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Scottish Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
What did Gary Lineker tweet?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) 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 he is quitting the broadcaster following an explosive row over anti-Semitism. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Gary Lineker is leaving the BBC Credit: Alamy 4 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 2026 World Cup following an anti-Semitism row. The former Leicester City and England striker is leaving the broadcaster by mutual agreement after 26 years. The Match of the Day host's early departure comes five days after he apologised for sharing a controversial post that saw him accused of anti-Semitism. The 64-year-old faced a huge backlash after he reposted a video criticising Zionism, which included an illustration of a rat. 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.' While Gary released a statement saying: "Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember — both on the pitch and in the studio. "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." 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 The Times. 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. 4 The former player and crisp peddler was suspended in 2023 following a tweet that the Beeb said breached its guidelines 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." The Sun has exclusively revealed that the presenter would return for the BBC's live coverage of the FA Cup the following Saturday after tense talks. What have Ian Wright and Alan Shearer said? Gary's Match of The Day co-hosts Ian Wright and Alan Shearer also stepped back from the show in a sign of solidarity. 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." 4 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. This meant Match of the Day went ahead without a presenter, pundits or commentary following his suspension Who is replacing Gary on Match of the Day? In January 2025, the new Match of the Day hosts were confirmed. 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 Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan from next season. 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."
The Irish Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
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 Advertisement 4 Gary Lineker is leaving the BBC Credit: Alamy 4 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 Advertisement read more on gary lineker 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.' Advertisement Most read in Football 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." Advertisement 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. 4 The former player and crisp peddler was suspended in 2023 following a tweet that the Beeb said breached its guidelines Advertisement 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 Advertisement 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." 4 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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."
Daily Mail
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Gary Lineker insists he was 'right' to compare Suella Braverman's migrant crackdown to Nazi Germany - and calls for BBC to reinstate Hamas-linked documentary
Gary Lineker has insisted he was 'right' to criticise Suella Braverman and compare the then Conservative government's policy on asylum seekers arriving in small boats with 1930s Nazi Germany. The 64-year-old has said his bosses at the BBC were 'silly' for taking him off air during yet another impartiality crisis of his own making, insisting it was a 'ridiculous overreaction'. Doubling down on his views in a series of incendiary tweets from 2023 that led to his suspension, he told Amol Rajan: 'I don't regret saying them publicly, because I was right - what I said, it was accurate. 'Why shouldn't I have an opinion on things? I'm a b***dy footballer who's turned into a sports presenter', he added. In an interview to be broadcast on BBC Two on Tuesday night, Mr Lineker launched a number of extraordinary attacks on the corporation, where he is the highest paid star taking home £1.35million-a-year. He said he believes he was forced out of Match of the Day and accused the corporation of having 'capitulated' when it pulled a controversial documentary on Gaza from iPlayer after complaints it had links to Hamas. He told Rajan he would '100 per cent' support its re-release, calling it 'incredibly moving'. In March 2023 Lineker was suspended and taken off air when he shared a video of Mrs Braverman outlining the Illegal Migration Bill aimed at stopping the flow of people crossing the Channel by preventing them claiming asylum. He called the Tory policy 'beyond awful', 'immeasurably cruel' and 'not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s' in posts to his 8.7million Twitter followers. Lineker also denied there was a 'huge influx' of migrants into the UK. Lineker's inflammatory tweet from 2023 compared ministers' language over migration to 'Germany in the 30s' His suspension sparked a walkout by Match of the Day co-stars including Ian Wright and Alan Shearer. He said his BBC bosses should 'have ignored it, and it would have been fine', and called the corporation 'silly' for its 'overreaction' in taking him off air. But he added: 'I wouldn't do it again because of all the kerfuffle that followed, and I love the BBC, and I didn't like the damage that it did to the BBC... But do I regret it and do I think it was the wrong thing to do? No'. He went on: 'It was a ridiculous overreaction that was just a reply to someone that was being very rude. And I wasn't particularly rude back'. Lineker said he 'wasn't that bothered' to be told via a news alert, and not the BBC, that he would not be allowed back on Match of the Day for a period. He also said he 'cried' when fellow players-turned-pundits refused to go on air. Asked about the rules, Lineker questioned why he had to be 'impartial', saying he was a 'freelancer', and the rules were for 'people in news and current affairs - they have subsequently changed'. He added that this 'left me, who always gave these honest opinions about things', having to be impartial which, he said, 'didn't make any sense', and called it a freedom of speech issue. 'I think this is the mistake... the BBC tries to appease the people that hate the BBC, the people that always go on about the licence fee, attack the BBC. They worry way too much about that, rather than worry about the people that love the BBC, which is the vast majority,' he said. Lineker ruled himself out of a career in politics, saying he has 'never had a view', before laughing. 'I think I'll probably focus more on the podcast world, because it's such a fun business and it's just been so incredible,' he added. Earlier this year, Lineker condemned the withdrawal of the documentary Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone after it emerged that the child narrator, Abdullah, is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas's deputy minister of agriculture. He said the BBC had 'capitulated', adding that he does not see Abdullah as an issue, and maintaining that the corporation should not have admitted to 'a number of serious failings in their commissioning and editorial processes'. Lineker said he would '100%' support the documentary being shown again. 'I think you let people make their own minds up. We're adults. We're allowed to see things like that. It's incredibly moving'. He added: 'I think [the BBC] just capitulated to lobbying that they get a lot'. The footballer turned broadcaster launched a number of attacks on the BBC in a wide-ranging interview with Rajan. Lineker said he believes the corporation forced him out of Match of the Day after 26 years. Mr Lineker apparently even offered to take a pay cut to stay on Match of the Day. But today he said he had 'a sense' he was being shown the door. Amol Rajan asked him why he would leave the BBC's flagship football show after 26 years, having replaced former anchor Des Lynam in 1999. 'Well, perhaps they want me to leave. There was the sense of that', Lineker said, adding: 'I think it was their preference that I didn't do Match of the Day for one more year, so they could bring in new people'. Sky Sports' Kelly Cates and BBC regulars Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will all share the role from August. Mr Lineker is just weeks away from his final Match of the Day on a Saturday night. He has told Mr Rajan that he will use his free weekends to travel more and concentrate on his podcast business, Goalhanger. He will leave the BBC completely at the end of the 2026 World Cup. It came amid reports that Lineker does not see eye-to-eye with the BBC's new director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski 'I always wanted one more contract, and I was umm-ing and ahh-ing about whether to do three years [more],' Lineker said. 'In the end, I think there was a feeling that, because it was a new rights period, it was a chance to change the programme. 'I think it was their preference that I didn't do Match of the Day for one more year, so they could bring in new people. So it's slightly unusual that I would do the FA Cup and the World Cup, but to be honest, it's a scenario that suits me perfectly.' The BBC declined to comment on his claims. A spokesman pointed to comments made previously when he was described as a 'world-class presenter'. Mr Lineker held talks over his future last Autumn. But the BBC did not offer him a contract that he wanted in a move that will save them a fortune. The footballer turned pundit, 64, has been the regular host of the show since 1999 but he will end his 25-year stint on the Saturday night programme at the end of this season. Lineker, a lightning rod for criticism over impartiality in recent years will leave the corporation altogether in two years' time after the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States, as first reported by MailOnline in October. Former Director General Greg Dyke said that that Lineker's penchant for giving personal views will have been 'in the mind' of the BBC when they decided to go for the team of new hosts. 'In the end, people watch Match Of The Day for the football', he said. Lineker and his new boss BBC's director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, held talks but no contract was offered A BBC source insisted that Mr Lineker is 'happy' and 'everyone is pleased' that he will leave MotD in May and the BBC two years later. But added that is an open secret that Mr Kay-Jelski is 'not exactly close' with the former England striker and is keen to slash spending and give the show a facelift without him. Lineker has branched out in recent years by co-founding the production company Goalhanger.
The Irish Sun
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Gary Lineker says BBC wanted him to quit MOTD to ‘change programme' – despite star ‘um-ing & ah-ing' about staying
GARY Lineker has said he felt the BBC wanted him to leave Match of the Day to "change the programme". Lineker, 64, stepped down from MOTD in May last year and will leave the Beeb altogether in 2026 after next season's FA Cup and World Cup. 1 Gary Lineker has said he felt the BBC wanted him to leave Match of the Day Speaking to the BBC's Amol Rajan, the pundit was asked why he would choose to leave. "Well, perhaps they want me to leave. There was the sense of that," "I always wanted one more contract, and I was umm-ing and ahh-ing about whether to do three years [more]. "In the end, I think there was a feeling that, because it was a new rights period, it was a chance to change the programme. Read More "I think it was their preference that I didn't do Match of the Day for one more year, so they could bring in new people." But Lineker said the new set up "suits me perfectly". There were questions previously regarding the However, the former hitman insisted he will not be seen on any TV rival and will instead be doing podcasts. Most read in Football Lineker told "I'll do the odd thing, but I don't think you'll see me appearing regularly on another channel." Lineker admitted that there were talks with Sky but he was too loyal to the BBC. Thus, the ex- Astonishingly, all 13 pods collectively achieve more than 40million downloads a month. And according to Podwatch, who get their data from iTunes and Spotify, Goalhanger Podcasts occupy the top four spots in the UK. Lineker added: "We've had talks with Sky at various points, but I always wanted to stick with the BBC. "I could have earned a lot more, though I know I've been well paid anyway, obviously. "I've had offers to go elsewhere but I just loved being with the BBC, and also how it helps everything else you do. "It's not only the kudos, the audience is much bigger. More people still watch Match of the Day than probably the biggest live game on Sundays. "Also, I'm quite loyal. I've had the same guy cut my hair for 40 years, the same guy training me in the gym for 30 years, the same agent since I was 18…" It was announced in January he will be replaced by a Asked , Lineker previously told FourFourTwo: "That's probably down to the fact it's a massive commitment . 'Those three have all got families, and if you're saying someone is going to do it for the next ten or 20 years, then your weekends are gone. 'That might be it, I don't know. I didn't get involved in any of that. "I take it as a compliment that they've named three, but I suspect it's not due to that. 'I haven't seen them yet to speak to them, but I will do. "They'll be fine and they'll do a great job. I've known them all for years, they're top presenters." Lineker also opened up about his BBC suspension in March 2024 after he posted comments on X. He took to social media to hit out at the then Illegal Migration Bill, which banned migrants who arrive on small boats from settling in Britain. Lineker's former co-hosts on Match of The Day, He told Amol Rajan: "I don't regret saying them publicly, because I was right - what I said, it was accurate - so not at all in that sense." But, Lineker said he would not do it again "in hindsight" - despite dubbing the fallout "nonsense" and "a ridiculous overreaction". "But I wouldn't do it again because of all the kerfuffle that followed, and I love the BBC, and I didn't like the damage that it did to the BBC... But do I regret it and do I think it was the wrong thing to do? No," he said. Thanks for the matchday memories, Gary By FOR as long as I can remember, Gary Lineker has been the No1 football presenter. Born a few years after his retirement as a player, I have no memories of my own of Lineker on the pitch - for Leicester, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham or England. Instead, I grew up with him as a regular in our lounge on a Saturday night, hosting Match of the Day. For more than two decades, it has been Lineker, the increasingly silver fox, who provided a sense of continuity and stability, an ever-present regardless of which pundits joined him in the studio and which teams made up the Premier League season after season. An astute understanding of the game, his charming persona and his consistency over the years have made him a firm favourite. It is telling that MOTD continues to be such a success and must-watch viewing for so many in an era when all the goals and incidents from Premier League matches are available well before 10.30pm on a Saturday night. He always seemed to hit the right note, too - whether he was required to make a sombre, serious announcement live on air or signing off the show with one of his trademark quips. In recent years, he has not been afraid to speak his mind more and more, thanks in part to his platform as the top-paid BBC presenter and his huge profile outside of the MOTD studio - namely on social media and on his own podcast. His long run in the Match of the Day hot seat means, for many football fans of my era, our whole football journey has been accompanied by Lineker - from the heights of Premier League title wins and FA Cup upsets to the depths of relegation and, of course, heartbreak with England. Because while the bread and butter Match of the Day is the Saturday night highlights, Lineker has also been the main man for the Three Lions' major tournaments, having to console millions of BBC viewers after gut-wrenching defeats to Croatia, Italy, France and Spain in recent years while he himself, as big a football fan as any of us, mourned another missed opportunity. There is one Lineker moment that stands out above the rest, though. Of course, Lineker Road in my hometown of Leicester beside the old Filbert Street stadium got its name thanks to his goalscoring exploits for his beloved Foxes. But he deserved a far greater honour for what he did on August 13, 2016, famously presenting MOTD in his (very baggy!) pants, coming good on a promise he vowed should Leicester win the title. And somehow he kept a straight face through it all. Ironically, the biggest compliment many people can pay Lineker as MOTD host is that they didn't know he was a footballer - he is not just an ex-pro who has made a smooth transition from the stadium to the studio but is instead a brilliant TV presenter in his own right, regardless of his status in football. That is proven by the very fact Lineker succeeded the iconic Des Lynam in 1999 as MOTD host so successfully. It will require another fine presenter and plenty of time to follow in his footsteps as a new era begins. They may well succeed, too, but no one will ever really replace Lineker - what he means to so many football fans and the role he plays in countless memories over the last 25 years. Thank you for everything, Gary. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at
Telegraph
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
‘Two-tier justice' quango member attacked illegal migrant crackdown
A member of the quango behind 'two-tier justice' rules attacked the Tories' tighter restrictions on illegal immigration, The Telegraph can reveal. The Sentencing Council has drawn up guidance that comes into effect on Tuesday telling judges to consider an offender's racial, cultural and religious backgroun d. Critics have described the move as an example of 'two-tier justice' and Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary, is expected to introduce emergency legislation to block the guidelines. Johanna Robinson, one of the advisers on the council, spoke out against the Illegal Migration Bill – which has since become law – when MPs voted in favour of it in April 2023. The legislation gives the Home Secretary powers to detain and deport any migrant who arrives illegally in the UK to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda. Sharing a Guardian report of the Commons vote, Ms Robinson wrote on X: 'This removes the protection of the most vulnerable people. Forced removal of people due to their method of seeking sanctuary regardless of their circumstances and abuse experienced. I am appalled.' The law was a key part of Rishi Sunak's crackdown on small boat crossings in the Channel, one of his flagship pledges while in office. The Illegal Migration Bill was not passed until July 2023 because peers tabled nine Commons amendments demanding changes on detention and deportation time limits, as well as modern slavery protections. Suella Braverman, who was the home secretary at the time, told The Telegraph: 'The Illegal Migration Act was absolutely necessary to keep the British people safe and take back control of our borders. 'Parliament should make policy, not unelected bureaucrats. These people are not asylum seekers but illegal migrants, and to suggest otherwise is a complete fantasy. 'The Sentencing Council needs to be abolished. It's out of touch and the creation of an establishment that has no idea what life in Britain is really like or how damaging illegal immigration is for the British people.' Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, called for Ms Robinson to be sacked. 'It's little wonder the council is watering down sentences for immigration offences to below the threshold for deportation when they have open-border activists like Robinson working for them,' he said. 'The Justice Secretary should use her power of appointment to sack her from the Sentencing Council immediately.' In a separate post a month before, Ms Robinson backed Gary Lineker, the BBC television presenter, after his comments about Mrs Braverman. Lineker briefly stepped back as presenter of Match of the Day after likening her rhetoric on migrants to that of 1930s Germany. Alongside a video of the television presenter being doorstepped by journalists, Ms Robinson wrote: 'Whatever your politics, this really demonstrates the potential power of speaking up and the possibilities of public support. People know your power, government be afraid.' Ms Robinson also praised the first police chief to say that their force was institutionally racist and discriminatory. In May 2023, Sir Iain Livingstone, the former chief constable of Police Scotland, said that prejudice in the force was 'rightly of great concern' after a review uncovered accounts of racism, sexism and homophobia by officers. Sir Iain told a press conference: 'It is the right thing for me to do, as chief constable, to clearly state that institutional racism, sexism, misogyny and discrimination exist.' In a post on LinkedIn, Ms Robinson said: 'Leadership requires bravery, stepping into the uncomfortable, reflection and listening to experiences other than our own and then a willingness for challenge and change. 'As Police Scotland follow this journey we have an example [of] the acceptance of the problem and responsibility… We have to address the issues, we do have the tools for change.' While Ms Robinson has a disclaimer in her X biography that reads 'views my own', her remarks will probably fuel further criticism from those who believe the council is biased.
