Jermaine Jenas is the bookmakers’ favorite to become the new host of Match of the Day, after Gary Lineker was taken off the air by the BBC.
Lineker will not present Match of the Day this weekend after the BBC decided that his recent tweet comparing government migration plans to Nazi Germany violated the rules of impartiality.
The corporation said Lineker would “back off” on presenting the show until he and his bosses have reached a “clear and agreed position” on his use of social media.
Following Lineker’s departure, the bookies have drawn up the odds for the next host with several current BBC pundits leading the way.
Former Newcastle star Jenas is at odds of 6/4, making him the favorite to replace Lineker.
Jermaine Jenas (pictured) has emerged as the favorite to replace Gary Lineker as Game of the Day host.
Alan Shearer (left) and Alex Scott (right) had been candidates to replace Lineker before each wrote a statement on social media, ruling them out as candidates.
Gary Lineker will step down from presenting Match of the Day pending further discussions with his bosses, the BBC announced today.
BBC pundits Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan are following Jenas at odds of 10/1 and 20/1 respectively.
Alan Shearer had also been a top contender for the role before he ruled himself out in a tweet on Friday night. “I have informed the BBC that I will not be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night,” he wrote.
Shortly after Shearer’s tweet, her BBC co-expert Alex Scott took to social media to also announce that she would not be appearing on the show. He wrote ‘FYI…’ and attached a GIF that read ‘Nah! I don’t.’
Fellow football pundit Ian Wright also tweeted that he would also avoid hosting Match of the Day while the ban is in effect, ruling him out of the race.
That completes the list of likely options, and four other names are mentioned, but it’s unlikely they’ll actually take the role.
Micah Richards, who appears regularly on the show but also appears on Sky Sports and CBS Sports, is at odds of 200/1.
His fellow Sky Sports pundits Roy Keane, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville are at odds of 250/1 to take the job.
Following the news of a Match of the Day without Lineker at the helm, a BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC have been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team over the past few days.
“We have said that we consider your recent activity on social media to be a violation of our guidelines.”
The BBC’s highest-paid star sparked a major political row this week after comparing the language used to launch a new government campaign against migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats to 1930s Germany.
The 62-year-old Match of the Day host shared a video online of Suella Braverman announcing the details of her new illegal immigration bill with the comment: “OMG this is beyond horrible.”
He then used his Twitter account, with 8.6 million followers, to call measures to address the migration crisis “immeasurably cruel.”
Accused by another user of being ‘out of character’, the former England footballer, who has previously been rebuked for other anti-Tory comments, replied: ‘Not a huge turnout. We accept far fewer refugees than other major European countries.
“This is just an immeasurably cruel policy aimed at the most vulnerable people in language not unlike that used by Germany in the 1930s, and am I out of line?”
Channel 5 News presenter Dan Walker revealed that he had spoken to Lineker, who confirmed that he had been told to “step down” from the role.
Gabby Logan (left) and Mark Chapman round out the top three candidates along with Jenas
Ian Wright will not appear at Match of the Day this weekend in support of Gary Lineker
Expert duo Gary Neville (left) and Jamie Carragher (right) are also vying for the role.
Speaking on Channel 5 News, Walker said: “It’s one of those weird situations where I’m actually texting the man himself (Lineker) at the moment.”
“And I asked Gary Lineker if he is taking a step back or if the BBC has told him to take a step back and I said if he answers me I will read that text on the air.
“There’s a word in there that I can’t use, but he has said ‘No, they have told me that I have to take a step back.’
“So Gary Lineker wants to continue presenting Match Of The Day and he doesn’t apologize for what he said, but he said it’s up to the BBC to force him not to present the show at this time.”