The BBC has dismissed reports of a potential mass exodus of pundits from its flagship show Match of the Day, despite confirming that six regular experts are moving on.
Martin Keown, Dion Dublin, Shay Given, Stephen Warnock, Nedum Onuoha and Theo Walcott are all set to leave the programme. Keown departs after nearly 20 years, having first joined in 2007. Dublin exits after a longstanding career that began in 2012, while Given leaves after arriving in 2018. Warnock and Onuoha joined in 2020, and Walcott only started appearing on the show in 2024.
New additions and retained presenters
Four new stars have been brought in as replacements: Ashley Young, Robbie Keane, Toby Alderweireld and Thomas Frank. Meanwhile, Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan will all retain their roles as the main faces of the show.
Alan Shearer and Micah Richards will combine their duties on Lineker's show with their roles on the flagship highlights programme. Joe Hart, Wayne Rooney, Ellen White, Steph Houghton, Danny Murphy and Ashley Williams will also be part of the coverage for the new season.
Reports of pundit unrest
The news follows a report from The Sun claiming that a number of leading pundits on the show had been weighing up whether to stay on. It was alleged some had been considering joining Alan Shearer and Micah Richards in linking up with former BBC stalwart Gary Lineker, whose show The Rest is Football recently arrived on Netflix.
The streaming platform has reportedly agreed a deal to keep Lineker's show on the service for the next two Premier League seasons, following a successful run during the World Cup. The same report claimed that a deal signed between Gary Neville and Disney+ for The Overlap's podcast content could also offer an attractive opportunity for pundits.
BBC statement
The BBC has pushed back against reports of a mass exodus, amid suggestions of disagreements between unnamed MOTD pundits and BBC head of sport Alex Kay-Jelski.
The BBC said in a statement: “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.”
