Latest news with #GARYLineker
The Irish Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Gary Lineker seen arriving at Match of the Day studios ahead of final show tonight after controversial BBC exit
GARY Lineker crept into the Match of the Day studios thorough an underground entrance to avoid attention ahead of his final show. After 26 years as , he will present his final highlights show tonight covering the last day of the Premier League season. The 64-year-old was due to cover next year's FA Cup and World Cup but bowed out early. This move sparked a battle for his signature between rival broadcasters. It follows a controversial row over his use of social media. The Leicester-born star, who moved seamlessly from footballer to one of the most famous presenters at the corporation, was temporarily suspended in March 2023. He was embroiled in an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the then-government's new asylum policy. In November 2024 he announced he would be stepping down from presenting Match Of The Day at the end of the season, but would still host World Cup and FA Cup coverage. He exited the broadcaster early after apologising for sharing and then deleting a post on his Instagram account from the group Palestine Lobby. Most read in Sport It was illustrated with a picture of a rat, which prompted calls for him to be sacked. After this the BBC said Lineker would leave his presenting role following the conclusion of Match Of The Day for the 2024/25 season. The Beeb added that he would not present its coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season's FA Cup. Lineker was the corporation's highest-paid presenter, with the BBC's annual report for 2023/24 showing his salary to be to around £1.35 million a year. 1 Gary Lineker was snapped leaving a car with his bag slung over his shoulder as he entered through the basement car park Credit: MCPIX
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Gary Lineker seen arriving at Match of the Day studios ahead of final show tonight after controversial BBC exit
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GARY Lineker crept into the Match of the Day studios thorough an underground entrance to avoid attention ahead of his final show. The sports pundit was snapped leaving a car with his bag slung over his shoulder as he entered through the basement car park. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up After 26 years as Match Of The Day host, he will present his final highlights show tonight covering the last day of the Premier League season. The 64-year-old was due to cover next year's FA Cup and World Cup but bowed out early. This move sparked a battle for his signature between rival broadcasters. It follows a controversial row over his use of social media. The Leicester-born star, who moved seamlessly from footballer to one of the most famous presenters at the corporation, was temporarily suspended in March 2023. He was embroiled in an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the then-government's new asylum policy. In November 2024 he announced he would be stepping down from presenting Match Of The Day at the end of the season, but would still host World Cup and FA Cup coverage. He exited the broadcaster early after apologising for sharing and then deleting a post on his Instagram account from the group Palestine Lobby. It was illustrated with a picture of a rat, which prompted calls for him to be sacked. After this the BBC said Lineker would leave his presenting role following the conclusion of Match Of The Day for the 2024/25 season. The Beeb added that he would not present its coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season's FA Cup. Lineker was the corporation's highest-paid presenter, with the BBC's annual report for 2023/24 showing his salary to be to around £1.35 million a year.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
England's Lineker leaves BBC after apologising for post that drew antisemitism complaints
GARY Lineker, a former England soccer captain who became the face of the sport on British TV, will leave the broadcaster after apologising for sharing a social media post about Zionism that drew complaints over antisemitism. Lineker, 64, the golden boy of English soccer in the 1980s and early 1990s who scored 48 times for his country, moved into broadcasting after hanging up his boots, presenting the BBC's flagship 'Match of the Day' (MOTD) highlights show for 25 years. The former striker, known for never receiving a yellow card during his 16-year playing career, was the broadcaster's highest paid star, but had repeatedly been cautioned by the officially neutral BBC for opining on politics. Lineker said on Monday he would depart after Sunday's final matches of the season. He apologised 'unreservedly' last week after sharing online material that criticised Zionism and featured a picture of a rat, historically used as an insult against Jews, which drew complaints from campaigners against antisemitism. 'Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season,' BBC Director General Tim Davie said in a statement. Lineker, who was paid 1.35 million pounds ($1.80 million), was already set to step down from MOTD this year but had been due to carry on fronting the BBC's 2026 World Cup coverage and next season's FA Cup matches. He repeated his apology for reposting the Instagram post 'that contained an emoji that has awful connotations', saying he would never consciously share anything antisemitic. 'It was a genuine mistake and oversight, but I should have been more diligent,' he said in a video statement announcing his decision to step down. 'I've stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and against all forms of racism all of my life, including, of course, antisemitism, which I absolutely abhor.' STRONG VIEWS After a playing career in which he scored 331 goals in 654 competitive games including stints at Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona, Lineker became one of Britain's most high-profile media figures. The BBC long defended his high pay as deserved for a popular host of a flagship programme. He once appeared on MOTD in 2016 in his underpants to fulfil a vow after his boyhood club Leicester City won the Premier League. But in recent years, his strong views on issues such as opposing Britain's exit from the EU made him a lightning rod for criticism from rightwing politicians as well as newspapers and other commercial rivals of the publicly funded BBC. He was temporarily taken off air in 2023 after he criticised the then-Conservative government's immigration policy, but was reinstated after a public backlash and near mutiny at the broadcaster. Lineker will still be busy once he has stepped down. He is the co-founder of a podcasting production business, Goalhanger, which makes the hugely popular 'The Rest Is...' podcasts on topics including soccer, history and politics.
The Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Lineker exits BBC over post amid antisemitism complaints
GARY Lineker, a former England soccer captain who became the face of the sport on British TV, will leave the broadcaster after apologising for sharing a social media post about Zionism that drew complaints over antisemitism. Lineker, 64, the golden boy of English soccer in the 1980s and early 1990s who scored 48 times for his country, moved into broadcasting after hanging up his boots, presenting the BBC's flagship 'Match of the Day' (MOTD) highlights show for 25 years. The former striker, known for never receiving a yellow card during his 16-year playing career, was the broadcaster's highest paid star, but had repeatedly been cautioned by the officially neutral BBC for opining on politics. Lineker said on Monday he would depart after Sunday's final matches of the season. He apologised 'unreservedly' last week after sharing online material that criticised Zionism and featured a picture of a rat, historically used as an insult against Jews, which drew complaints from campaigners against antisemitism. 'Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made. Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season,' BBC Director General Tim Davie said in a statement. Lineker, who was paid 1.35 million pounds ($1.80 million), was already set to step down from MOTD this year but had been due to carry on fronting the BBC's 2026 World Cup coverage and next season's FA Cup matches. He repeated his apology for reposting the Instagram post 'that contained an emoji that has awful connotations', saying he would never consciously share anything antisemitic. 'It was a genuine mistake and oversight, but I should have been more diligent,' he said in a video statement announcing his decision to step down. 'I've stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and against all forms of racism all of my life, including, of course, antisemitism, which I absolutely abhor.' STRONG VIEWS After a playing career in which he scored 331 goals in 654 competitive games including stints at Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona, Lineker became one of Britain's most high-profile media figures. The BBC long defended his high pay as deserved for a popular host of a flagship programme. He once appeared on MOTD in 2016 in his underpants to fulfil a vow after his boyhood club Leicester City won the Premier League. But in recent years, his strong views on issues such as opposing Britain's exit from the EU made him a lightning rod for criticism from rightwing politicians as well as newspapers and other commercial rivals of the publicly funded BBC. He was temporarily taken off air in 2023 after he criticised the then-Conservative government's immigration policy, but was reinstated after a public backlash and near mutiny at the broadcaster. Lineker will still be busy once he has stepped down. He is the co-founder of a podcasting production business, Goalhanger, which makes the hugely popular 'The Rest Is...' podcasts on topics including soccer, history and politics.
Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Gary Lineker returns to BBC for first time since post likening supporters of Israel to rats as host fronts FA Cup final
GARY Lineker has returned to the BBC for the first time since being accused of sharing a "anti-Semitic" post. The outgoing Match of the Day host sparked fury over the Instagram upload, which has since been deleted. 2 Lineker has returned to the BBC for the first time since his post Credit: Getty 2 He presented coverage of the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Crystal Palace from Wembley today Lineker has "apologised unreservedly" after sharing the pro-Gaza video that likened supporters of Israel to rats. A rat has been used as an anti-Semitic insult referring to language used by Nazi Germany to characterise Jewish people. The rat accompanied footage of a Canadian-Palestinian lawyer attacking the war in Gaza with the caption "Zionism explained in two minutes." In a statement, Lineker 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 antisemitic. 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." Gary Lineker gets a grilling over Maradonna's infamous hand of God goal in hilarious new The Assembly teaser Last November Lineker announced he would be stepping down from presenting Match Of The Day. The former England and Barcelona striker will make his final appearance on the highlights show on May 25. But he will still host World Cup and FA Cup coverage. And Lineker returned to TV screens this afternoon for the first time since the row erupted. He presented coverage of the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Crystal Palace from Wembley. Lineker appeared alongside Wayne Rooney. But a source said: "He is hosting the Cup final this weekend but beyond that we don't know at this stage. "Staff are annoyed with him after this week — and he is annoyed with himself too." This comes after the director general of the BBC said people need to follow the broadcaster's social media rules when asked about the row involving the Lineker post. Tim Davie, after giving a wide-ranging speech, speaking of trust, disinformation and impartiality, was asked if Lineker had broken the BBC's rules. Speaking at The Lowry arts centre in Salford, Mr 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's agent told the BBC the presenter immediately deleted the post when he learned about the image's symbolism, which he had previously not appreciated. Meanwhile, earlier this week Lineker fired savage digs at the new BBC boss as the ex-footballer revealed why he left Match of the Day. The TV veteran slammed BBC's new director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, claiming he 'has no TV experience' in a brutal interview with The Telegraph. Lineker, 64, warned the BBC not to tamper too much with the iconic show, saying: "He has his reasons, he wants to change Match of the Day a bit. "Ultimately, I don't think they will, because I don't see how you move a highlights show away from being about highlights." Lineker presented Match of the Day for a staggering 26 years. However, the 64-year-old claims that much has changed since the new BBC boss took charge last year. "I think he wants more journalists - he has come from that background," Gary added. In March 2023 Lineker was temporarily suspended from the BBC after an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the then-government's new asylum policy. He was also among 500 other high-profile figures who signed an open letter in February urging the BBC, to re-broadcast a documentary, Gaza: How To Survive A War Zone, to BBC iPlayer. But the legendary footballer has vowed to steer clear of entering the world of politics when he does end his punditry career in 2026. He said previously: "I won't get involved in politics, I never really have. "Apart from the Brexit vote, because I did a lot of research on that and decided, 'This could be worse than we think'. "I never back a government. I might criticise Sir Keir Starmer on Israel. But nobody knows my politics.' Lineker is the co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts, makers of the popular The Rest Is History series and its spin-offs about politics, football, entertainment and money. He is being replaced as Match of the Day host by Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman next season.
