I've done with the BBC 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."

BBC's Director of Sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, addressed staff via email following the official announcement of Lineker’s exit, signalling Sunday's Match of the Day as his final bow. He wrote: "You will have seen in the past few minutes that Gary Lineker 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. 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."