Jermaine Jenas has Gary Lineker quit theory amid links to Match of the Day job

10 December 2023 , 09:00

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Jermaine Jenas has Gary Lineker quit theory amid links to Match of the Day job

Jermaine Jenas admitted he would consider replacing Gary Lineker as Match of the Day host.

But he insists he is not focussed on that job as a goal in his burgeoning presenting career. And he made clear his belief that Lineker will be the one to decide when he wants to vacate the role.

Lineker, 63, took over the BBC's long-running football highlights programme in 1999 after Des Lynam left to join ITV. And, almost a quarter of a century later, he remains just the fifth host in the show's near-60-year history.

Jenas has, for some time now, been heavily tipped to become the sixth when Lineker eventually leaves. But the former Tottenham footballer, 40, says it's "not a plan" he is working towards, though he did admit his interest.

"If the opportunity was to arise it’s obviously something I'd have to think about," he told at an event promoting his new role as the host of Formula E coverage in the UK. "My commitment is fully with the jobs that I have.

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"That's hosting Formula E, the bits that I do on The One Show, any punditry work that I'm doing with TNT Sports and the BBC are huge commitments of mine and something that I love."

And Jenas paid tribute to his friend and colleague Lineker, who he sees as a mentor. He added: "The big thing with this is Gary's brilliant. Love Gary. I've learned so much from him over the course of my career and there's still loads more to learn from him. It's the type of job that I look at and think, 'He goes when he wants to go'. And he deserves that because of how brilliant he is.

"If I am then part of any conversations around that at some time, then so be it! But it's definitely not on my mind - people are talking about it but, for me right now, I'm just excited to get started on FE."

Jenas is the new lead presenter of Formula E's UK TV coverage for the 2024 season. The all-electric racing series has signed a deal with TNT Sports to show all 17 races live on its platforms this season, after a previous arrangement with Channel 4 was cut short.

"I've been interested in motorsport for about seven or eight years now," he said of the new role. "I'm not an expert on it and there are a lot of people out there who probably feel a similar way to me. I want to take those people on a journey and ask all those questions that they are going to be thinking about.

"I've got some real quality people around me who have been in the sport since it began and know it inside-out - I'm going to be picking their brains throughout to make sure we develop the best show that Formula E can be."

Daniel Moxon