TV viewership for Match of the Day has plummeted following Gary Lineker's departure from the BBC five months ago.
The flagship football highlights programme now attracts an average of 2.39million viewers on Saturday evenings, down from 2.68m during the same period last year.
The 64-year-old presenter left the corporation in May after posting controversial content about Zionism on Instagram that sparked accusations of antisemitism.
The drop represents a loss of nearly 300,000 regular viewers, though the BBC reports that its new online platform draws approximately 1.7 million people weekly to watch match highlights.
Match of The Day has lost 300,000 regular viewers since firing Gary Lineker
|GETTY
Lineker's departure followed his sharing of an Instagram story that featured imagery of a rat alongside content about Zionism.
The post drew widespread condemnation for employing an antisemitic trope historically used by the Nazis to dehumanise Jewish people.
The former England striker acknowledged that he understood "the error and upset that I caused" following the backlash.
His exit meant he would no longer present FA Cup coverage this season or work at the 2026 World Cup in North America, despite having previously extended his contract.
Kelly Cates, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman have taken over presenting duties for the Saturday night programme. Lineker had been the BBC's highest-paid presenter, earning £1.35million annually.
Data indicates that audience numbers were already declining before the presenter's departure.
During August to October of his final season, viewership fell by over eight per cent from an average of 2.92 million viewers.
Gary Lineker presented Match of the Day for 25 years
| GETTYDespite the reduced audience, the programme continues to dominate its Saturday evening slot.
It captures 34.8 per cent of television viewers during its broadcast, virtually unchanged from 34.7 per cent during the equivalent period in the previous two years.
One episode last season attracted nearly three million viewers, whilst this year's broadcasts have come close to falling below two million.
The Sunday edition of the programme has experienced similar audience losses.
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In response to the figures, the BBC said: “We don’t judge success based on overnight ratings in an on-demand world, a significant portion of the Match of the Day audience now watches on BBC iPlayer.
"This isn’t a decline, it’s adapting to changing audience behaviours as we all should be. Match of the Day is reaching more people across multi-platforms."
Lineker had already reached an agreement to step down from Match of the Day before the antisemitism controversy emerged.
His original plan involved continuing to host FA Cup matches and the upcoming World Cup, but these commitments were cancelled following the Instagram incident in May.
Gaby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates have taken over from Gary Lineker on Match of The Day
|BBC
His departure from the company came without any financial settlement, despite his position as the BBC's most highly-remunerated presenter.
The controversy effectively accelerated his exit from all BBC football coverage.
The significant audience decline poses questions for the programme's future, though the BBC's emphasis on growing digital viewership suggests a strategic shift towards online platforms where younger audiences increasingly consume sports content.