Ex-Match of the Day host Gary Lineker shows solidarity with Palestine within hours of leaving the BBC

Daily Mail​

27-05-2025

Gary Lineker doubled down on his support for Gaza just hours after leaving the BBC as he posted a poem which included a George Orwell quotation.
Taking to Instagram, the former England footballer shared a verse by Irish-Indian poet Nikita Gill about a Palestinian health worker who this week lost nine of her ten children in a single Israeli airstrike.
Paediatrician Alaa al Najjar received the devastating news of the deaths of her children after the airstrike on Friday, with her husband and sole surviving child, an 11-year-old boy, being treated in hospital for injuries.
Lineker, 64, shared the poem just hours after leaving BBC studios for the last time after his final Match of the Day - in-between glowing tributes from former colleagues.
His post read: 'A mother on duty caring for her patients receives the remains of nine of her children. We are told to ignore this.
'A child who can barely walk struggles to find safety through flames in the aftermath of a bomb, unable to breathe. We are told to ignore this.
'The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.
'We must refuse to abdicate our duty to each other and see the truth for what is before us.'
It comes just days after it was announced Lineker would be leaving the BBC following a row about an anti-Semitic post he shared on social media.
The post contained a video which gave a controversial definition of Zionism and, crucially, a rat emoji.
The Nazis famously referred to Jewish people as 'rats' and 'vermin' during the Holocaust.
Lineker deleted the post and issued a public apology, insisting he did not see the animal in the post and wiped it from his social media as soon as he was made aware.
He said: 'On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references.
'I very much regret these references. I would never knowingly share anything anti-Semitic. It goes against everything I believe in.
'The post was removed as soon as I became aware of the issue.
'Whilst I strongly believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know that how we do so matters. I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views. It was an error on my part for which I apologise unreservedly.'
But it was a step too far for BBC bosses who quickly made clear to Lineker he had to go.
His departure means he will no longer front up FA Cup games next season or the 2026 World Cup.
Lineker hosted his final BBC show on Sunday night and hinted at the start that it 'wasn't meant to end this way' after being axed amid an antisemitism row.
The show was peppered with references to his departure from co-hosts, commentators, and even Liverpool boss Arne Slot before a moving finale.
Lineker then became tearful during a seven-minute finale which paid tribute to the presenter, who has been in the public eye for decades.
At the end of Sunday's show, wrapping up his £1.million gig, he paid tribute to the wider team, saying: 'Let me take the opportunity to thank all the other pundits I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years. You've made my job so much easier.
'Also, thanks to all those you don't see at home. The work that goes into making this iconic show is a huge team effort.
'From the editors to the analysis team, from the commentators to the floor managers, from the producers to the camera operators, from the PAs to the subs. Thank you all you're the very best. Everyone else did all the hard work and I got the plaudits.
'It's been an absolute privilege to host Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous.
'I'd like to wish Gabby (Logan), Mark (Chapman), and Kelly (Cates) all the best when they sit in the chair. The programme is in the best of hands.
'My final thank you goes to all of you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for all your love and support over the years. It's been so special. I'm sorry that your team was always on last. Time to say goodbye.'
Lineker has previously been vocal with his views on the Israeli invasion of Gaza following the October 7 attacks, and it's not the first cause that has landed him in hot water.
He was chastised in 2023 by critics after he compared the then-Conservative government's language on immigration to that used in 1930s Germany.
The remark triggered a BBC suspension but this was lifted when colleagues walked out in support of the presenter.
The BBC's social media rules were then rewritten to say presenters of flagship programmes outside news and current affairs - including Match of the Day - have 'a particular responsibility to respect the BBC's impartiality, because of their profile on the BBC'.