Latest news with #MatchofTheDay
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 Mirror
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gary Lineker dealt extra blow after early BBC exit in antisemitism row
Gary Lineker has reportedly been dealt an extra blow following his exit from the BBC, ahead of him hosting his final episode of Match of the Day this weekend Gary Lineker has reportedly been dealt an extra blow after his shock exit from the BBC. The presenter had stood down from his duties on Match Of The Day and was expected to host the World Cup coverage. He will now present his final show at the weekend after his now-deleted Instagram post was criticised as anti-Semitic. He shared a post from the group Palestine Lobby, illustrated with a picture of a rat, which prompted calls for him to be sacked from the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA). Now it has been confirmed that Gary is standing down from his role with the BBC and his last episode of Match of The Day will be this weekend, and he will not present the World Cup coverage either. Tim Davie, BBC Director-General, said of the decision ahead of Gary's final show: "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. We want to thank him for the contribution he has made." Gary Lineker also issued a stement, where he said stepping back felt like the "responsible course of action". " 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," he said. "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." However, it has now been revealed that Gary will face a second blow. It seems as though the licensing deal for the Goalhanger titles, The Rest Is Football and The Rest Is History, will also end this year. An email sent to BBC Sport staff was also revealed shortly after his departure was announced. Alex Kay-Jelski, the director of sport, wrote to staff: "You will have seen in the past few minutes that Gary Lineker will be leaving the BBC at the end of the current football season... I appreciate the last week has been difficult and emotional for many of you. Thank you for all the messages and conversations, even if some of them weren't easy to have. And I hope you understand that I had to wait until now to tell you the news. "It is sad to be saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster and I also want to thank Gary for his years of service. As ever, if you have questions, you know where I am. Let's finish the season strongly with Gary's final show, enjoy an incredible summer of sport and look forward with excitement to what lies ahead."
The Irish Sun
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Gary Lineker QUITS BBC and will not front its 2026 World Cup coverage after explosive anti-Semitism row
GARY Lineker will announce he is leaving the BBC tomorrow and will not front the 2026 World Cup following an antisemitism row. The former 7 Gary Lineker will announce he is leaving the BBC Credit: Splash 7 A source said: 'It is an absolutely heart-breaking end to what has been an extraordinary broadcasting career' Credit: Getty A source told The Sun: 'It is a heartbreaking end to an extraordinary broadcasting career.' Gary agreed to leave the BBC for good after meeting bosses last week — with a source saying he realised his position was untenable. The Match of the Day host's early departure comes five days after he apologised for Ex- READ MORE ON GARY LINEKER He had been due to host the BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup but will instead bow out this Sunday. The source said: '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.' Most read in Football The ex- His final years as MOTD host have been marred by his outspoken views and fallouts with bosses. He is now likely to focus on his successful Goalhanger Podcasts business. Gary Lineker destroys Wayne Rooney's managerial career live on BBC leaving pundits speechless And those close to the star said his exit means he will be able to speak more freely. They added: 'Gary remains passionate about speaking out over perceived injustices in the world, and will continue to call out things that he believes to be wrong. 'He will be able to speak without the shackles of the non-partisan BBC, and has already had a lot of TV offers to mull over. 'And, of course, he will be cheering on England like any other fan this summer.' Last Tuesday Gary deleted an Instagram story post from the group The re-post led to widespread calls for the BBC to drop Gary and the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism said it was submitting a complaint to the corporation. HATE ROW APOLOGY In a statement that day Gary's agent said: '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.' On Wednesday Gary apologised and 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. 7 The presenter will confirm his last Match of The Day will be on Sunday Credit: Getty 7 A young Gary presenting Match of the Day in 1999 Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd '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.' BBC Director General Tim Davie 'And I think we absolutely need people to be the exemplars of BBC values and follow our social media policies, simple as that.' Last October The Sun revealed that Gary would quit Match of the Day at the end of this season — but anchor the BBC's 2025/26 FA Cup coverage and the World Cup. He previously clashed with bosses for pushing the BBC's impartiality rules but has staunchly defended using social media to speak out. The BBC's reputation is held by everyone and when someone makes a mistake, it costs us. BBC boss Tim Davie Last month he was asked by the BBC's Amol Rajan whether it was within his remit to give a view on Gary said: 'I'm sorry. It's more important than the BBC. What's going on there (Gaza) is the mass murder of thousands of children — probably something that we should have a little opinion on.' His co-presenters Alan Shearer and Ian Wright then boycotted the show and it went ahead without post-match analysis. 7 The former England captain presenting the BBC's World Cup 2002 coverage Credit: BBC Gary said of his colleagues' support: 'I had a tear in my eye. It just moved me, it was beautiful. It's one thing saying that in a moment, but then actually to carry that through, they didn't need to do that.' Six months later the BBC published rules for its presenters which said they would be 'allowed to express views on issues and policies but stop short of political campaigning'. Gary responded by saying the rules were 'all very sensible.' He has previously said he believes the BBC wanted him to leave MOTD when he was negotiating a new contract last year. Gary said then: 'I think it was their preference that I didn't do it for one more year, so they could bring in new people.' Gary's replacement as World Cup host is expected to be announced shortly. 7 Gary stripped down to his boxers live on air when Leicester won the Premier League in 2016 Credit: PA:Press Association 7 BBC boss Tim Davie said: 'I think we absolutely need people to be the exemplars of BBC values and follow our social media policies, simple as that' Credit: Getty Footie fun 'N' Foxes' pants By Andy Robinson GARY Lineker's 26 years at the BBC have seen him become one of our most popular footie presenters. He began as a pundit on Radio 5 Live before replacing Des Lynam on Match of the Day. He kicked off in 1999 saying: 'Eh, tell you what. Football's back. Any good? Have I got the job?' Gary's most memorable moment came after he vowed to host in 'just his undies' if his former side Leicester City won the Premier League. He stayed true to his word after the Foxes' fairytale triumph in 2015-16 — though he ranked appearing in his boxers his 'least favourite' MOTD moment. His favourite was the last day of Leicester's title season. Gary also presented their FA Cup triumph in 2021, saying: 'They are two things I thought I would never witness in my lifetime. They were my special ones.' In 2019 fans were left laughing when he mocked bald pundits Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy's analysis of a 'hair-raising' start to the season. Gary, Dion Dublin and Ian Wright also raised a smile by mimicking Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette's scream picked up by microphones after he was fouled in a match during crowdless Covid. In 2023 Gary struggled to keep a straight face as pranksters played sex sounds from a phone hidden in the BBC studio. He has also presented for Al Jazeera, NBC and BT Sport who may seek his services once again.
Daily Mirror
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
The truth behind Nottingham Forest owner's remarkable confrontation with Nuno
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis sparked outrage on social media by taking to the field to confront Nuno Espirio Santo after Sunday's 2-2 draw with Leicester City It was a moment that defied belief. Nuno Espirito Santo 's puzzled face told the story as an irate Evangelos Marinakis stormed across The City Ground pitch immediately after Nottingham Forest 's 2-2 draw with Leicester City. The animated Forest owner's actions sparked outrage across the footballing world and social media; his actions were branded scandalous by Gary Neville, who also urged Nuno to consider his position. Marinakis' actions overshadowed what was largely a positive day for Forest, who guaranteed themselves at worst a Europa League place with qualification for the Champions League still very much on the table despite dropping points. But why did Marinakis lose his cool? The reasons behind his bizarre on field rant have since emerged, with Nuno claiming that he was remonstrating with him about an injury, rather than expressing his frustration with Sunday's result. The Mail report a similar story, saying that the uncertainty over whether striker Taiwo Awoniyi - who was struggling after colliding heavily with a post - was coming back onto the pitch as Forest chased a late winner tipped Marinikas over the edge. Nuno confirmed this to Match of The Day: 'Yes, it was because of that [Awoniyi's injury]. It was a misunderstanding, a miscommunication. I'm sorry, I cannot go much further. 'It's based on emotions, you cannot make a big deal out of it. It happens and it will happen again. With the emotions today, it's understandable.' Marinikas would go on to address the controversy over his actions with a statement, where he also confirmed that his ire was born out of the uncertainty surrounding Awoniyi. He wrote: 'Today is a day for celebration, because after 30 years Nottingham Forest is now guaranteed to be competing on the European stage once again – a promise I made to our supporters when we achieved promotion! 'With two more games to go in the Premier League, we must keep believing and keep dreaming, right to the final kick in the final game. We are extremely proud and close to Nuno and the team, and we must all celebrate the historic achievements of this season. 'Everybody – coaching staff, players, supporters and including myself – we were frustrated around the injury of Taiwo and the medical staff's misjudgment on Taiwo's ability to continue the game. 'This is natural, this is a demonstration of the passion we feel for our club. Let's all be grateful, passionate and keep on dreaming!' Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gary Lineker dicusses son's cancer battle saying 'he wasn't given much chance'
Speaking on ITV's The Assembly, Gary Lineker opened up about his son George's cancer battle as a baby and reflected on feeling 'lucky' that he survived Gary Lineker has candidly opened up about his son's cancer battle, revealing he initially "wasn't given much chance", during an interview on ITV's The Assembly. The ex-footballer, 64, is one of the celebrities appearing in the new four-part series of The Assembly, which sees stars quizzed by a group of interviewers who are autistic, neurodivergent or learning disabled, with no topics off the table. Gary was asked about how he felt when his eldest son George was diagnosed with cancer as a baby, with the dad-of-four becoming emotional as he reflected on the extremely difficult time. 'That was really tough - it changes you,' he admitted. 'He was only two months old. We got told he had leukaemia, he wasn't given much chance." "It was really awful. We were in the hospital for around seven months with him," Gary went on to add. "But we were the lucky ones, because there were other parents in there that lost their kids so we felt quite fortunate in the end. It was really scary.' Gary shares four sons, George, Tobias, Harry and Angus, with his ex-wife Michelle, who he split from in 2006 after 20 years of marriage. The pundit reflected on the ways in which he and ex Michelle coped with George's cancer diagnosis, also adding: 'I felt I needed to talk about it. Michelle, she would bottle things up. But ultimately we got a good ending.' Elsewhere in The Assembly, Gary spoke about his suspension from the BBC in 2023, admitting that the media frenzy that followed "upset" him at the time, but the support he received from colleagues was "beautiful". "It was a crazy week and it upset me," he added. "I had all the press outside my house every minute of the day, for about five/six days. It got a bit silly but it was actually also lovely because the backing I got from the people I work with was beautiful." Gary was temporarily removed from Match of The Day in 2023 after being accused of breaching BBC impartiality guidelines, due to a tweet he shared criticising the UK government's immigration policy. Fellow pundits including Ian Wright, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards all stood in solidarity with Gary and said they would not be appearing on MOTD in the wake of his suspension. After several days, the dispute was resolved with Gary back on MOTD. Tim Davie, BBC's Director General, released a public statement at the time, saying the BBC has a "commitment to impartiality" as well as "freedom of expression".
