Gary Lineker has confirmed his departure from the BBC ahead of the World Cup, as per a statement released on Monday.
The England legend was scheduled to host his final Match of the Day on Sunday, marking the end of the Premier League season, with plans to continue with the corporation to spearhead its coverage of the 2026 World Cup. However, he is now stepping down from his $1.8 million-a-year role prior to next year’s tournament.
Last week, Lineker, 64, posted about Zionism in relation to the Israel and Palestine conflict on social media, which included an illustration of a rat, historically utilised as an antisemitic insult to depict Jews as vermin. Upon learning about the symbolism of the image, Lineker expressed regret for the references and assured that he would never share anything antisemitic, subsequently deleting the post.
Nevertheless, it was reported that the BBC considered the position of the father-of-four as ‘untenable’. The former Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham striker stated today: “Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember – both on the pitch and in the studio.
“I care deeply about the game, and about the work I’ve done with the BBC over many years. As I’ve said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for.
“However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”
BBC Director-General Tim Davie commented on Lineker’s recent situation: “Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season.
“Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades. His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made.”
The Leicester legend, renowned for his hefty BBC pay packet peaking at $2.34 million, is set to pass the baton to a trio of talents: Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman, who’ll divvy up hosting duties next term.
Lineker hung up his microphone as co-host of the esteemed BBC Sports Personality of the Year last December, after helming the celebration of Britain’s sports heroes and heroines, as voted by the public, for 23 memorable years.
Former England striker Lineker faced criticism after interacting with content from the group Palestine Lobby on Instagram, spurring Campaign Against Antisemitism to voice their intent to file a complaint.
Reflecting on the incident on his Instagram, Lineker stated, “Whilst I believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know how we do so matters,” acknowledging his responsibility, adding, “I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views.”
The Campaign Against Antisemitism responded to the post, stating: “Nothing to see here. Just Gary Lineker’s Instagram account sharing an anti-Israel video misrepresenting Zionism, complete with a rat emoji.”
The group continued: “Not only does this video deliberately misrepresent Zionism – the belief that Jews have the same right to self-determination as everyone else – but it adds a rat emoji in doing so. Why is it that Gary Lineker keeps sharing content on social media that seems to cater to Jew-haters?”.
BBC Director-General Tim Davie also weighed in on the controversy, saying: “The BBC’s reputation is held by everyone and when someone makes a mistake, it costs us. And I think we absolutely need people to be the exemplars of BBC values and follow our social media policies, simple as that.”
