What did Gary Lineker tweet?
IN March 2023, The BBC suspended Gary Lineker from Match of the Day duties following a tweet it deemed to be in breach of its guidelines.
The beloved presenter has now announced that
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Gary Lineker is leaving the BBC
Credit: Alamy
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He has presented Match of the Day since 1999
Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
On May 19, 2025, Gary Lineker announced that he is leaving the BBC and will not front the
The former
The Match of the Day host's early departure comes five days after he apologised for
The 64-year-old faced a huge backlash after he reposted a video
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A source told The Sun: 'It is a heartbreaking end to an extraordinary broadcasting career.
Gary acknowledged his position at the BBC, anchoring the most prestigious tournament in world football, was untenable, and he will not be hosting the World Cup.
'He offered to step down at the end of the season, and did not want the BBC — an organisation he still holds in the highest of esteem — dragged into any further controversy.
'He remains absolutely devastated by the recent turn of events and is deeply regretful about how his post was interpreted. His last Match of the Day will air on Sunday now and he won't be back.'
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While
"I care deeply about the game, and about the work I've done with the BBC over many years.
Gary Lineker apologises for antisemitic post and confirms he's quitting BBC next week
"As I've said, I would never consciously repost anything anti-Semitic — 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."
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Gary's final Match of the Day ever is scheduled for Sunday, May 25, 2025.
He will reportedly not receive a pay off despite being the broadcaster's highest paid star, raking in £1.35million a year, according to
.
What did Gary Lineker tweet?
In March 2023, Gary took to Twitter to hit out at the Illegal Migration Bill, which bans migrants who arrive on small boats from settling in Britain.
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The former player and crisp peddler was suspended in 2023 following a tweet that the Beeb said breached its guidelines
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He tweeted: "This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the '30s, and I'm out of order?"
In a statement, the BBC said it has "decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media."
What have Ian Wright and Alan Shearer said?
Gary's Match of The Day co-hosts
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Wright tweeted: "Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I've told the BBC I won't be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity."
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Ian Wright will not be appearing on the show in a sign of solidarity
Credit: PA
This was shortly followed by co-star Alan Shearer who said: "I have informed the BBC that I won't be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night."
Alex Scott, Jermaine Jenas, Micah Richards and Mark Chapman also all showed support for Gary.
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This meant Match of the Day went ahead without a
Who is replacing Gary on Match of the Day?
In January 2025, the
The trio
will share presenting duties for the flagship
Match of the Day
on a Saturday night, plus Match of the Day 2 on Sunday evenings.
Kelly Cates
will be part of a three-person presenting team alongside
and
from next season.
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A statement posted on the show's X page read: "New squad for next season!
"We're delighted to announce that Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will share Match of the Day presenting duties from 2025-26."
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