The BBC have scrapped six pundits from their Match of the Day line-up and added four others ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League season. Those not selected for this year include Martin Keown, Dion Dublin, Shay Given, Stephen Warnock, Nedum Onuoha and Theo Walcott.
Departures and Arrivals
Keown leaves his position on MOTD after almost 20 years in the job, first joining the crew in 2007. Dublin also exits following a longstanding career on the programme, joining as a regular analyst in 2012 and becoming a familiar face. Given arrived in the studio in 2018, while Warnock joined two years later with Onuoha. Meanwhile, Walcott only started appearing on the show in 2024. Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan will retain their place as the main faces of MOTD.
Four new stars have joined as replacements of the six departing. Ashley Young, Robbie Keane, Toby Alderweireld and Thomas Frank are all now part of the revolving door of guests.
Returning Faces
Fans will be relieved to hear that familiar faces like Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney are returning to the show. Joe Hart, Micah Richards, Ellen White, Steph Houghton, Danny Murphy and Ashley Williams will also still be part of MOTD for the new season.
This announcement comes after The Sun claimed that a number of MOTD pundits were considering leaving to join Gary Lineker's new Netflix show, The Rest is Football. BBC regulars Richards and Shearer were often on Lineker's programme during the World Cup, dividing their time between the two. The report also alleges that there were disagreements between unnamed MOTD pundits and BBC head of sport Alex Kay-Jelski.
BBC Response and New Show
However, the broadcaster rubbished these claims in an official statement, saying: "We have repeatedly told The Sun these anonymous claims are untrue and we look forward to bringing audiences the return of Match of the Day this weekend with its established line-up of presenters and pundits – alongside a host of new guest voices bringing fresh insight from inside the game."
Alongside these new changes, the BBC will launch a new fan-forward show which will represent every Premier League side. 20 fans will collaborate on this programme which will be shared on the BBC Sport app's Shorts feed as well as the BBC Football YouTube channel. The broadcaster states that this fan collective will "put supporters at the heart of the football conversation." Kay-Jelski has commented on the new additions to MOTD, stating that fans will be put "at the heart" of their programming.
He said: "Football means something different to every fan, and this season BBC Sport is putting those fans even more firmly at the heart of the game. We're bringing together the unrivalled expertise of former players and managers with the passion, personality and perspectives of supporters themselves to create a richer football experience wherever and however audiences follow the game. There are new shows, new voices and new ways to get closer to the action – alongside the trusted coverage millions of fans already turn to, from Match of the Day to BBC Radio 5 Live. Whether you want the big debate, the inside story, the fan perspective or simply every goal, BBC Sport will be there all season."
