Former BBC presenter reveals why he stepped back from his role
The post, which featured a rat image, was about Zionism, and Lineker later apologised, stating he stands against all forms of racism.
As a result, Lineker will no longer present BBC coverage of the 2026 World Cup or the FA Cup next season.
He maintained his impartiality regarding the war in Gaza, stating he has "no skin in the game" and is "anti the killing of children".
Lineker has since toned down his social media use, coming off X (formerly Twitter) due to its "horrible" and "nasty" nature.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
21 minutes ago
- Metro
BBC releases its ‘new Race Across The World' – don't judge episode 1
It's been tipped to rival The Traitors, and at least on paper, Destination X has all the potential. It's a cocktail of Claudia Winkleman's cloak-and-dagger reality TV series and Race Across the World — currently the two brightest jewels in the BBC's crown. Like many of the most promising formats before it, Destination X has already been a huge hit internationally. It first launched in Belgium, and a US version just aired with a cast featuring a mix of 'regular people' and celebrities I've never heard of, hosted by a smouldering The Walking Dead star, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Rob Brydon takes the reins in the UK version – easily the most popular star in the most popular show on British television since Only Fools and Horses, Gavin and Stacey. Needless to say, expectations have been high — but have they been met? Not quite. At least not yet. I've seen the first three episodes, and while the start is rougher than an eight-hour delay at Euston in a heatwave – only to find you're stuck on a train with Nigel Farage – it does start to show signs of promise. The concept is definitely intriguing, but ultimately far too convoluted in practice. Thirteen contestants begin the journey of their lives at an unknown airport before boarding a train to Destination X – an undisclosed location that could be anywhere in Europe. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video They have no idea which direction they're heading. They're only allowed to look out the windows for brief moments and must rely on cryptic clues to uncover where they are and where they could be going. At each checkpoint, the train stops and the cast must individually guess their current location. The one furthest from the truth is immediately booted off the train to fend for themselves in the middle of nowhere. At least, that's how it's presented – if only it were true, there might actually be some jeopardy. Episode one falls flat. The cast isn't interesting enough to draw viewers in, and the game feels painfully muddled – reminiscent of ITV's most expensive flop, The Genius Game with David Tennant, which proved far too clever for its own good and well beyond the grasp of the average viewer. Destination X isn't quite as much of a misfire – it doesn't require a literal genius to play or enjoy – but it does fall into the same trap. Viewers are encouraged to play along via a QR code, guessing where the cast is with just as little information. Since I watched the show before its official release, I couldn't try the interactive features, but I doubt they resolve Destination X's biggest issue: when it comes to reality TV, most viewers don't want to work too hard. I certainly don't. Netflix openly designs shows for doom-scrolling. In contrast, Destination X throws out the modern television rulebook. While that's bold, I'm not convinced it will pay off, especially when the game takes far too long to get going. Once it does, though, things improve significantly. The opening episode has almost no tension. The contestants all get along so well, it feels like they've been inducted into a friendly cult. One even leaves early without so much as a goodbye – they insist they've had a great time and simply vanish, like it's no big deal. In an episode where little else happens, the show misses an opportunity to at least dramatise its one potential bombshell. That changes later in the series. Reality eventually kicks in: there's £100,000 on the line, and only one person can win it. After initially promising to be truthful and work together, cracks begin to form. The team spirit fades, and suddenly, there's a game worth watching. Once the niceties are thrown out of the blacked-out windows, the lies begin, trust breaks down, and the show finally heads in the right direction. But the best reality TV lives and dies by its casting, and Destination X lacks standout personalities. One contestant brags about running a marathon in every country in the world; another is a 28-year-old nuclear engineer. More Trending The only instantly likeable figure is London taxi driver and devoted family man, Daren. Others eventually come into their own, but it takes more time than I fear most viewers will allow before tuning out. The further down the tracks we go, the more promise the format shows. Tears are shed, stakes rise, the twists are meaty, there's a rug pull that's genuinely quite shocking, and by episode three, my interest had definitely piqued. Hopefully, enough viewers stay on board long enough to feel the same. Destination X airs Wednesdays and Thursdays on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. View More » MORE: Watch this terrifying film tonight – it might change your life MORE: The Osbournes 'changed TV forever' and no reality show will ever compete MORE: Supernatural thriller fans insist 'give it a chance' after BBC drops 16 episodes
Daily Mirror
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Jess Glynne slams the White House as they use her song for 'sick' social media post
Singer Jess Glynne has hit out at the White House after they used her voiceover in a travel advert for one of the most controversial tweets in recent memory British singer Jess Glynne has taken aim at the White House following the American admiration using one of her most iconic songs in a recent controversial social media post. On Tuesday, the official Twitter /X account for the White House used the voiceover used in an advert for travel company Jet 2 to seemingly mock a group of migrants being deported. The audio, which is currently trending online and generating many memes, features Jess' song Hold My Hand. The viral TikTok sound begins with Jess singing her 2015 before voice actress, Zoe Lister delivers the soundbite "nothing beats a Jet2 holiday." In a controversial move, the White House joined the many content creators and businesses using the voiceover from a British airline advert in the hope of going viral earlier this week. The post showed handcuffed undocumented individuals being led by obscured Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers onto a GlobalX aircraft – a carrier frequently employed by ICE. The provocative tweet was accompanied by the caption: "When ICE books you a one-way Jet2 holiday to deportation. Nothing beats it!". Amid the backlash to the poor taste tweet from the official account for the residence and principal workplace of the President of the United States Donald Trump, Hold My Hand singer Jess has revealed her disgust at the post. Sharing a screenshot of the offending tweet, Jess told her Instagram followers: "This post honestly makes me sick. My music is about love, unity, and spreading positivity - never about division or hate." "I need her AND jet2 to sue him separately for the maximum amount of money," one Twitter user wrote online in response to Jess' post. "Her music is for healing not for hate. Love wins every time," another penned. A third wrote: "Good. artists gotta protect their art from becoming propaganda. white house probably thought they were being cute but just exposed how out of touch they are lol." President Trump departed Scotland on Tuesday as his five-day visit came to an end, with Air Force One taking off from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray. The president concluded his trip by opening a new golf course at his resort in Menie, Aberdeenshire, on Tuesday morning. After playing on the new course, he flew by helicopter to the RAF base. During his visit, he had earlier stayed at his other Scottish resort at Turnberry in South Ayrshire, where he enjoyed several rounds of golf. Despite the mostly private nature of the trip, he hosted Sir Keir Starmer at both resorts on Monday. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also took part in a meeting with him at Turnberry on Sunday. As Trump cut the ribbon on the new course in Aberdeenshire, he said he would play a quick round before returning to Washington to "put out fires all over the world". The US president teed off in front of an invited crowd including golfers, football stars, Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. Just before hitting the first ball at the New Course, the US president told those gathered on a grandstand: "We started with a beautiful piece of land, but we made it much more beautiful. I look forward to playing it today. "We'll play it very quickly and then I go back to DC and we put out fires all over the world. We did one yesterday – you know we stopped the war. We've stopped about five wars. That's much more important than playing golf. As much as I like it, it's much more important.' The president met First Minister Mr Swinney on Monday evening at a private dinner, and the two had a more formal meeting on Tuesday ahead of the course opening. This meeting focused on Scotch whisky tariffs and the situation in Gaza.
Rhyl Journal
33 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Luton's ex-Spurs prospect Josh Keeley aiming to make ‘mad' new home a fortress
Keeley joined the Hatters on July 19 for a fee in the region of £1million after a three-year spell on Spurs' books. The 22-year-old Irishman never played for the north London club but, after successful loans at Barnet and Leyton Orient, holds a strong belief that he can become a top-flight keeper ahead of his competitive debut for Luton in Friday's League One opener at home to Wimbledon. Clean sheet ✅Unreal passes ✅ Josh is feeling right at home already 👏 — Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) July 27, 2025 'Being in the club for three years was amazing for me. Obviously I got a taste of being around the first team and what is is like to play in the Premier League,' Keeley told the PA news agency. 'I used to train with the boys all week, so I know and I have got a gist of what it is like. Hopefully in the foreseeable I get myself back there (in the Premier League). 'Luton have very high expectations. Obviously being a Premier League club (in 2023-24), we have got every aim to get promoted to the Championship first and then after that we can worry about going up again. 'This season is important. It starts this week, everyone is looking forward to it and hopefully we can push for promotion.' Keeley arrived at a Luton team reeling from back-to-back relegations, but off the back of his own stellar 2024-25 campaign. A post shared by Josh Keeley (@joshkeeley1) The ex-St Patrick's goalkeeper flourished at Orient in League One, keeping 16 clean sheets to help them make the play-off final at Wembley – where they lost 1-0 to Charlton – and the FA Cup fourth round. Keeley made headlines with his cup exploits, remarkably scoring against Oldham in November before starring in a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City, but talks over a new deal at Tottenham this summer stalled and he decided to find a permanent home. Ex-Luton player and currently Spurs first-team assistant goalkeeper coach Dean Brill sold his old club to Keeley, who ended up making his debut in a 0-0 pre-season friendly against Tottenham last weekend. Keeley added: 'It was kind of a quick turnaround for me during the week, so I didn't get to say bye to everyone, but yeah, I got to say bye to everyone (on Saturday), so that was good. 'Obviously I spoke with Dean Brill, the goalie coach. He played here as well and he sold it to me. He told me it was a great club and the people here are very good people.' Now Keeley has signed up to help Luton's bid for an instant return to the Championship, he is determined to make Kenilworth Road a fortress again – starting with Friday's visit of Wimbledon. 'I have heard a lot of things over the last couple of years, that it is a bit of a mad place to come,' Keeley said. 'My mates always used to say to me, because a few of them support Premier League teams, they have Luton away next week and they'd all say they're not looking forward to it, so it can definitely be a fortress.' The Hatters' often raucous stadium, where the unusual entrance for away fans at the Oak Road End is on a row of terraced houses, was built in 1905 and has a capacity of 12,056. He added: 'It can definitely be a place where people will struggle to come and get points from, so hopefully we can make it that way.'
