Latest news with #Canadian-Palestinian
Daily Mirror
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gary Lineker attends son's wedding days after quitting job - and Wayne was there
Gary Lineker was seen looking suave and happy at his son's wedding over the weekend. The presenter, 64, enjoyed his son's milestone moment after a tumultuous couple of weeks after he was let go from the BBC over comments he made about Palestine. His son George, 33, took to Instagram on Monday to share some special moments from the huge family celebration - which also included Gary's estranged brother Wayne. George posted a sweet snap of himself and his famous dad beaming alongside one another as they posed after Harry and his new wife said their 'I do's'. The England star turned pundit was due to present coverage for the Beeb until the end of this season before bowing out. However, Gary will now be exiting earlier than initially intended after sharing a pro-Palestine video about the Gaza conflict on social media. The clip in question, which shows Canadian-Palestinian lawyer Diana Buddu criticising Israel's actions in Gaza, includes a controversial cartoon rat emoji, a symbol associated with antisemitic tropes. Following an outcry, Gary released a statement on Monday (May 19), apologising for the offence caused and emphasising that he would "never consciously repost anything anti-Semitic". The 64-year-old also revealed he would be stepping back from his high-profile presenting position after two eventful decades, leaving longtime viewers to wonder what's next for the legendary striker. In his statement, Leicester-born Gary told fans: "I care deeply about the game, and about the work I've done with the BBC over many years. As I've said, I'd 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." BBC Director-General Tim Davie has also issued the following statement: "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."
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
The real reason Gary Lineker is quitting the BBC and next career step
The real reason Gary Lineker is quitting the BBC and next career step Gary Lineker has announced he is leaving the BBC and Match of the Day with immediate effect, following a social media row over a pro-Palestinian video he shared Gary Lineker will be leaving the BBC after tonight's show (Image: BBC ) A personal branding guru has divulged potential future moves for Gary Lineker following his departure from the BBC's Match of the Day, suggesting that "this next chapter will likely be the most 'Gary' we've ever seen". The erstwhile England footballer turned commentator was set to front the Beeb's coverage until the season's end before making his exit. Yet, Lineker will now leave earlier than anticipated after sharing a pro-Palestine clip touching on the Gaza strife via social media. The contentious video displayed Diana Buttu, Canadian-Palestinian lawyer, criticising Israel's conduct in Gaza and featured a debatable cartoon rat emoji linked with anti-Semitic insinuations. After substantial public disapproval, Lineker issued an apology on Monday (May 19), expressing remorse for any hurt caused and clarifying that he would "never consciously repost anything anti-Semitic". At 64, the famed forward announced he's stepping down from his prominent TV role after two decades, sparking intrigue among devoted fans about what direction he'll strike next, reports the Mirror. Considering these developments, the Mirror consulted with Mayah Riaz, known for her expertise in celebrity PR and personal branding, who maintained that departing might be the favourable move regarding Lineker's "personal brand journey", as his "dual identity" had previously posed a "PR headache for the BBC". Article continues below Mayah commented: "Gary leaving the BBC marks the end of an era, but it's also a natural evolution in his personal brand journey. "When you're the highest-paid presenter at a publicly funded broadcaster, you're not just a TV host. You're a symbol of the institution. And symbols are held to a different standard. "Gary has always walked the line between sports presenter and social commentator. I very much think that dual identity is part of his appeal, but having said that, it's also what's made him a PR headache for the BBC. The scrutiny he faced wasn't solely about what he said on social media. It was about who was saying it and how much he was being paid to represent the BBC's values." Having "outgrown the platform", Mayah has suggested that Lineker now has the chance "to double down on his identity as a thought leader and commentator", and hinted that he could follow in the footsteps of fellow broadcaster, Piers Morgan, who famously stepped back from his post on Good Morning Britain following a heated row over Meghan Markle. Mayah continued: "Was it the right decision for him to go? From a PR perspective, yes, I do think it was. Why? Because his personal brand has clearly outgrown the platform. He's no longer just a Match of the Day host. He's a cultural voice. And that comes with a different set of freedoms and risks. "In fact, I believe that his staying could have done more damage. It would have been a constant tug-of-war between his values and the BBC's guidelines. That's not sustainable, and it certainly isn't strategic. "Gary now has an opportunity to double down on his identity as a thought leader and commentator. Whether that's through independent media projects, documentaries, podcasting or high-profile partnerships, he's free to speak without the filter of institutional restraint. "He could even follow the likes of his friend Piers Morgan and launch his own platform or partner with existing ones like Channel 4 or streaming giants. This next chapter will likely be the most 'Gary' we've ever seen. It will be interesting to see how Gary shapes his legacy now that he's in full control of the narrative." In his statement shared with supporters, the Leicester-born legend conveyed: "I care deeply about the game, and about the work I've done with the BBC over many years. As I've said, I'd 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." BBC Director-General Tim Davie has also released a comment stating: "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." Article continues below Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates are set to present Match of the Day in the upcoming season. According to The Sun, these three are now vying for the top spot as the main presenter of the BBC's World Cup coverage, stepping into Lineker's shoes.
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gary Lineker's real reason for quitting BBC and next big move
As Gary Lineker steps back from his Match of the Day duties after two decades, an expert shares what we can expect next for the pundit, following his 'tug-of-war' with the BBC A personal branding expert has shared what's next for Gary Lineker, following his departure from the BBC's Match of the Day. And they've advised that "this next chapter will likely be the most 'Gary' we've ever seen". The England star turned pundit was due to present coverage for the Beeb until the end of this season before bowing out. However, Gary will now be exiting earlier than initially intended after sharing a pro-Palestine video about the Gaza conflict on social media. The clip in question, which shows Canadian-Palestinian lawyer Diana Buddu criticising Israel's actions in Gaza, includes a controversial cartoon rat emoji, a symbol associated with antisemitic tropes. Following an outcry, Gary released a statement on Monday (May 19), apologising for the offence caused and emphasising that he would "never consciously repost anything anti-Semitic". The 64-year-old also revealed he would be stepping back from his high-profile presenting position after two eventful decades, leaving longtime viewers to wonder what's next for the legendary striker. With this in mind, the Mirror spoke with Mayah Riaz, Celebrity PR and Personal Branding Expert, who advised that leaving could be the right decision in terms of Gary's "personal brand journey", with his "dual identity" having previously proven to be a "PR headache for the BBC". Mayah said: "Gary leaving the BBC marks the end of an era, but it's also a natural evolution in his personal brand journey. "When you're the highest-paid presenter at a publicly funded broadcaster, you're not just a TV host. You're a symbol of the institution. And symbols are held to a different standard. "Gary has always walked the line between sports presenter and social commentator. I very much think that dual identity is part of his appeal, but having said that, it's also what's made him a PR headache for the BBC. The scrutiny he faced wasn't solely about what he said on social media. It was about who was saying it and how much he was being paid to represent the BBC's values." Having "outgrown the platform", Mayah has asserted that Gary now has the opportunity "to double down on his identity as a thought leader and commentator", and suggested that he could follow in the footsteps of fellow broadcaster, Piers Morgan, who famously stepped back from his post on Good Morning Britain following a heated row over Meghan Markle. Mayah continued: "Was it the right decision for him to go? From a PR perspective, yes, I do think it was. Why? Because his personal brand has clearly outgrown the platform. He's no longer just a Match of the Day host. He's a cultural voice. And that comes with a different set of freedoms and risks. "In fact, I believe that his staying could have done more damage. It would have been a constant tug-of-war between his values and the BBC's guidelines. That's not sustainable, and it certainly isn't strategic. "Gary now has an opportunity to double down on his identity as a thought leader and commentator. Whether that's through independent media projects, documentaries, podcasting or high-profile partnerships, he's free to speak without the filter of institutional restraint. "He could even follow the likes of his friend Piers Morgan and launch his own platform or partner with existing ones like Channel 4 or streaming giants. This next chapter will likely be the most 'Gary' we've ever seen. It will be interesting to see how Gary shapes his legacy now that he's in full control of the narrative.' In his statement, Leicester-born Gary told fans: "I care deeply about the game, and about the work I've done with the BBC over many years. As I've said, I'd 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." BBC Director-General Tim Davie has also issued the following statement: "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." Going forward, Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan, and Kelly Cates will present Match of the Day next season. The Sun reports that the trio are now competing to step into Gary's shoes as the lead presenter of the BBC's World Cup coverage.
Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Why do liberals like Gary Lineker insist on talking about things they know nothing about?
Poor Gary Lineker. He has lost his job for being too caring, for being so empathetic, for crying at the awful images of murdered children coming out of Gaza. He had to speak up on social media about the humanitarian crisis because 'I think if you're silent on these issues, you're almost complicit.' Gary has been punished for being too nice. Just too brave for the BBC. This is one narrative running about his departure, and I recognise it absolutely because Gary is the kind of liberal type I know very well indeed. I do not dislike the man, or claim to know anything about football. He helped me out once by offering Match of the Day tickets for a raffle I was doing to support JK Rowling's charity Lumos, which was working with institutionalised children in Ukraine. I had to ask him where Match of the Day was. Apparently in a TV studio! Sometimes he would retweet a column of mine from The Guardian. At that time, migrants were being called vermin and cockroaches in our tabloid press, and that disgusted me. These people were drowning, and we were watching it on our TV screens. To call another human 'vermin' is to dehumanise them, to make it legitimate to kill them. It is just this sort of dehumanising, though, that has done for him. An Instagram post that he shared last week featured an anti-Zionist rant by a Canadian-Palestinian professor accompanied by a rat emoji. That Jews are rats, vermin, is an anti-Semitic trope and no nitpicking over the lines between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism excuses it. While Lineker says he is moved to speak out over humanitarian causes, let's agree not to compare humans to vermin for a start. The whole issue here is that guys like Lineker do not know the complexity of this issue and never seem to want to be schooled by those that do. There have been some extraordinary exchanges over the past months where Lineker has been challenged by Simon Schama on Jewish history. Of course, it is possible to understand that this awful situation is complex as well as be appalled at the death and horrific destruction of Gaza. That is where most people are at, surely? How is a two-state solution possible when Hamas remains in power? Those who think Israel should not exist in the first place – and there are many – are going to have to explain what happens to half of the world's Jewish population who live there. Lineker told the journalist Mehdi Hasan, 'I've got no skin in the game… I see it from a neutral perspective.' Wow. This is the ultimate liberal delusion; that somehow one sits aloft, above others who cannot see what is good and what is bad. Those who do not agree with him have had an empathy bypass. This is exactly the kind of polarisation that social media has engendered, I'm afraid. There live the self-proclaimed good and everyone else is, well, a little unhuman. Lineker will be just fine. He is hugely rich and his podcast empire is another echo chamber of guys reassuring each other that they are on the right side of history. Graham Norton, while hosting Eurovision the other night, somehow managed not to tell the audience what the Israeli contestant, a Nova festival survivor, had been through. Silence is complicity? It's always interesting, with these dudes, which issues they choose to be brave about and which they don't. Lineker has chosen Israel/Gaza but has repeatedly ignored pleas from women to say something about biological men in sport. He has refused to take a line. And when challenged by The Telegraph's Oliver Brown in an interview last week came out with: 'It's too nuanced. I don't actually think, in terms of sport, that it will ever be a real issue. Sport, as it's already doing, will sort it out and work out rules.' He made his sympathies clear. 'They're some of the most persecuted on the planet, trans people. You've got to be very careful not to have bigoted views on that. I genuinely feel really badly for trans people. Imagine going through what they have to go through in life. Is there even any issue?'. At this point a lot of us realised exactly who had an empathy bypass. If you are going to make public pronouncements you can at least educate yourself. Lineker is entitled to his views and is an incredibly talented presenter, but I am afraid he does have 'skin in the game' as the BBC is publicly funded. He cannot present himself as 'neutral' in one context and 'brave' in another. Free from them, he can tweet away about whatever atrocities he likes and, I am sad to say, there are places other than Israel in the world where terrible things are happening. Sudan? He has the time to find out himself about what is going on. As he is just a guy trying to do the right thing after all. He just did an anti-Semitic thing by accident. Isn't that always the way? The fall from the moral high ground will be cushioned, I am sure, by like-minded apologists who cheer him on. Some humility would be in order. But these guys never know what they don't know. See Alastair Campbell/Rory Stewart on any issue that involves women's rights and who just happen to be part of Lineker's podcast empire. As I say, it's a type. If only I had their conceit, I could offer myself up as an expert football commentator. After all, I have a lot of empathy with people who score own goals.
Irish Independent
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Inside the week that brought Gary Lineker down as ex-England striker expected to resign from BBC
A week since recklessly plunging the corporation into yet another crisis, Lineker is expected to announce on Monday that he is leaving immediately after his final Match of the Day on Sunday and will no longer present its coverage of next summer's World Cup. It caps an extraordinary fall from grace for the BBC's highest-paid star, whose brazen refusal to follow its editorial guidelines finally cost him his £1.35 million-a-year job. His fate was arguably sealed the moment he took to Instagram Story at around lunchtime last Monday to share a video by the campaign group Palestine Lobby with his 1.2 million followers. Rat post The clip, which was accompanied by the caption 'Zionism explained in less than 2 mins' showed Canadian-Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu attacking Israel over its alleged occupation of Palestinian land. It also featured a cartoon image of a rat, a well-known anti-Semitic slur used by, among others, Nazi Germany. This is the same Lineker who, barely two years earlier, had used his X account to compare the rhetoric of the then Conservative Government around immigration to that which triggered the Holocaust. That post, too, had plunged the BBC into crisis, with Lineker initially suspended before being reinstated when colleagues walked out in solidarity, causing Match of the Day to air without commentary or punditry for the first time in its history. The corporation had responded by beefing up its impartiality guidelines to cover presenters of its 'flagship programmes', but Lineker refused to be silenced. In January last year, he shared an X post calling for Israel to be thrown out of international football, only to delete it after apparently misunderstanding the message. Doubling down Then, last month, he conducted an interview with the BBC's Amol Rajan in which he defended his right to speak out against Israel's response to the October 7 terrorist attacks there. 'I'm sorry. It's more important than the BBC. What's going on there is the mass murder of thousands of children [and] is probably something that we should have a little opinion on.' ADVERTISEMENT By last Monday evening, the screengrab showing Lineker had shared an 'anti-Semitic' rat image was being circulated online, including by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), which posted on X: 'Nothing to see here. Just Gary Lineker's Instagram account sharing an anti-Israel video misrepresenting Zionism, complete with a rat emoji.' Other critics reported the screengrab of Lineker's Instagram Story to X moderators on the grounds it 'may violate X's rules against hateful conduct'. By the time the screengrab was brought to the attention of Telegraph Sport on Tuesday, the video had been deleted from Lineker's Instagram Story. But it had already provoked outrage among Jewish groups and calls for his head. The CAA posted on X: Having looked the other way until now, at this point, it is clear that Gary Lineker's continued association with the @BBC is untenable. He must go.' Danny Cohen, former director of BBC television, told Telegraph Sport: 'Gary Lineker appears to have shared content about the Jewish state which echoes Nazi propaganda. This is utterly grim. 'The BBC's director general Tim Davie has a simple question to answer: does he tolerate the BBC's flagship presenters sharing content that has historically been used as an anti-Semitic slur?' Former Labour MP Lord Austin added: 'For too long Gary Lineker has been flagrantly abusing his position as the best-paid presenter at the BBC to promote his deeply biased views. Now he has gone too far, sharing material that, whether he knows it or not, is redolent of the vilest anti-Jewish racism. He cannot be allowed to stay in position, let alone be the face of World Cup coverage. The BBC must act now.' The firestorm to engulf Lineker had become serious enough for a spokesman for the 64-year-old to issue a statement, which read: 'Whilst viewing and reposting a video, Gary did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection. The repost has been removed.' By Wednesday, Jewish BBC staff were privately expressing 'disgust' over the corporation's failure to sack Lineker. One employee, who in a previous Telegraph article claimed anti-Semitism had become 'normalised' within the organisation, said: 'It is quite simply disgusting that the BBC has not kicked Lineker out. His repeated offensiveness to Jewish people has clearly brought the BBC into disrepute. The interpretation of Zionism he has shared is anti-Semitic and the fact that the BBC thinks it's acceptable is deeply upsetting to its Jewish staff, myself included.' 'He doesn't think the rules apply' Another insider said the corporation had missed 'perfect opportunity' to part ways with Lineker when he was suspended for comments about the previous Government. 'He's the perfect example of someone who doesn't think the rules apply to them and abuses them at every turn − the type highlighted in the culture review, published no more than a fortnight ago,' said the staffer source. Another staffer said: 'The BBC's endless willingness to overlook his apparent anti-Semitism dressed as Palestinian advocacy constantly makes Jewish staff feel how little they matter to the corporation. Perhaps Lineker lacks the sophistication to know the difference, but what's senior management's excuse?' In response to the growing revolt, Davie said people needed to follow the broadcaster's social media rules and that a mistake such as Lineker's 'costs us'. Speaking at The Lowry arts centre in Salford, Davie said: '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.' Lineker was now fighting for his job and he issued an unprecedented personal apology over the post. 'On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references,' he said. '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.' Nightmare timing of Telegraph interview But there was no respite for the beleaguered Lineker, with The Telegraph on Thursday publishing an interview with the former England captain that was carried out before the 'anti-Semitic' rat storm. In it, he went further than ever in his criticism of Israel, branding its response to October 7 'beyond depraved' and 'completely out of proportion' before accusing those who stayed silent about it of being 'almost complicit'. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, who stood for the leadership of the Conservative Party last year, told Talk TV: 'I thought his comments were disgusting and many other people would have lost their careers over this, whilst the BBC considers it enough to issue an apology, albeit a fulsome one, afterwards. I think the BBC have got very serious questions to answer.' There were also calls for the corporation to axe Lineker from hosting its coverage of Saturday's FA Cup final. Alex Hearn from Labour Against Antisemitism said: 'It took two days after sharing blatant racism for Gary Lineker to produce an apology, coming just a few days before he was due to present the FA Cup final. 'If he is allowed to continue in this prestigious role then our national broadcaster will be sending the message that anti-Jewish racism is acceptable. Other presenters have quite rightly been dismissed immediately for racism, and yet this presenter seems to consistently avoid it. There should be no place for any form of racism in the BBC, and they should pull him from schedules including the FA Cup final this weekend.' But it was what some perceived to be a dig at his boss, Alex Kay-Jelski, by Lineker in his Telegraph interview that may have been the final straw for a corporation that had indulged him bending its rules to breaking point and had even extended his contract to lead its FA Cup and World Cup coverage after he left Match of the Day. 'He wants to change Match of the Day a bit,' Lineker said of Kay-Jelski, who became BBC director of sport last summer. 'Ultimately, I don't think they will, because I don't see how you move a highlights show away from being about highlights. I think he wants more journalists − he has come from that background. He has got no television experience.' Friday saw the first whispers that the end was nigh, although with Lineker hosting the FA Cup final on Saturday afternoon, there was never going to be any formal announcement until that was out of the way. By Sunday night, his early departure was a done deal, revealed − as his Match of the Day exit had been − by The Sun, which said he would announce the news on Monday. A source told the newspaper: '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.'
