Gary Lineker has claimed estimates of his TV earnings are exaggerated, but admitted it is difficult to justify top stars’ wages.
The former footballer and TV pundit was recently rumoured to have raked in £1.5 million from a new BBC contract to continue fronting Match Of The Day and present their 2014 World Cup coverage in Brazil.
He said: “Stories about what I earn and what I’m worth are always wrong, they always make it sound a lot higher than it actually is. It’s mildly irritating.
“Frankly, you can never justify the salaries given to those who are at the top of the tree in entertaining or sport to ordinary people who are doing proper jobs. But it’s just the way of the world.”
Gary recently appeared in an episode of the family tree show Who Do You Think You Are? and said it had been a poignant moment discovering one of his ancestors had to steal livestock to feed his children.
He said: “It was a very sad and poignant story of desperation – after all, most of us would do anything to keep our children fed. I’m fully aware that I’ve been hugely fortuitous in having a talent for playing football and without that gift, and a lot of hard work, I wouldn’t have the life I’ve enjoyed.”
Gary added that he had no plans to go into other, non-sport areas of entertainment: “I’m very happy, love my career and certainly have no plans to retire. I’ve got no desperate desire to branch out into other areas of entertainment. I think I’ve got a bit of a niche because I’m one of the few commentators who’ve played the sport at the top level, which gives me a big advantage.
“I was brought up by my dad to give everything my best shot and that’s what I’ve always done – and what I’ll keep on doing.”
Lineker: 'Hard to justify' TV pay
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