Lineker to leave BBC sooner than planned after antisemitism row

After presenting his final Match of the Day episode on Sunday, Gary Lineker has confirmed he will leave the BBC.

The 64-year-old was expected to continue covering the men’s FA Cup and World Cup, but he was fired last week for posting a graphic depiction of a rat, which had historically been used as an antisemitic insult.

Lineker claimed on Monday that he had not seen the photo and that he “would never consciously repost anything antisemitic.”

Gary has acknowledged the error, according to the BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, in a statement. We have mutually agreed that he will stop presenting more after the current season.

Gary has over 20 years’ worth of experience covering football for the BBC. His enthusiasm and knowledge have helped shape the sport’s journalism and earned him respect from UK and international sports fans. We want to thank him for his contribution.

Lineker stated, “Football has always been at the center of my life, both on the field and in the studio.”

“I care deeply about the work I’ve done for the BBC over the years. As I’ve already said, I would never consciously repost antisemitism because it is against what I stand for.

“I’m sorry, but I’m also aware of the error and upset I caused.” Retracing one’s actions now seems to be responsible.

He claimed he would never, ever share “the post” if he had seen the emoji, which he claimed had a terrible connotation.

I want to express my unequivocal regret for the pain and upset caused once more. He continued, “It was a genuine mistake and oversight.” However, I ought to have followed more instructions. That is something I am aware of.

Lineker claimed that he had “fought all forms of racism, including antisemitism, which I absolutely detest,” and that he had “standing up for minorities and humanitarian issues.”

He claimed to his followers that stepping down from his BBC presenting duties was “the best for everyone involved.”

Lineker described his 30-years at the BBC as “a pleasure and a huge privilege,” adding that Match of the Day had grown to be “a significant part of my life.”

The presenter concluded by stating that although his relationship with the BBC had been “long and wonderful,” it was “time for the organization and I to separate.”

BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski expressed his gratitude to staff shortly after the announcement, saying that “many of you have found the last week to be challenging and emotionally draining.”

He thanked Lineker for his years of service and said it was “sad to be saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster.”

Lineker and the BBC made the announcement last year that he would leave Match of the Day before Sunday’s season-ending runtime.

However, he had been scheduled to continue to be a key figure in BBC coverage of the 2026 World Cup and the FA Cup for men.

Des Lynam became the organization’s main presenter of Match of the Day in 1999 as the former England striker took Des Lynam’s place.

He claimed in a recent interview with Amol Rajan that the BBC wanted him to leave the Premier League highlights program.

Roger Mosey, a former head of BBC Sport and former head of BBC television news, stated on Radio 4’s Today program on Monday that the “problem” was that you couldn’t both be the highest-paid presenter and social media activist.

It’s never going to be easy for Gary to do the amount of social media he did and to be the BBC’s highest-paid presenter, he said.

Following a partial impartiality dispute, Lineker was temporarily suspended from the BBC in 2023 for his remarks criticizing the then-government’s asylum policy.

He was also one of 500 other well-known individuals who earlier this year wrote an open letter to the BBC to request that the documentary Gaza: How to Survive A War Zone be brought back to the BBC iPlayer.

Lineker co-founded Goalhanger Podcasts, the company that produces the well-known The Rest Is History podcast and its affiliates on money, football, sports, and politics.