Gary Lineker: 'I could earn more outside BBC', The former footballer said criticism of his salary, that he is being paid a footballer's wages for doing a pundit's job, was a “downside” of the job.
Mr Lineker said he probably didn’t deserve the salary and couldn’t justify it to “ordinary people doing proper jobs” but had no problem with taking the earnings.
Mr Lineker said: “That’s the downside of working for the BBC. I could earn more elsewhere, but because it’s the licence fee you are open to criticism.
“If you are at the top in entertainment you earn money that you can never justify to ordinary people doing proper jobs. You can't. I’m not even going to try. Do I deserve it? Probably not – but who would turn it down?”
Mr Lineker made the remarks as part of an interview with The Times, in which he also said he was worried about how his four sons, aged 16 to 21 years old, would afford to live.
He said: “It’s really hard for kids nowadays: you can get a decent education but there are no jobs out there. You worry about how they are ever going to afford to live anywhere.”
But despite his high salary, Mr Lineker said reports about his wealth, which has been estimated at £30m, are exaggerated.
He said: “The things they have written are just completely ridiculous! Take a zero off and you’d be close!
“They don’t take into account any money you may have spent, any tax you may have paid. Or circumstances you may have gone through in your life.”
Mr Lineker divorced from his wife, Michelle Lineker in 2006 and she remained in the £2m family home. The Match of the Day host also agreed to pay living costs for her and their four sons.
In the interview, Mr Lineker also said he enjoys “pampering” such as manicures and facials while on holiday, and said he has kept up his physique since he stopped playing football.
He said: “I am still my playing weight. But the shape of my body is physically better than when I was actually playing.”
Mr Lineker said he was told not to do weight training as a footballer and said: “In terms of aesthetics, I probably look better than I did when I played.”
Mr Lineker said he probably didn’t deserve the salary and couldn’t justify it to “ordinary people doing proper jobs” but had no problem with taking the earnings.
Mr Lineker said: “That’s the downside of working for the BBC. I could earn more elsewhere, but because it’s the licence fee you are open to criticism.
“If you are at the top in entertainment you earn money that you can never justify to ordinary people doing proper jobs. You can't. I’m not even going to try. Do I deserve it? Probably not – but who would turn it down?”
Mr Lineker made the remarks as part of an interview with The Times, in which he also said he was worried about how his four sons, aged 16 to 21 years old, would afford to live.
He said: “It’s really hard for kids nowadays: you can get a decent education but there are no jobs out there. You worry about how they are ever going to afford to live anywhere.”
But despite his high salary, Mr Lineker said reports about his wealth, which has been estimated at £30m, are exaggerated.
He said: “The things they have written are just completely ridiculous! Take a zero off and you’d be close!
“They don’t take into account any money you may have spent, any tax you may have paid. Or circumstances you may have gone through in your life.”
Mr Lineker divorced from his wife, Michelle Lineker in 2006 and she remained in the £2m family home. The Match of the Day host also agreed to pay living costs for her and their four sons.
In the interview, Mr Lineker also said he enjoys “pampering” such as manicures and facials while on holiday, and said he has kept up his physique since he stopped playing football.
He said: “I am still my playing weight. But the shape of my body is physically better than when I was actually playing.”
Mr Lineker said he was told not to do weight training as a footballer and said: “In terms of aesthetics, I probably look better than I did when I played.”
