Ex-England striker Gary Lineker to leave BBC presenting role
FILE PHOTO: Former British football player and BBC presenter Gary Lineker leaves his home in London, Britain, March 12, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) - Gary Lineker, a former England captain and the face of soccer on British television for over two decades, will leave the BBC, the broadcaster said in a statement on Monday.
Lineker, 64, had been due to cover the 2026 World Cup for the broadcaster, but his early departure comes after he apologised last week for sharing a social media post about Zionism which featured a picture of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult.
He rose to become the BBC's highest paid star after presenting its Match of the Day (MOTD) highlights show for 25 years. The BBC announced last November he would step down from MOTD this year but carry on working for it until 2026.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Michael Holden)
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