BBC pundits Alan Shearer and Micah Richards will also work for Gary Lineker’s podcast at the World Cup – but the broadcaster will not be picking up the tab.
The pair are set to be a key part of the BBC’s coverage but will also appear on The Rest Is Football with Lineker during the tournament which is being held in the US, Canada and Mexico.
In Germany at the European Championship in 2024 eyebrows were raised when the podcast, rather than BBC output, ended up making most of the headlines.
BBC bosses may well be hoping to avoid a repeat but are thought to be relaxed about the situation.
Lineker is a co-owner of Goalhanger Productions, which makes the podcast and which has signed a major deal with Netflix to stream shows during the World Cup worth a reported £14m. They will film from a studio in New York.
The former England striker and Match of the Day host was set to depart the BBC after the tournament but made an early exit last May following a row over the sharing of an antisemitic social media post and various previous issues over his expressing of opinions on political situations.
The prospect of Shearer and Richards crossing the Atlantic on the BBC’s tab to effectively work for Lineker has raised eyebrows.
However, BBC insiders are adamant that will not be the case and that BBC money will not be used for BBC talent to do non-BBC work. It is thought that both Goalhanger and BBC officials are working closely together to ensure that schedules are aligned and no issues are expected. Indeed, the view is that the situation reflects the modern landscape where pundits work across various platforms.
As previously reported, the BBC will not base a studio HQ at the World Cup. Richards is expected to travel to and from the UK throughout the tournament while Shearer will be in the US throughout.
Presenters Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan will be studio-based but may travel to the tournament should it be required. Should England progress they may head to the US for the latter stages.
