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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gary Lineker bows out from Match Of The Day
Gary Lineker bid a tearful farewell to Match Of The Day as he presented the show for the final time. The ex-England striker, 64, announced his departure earlier this month after sharing a social media post from the Palestine Lobby group titled: "Zionism explained in two minutes." The Instagram post was illustrated with a rat, which has been used to represent Jewish people in antisemitic propaganda - including Nazi Germany. Lineker "apologised unreservedly" for sharing it, saying he was unaware of the reference and it was a mistake. He maintained the importance of "speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza". Presenting his final Match Of The Day alongside regular colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, Lineker did not directly address the circumstances of his departure during the programme. "It wasn't meant to end this way," he quipped in his opening line, continuing: "But with the title race over and the relegation places confirmed, the Champions League was all we had left to talk about." Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle secured the remaining places in Europe's elite competition. After running through highlights of all 10 games from the final day of the Premier League season, Lineker thanked his fellow pundits, viewers and those who work behind the scenes, before wishing good luck to his replacements. Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates will take on presenting duties for the 2025-26 campaign. Read more: 'It has been so special' Lineker wiped away tears at the end of the show, having been played a montage of messages including from Richards, Shearer, Ian Wright, Alan Hansen, Paul Gascoigne, Pep Guardiola, and Claudio Ranieri. Italian manager Ranieri led Lineker's beloved Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, which memorably saw the BBC's highest paid star present an episode of Match Of The Day in a pair of boxers. He had promised to appear on the show half naked if Leicester won the league. Lineker started presenting Match Of The Day back in 1999, and has also fronted the BBC's coverage of World Cups, Euros tournaments, and the Olympics. "It has been so special," Lineker said as he signed off, "and I am sorry that your team was always on last. "Time to say goodbye. Goodbye."
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Gary Lineker's emotional farewell marks end of an era at BBC
Gary Lineker , the face of BBC 's ' Match of the Day ' for over 26 years, bid an emotional farewell on Sunday, May 25, 2025, concluding a broadcasting chapter that began in 1999. His departure follows controversy over a social media post that sparked accusations of antisemitism and led to his early exit from the corporation. Lineker, 64, opened his final broadcast with a poignant remark: 'It wasn't meant to end this way,' subtly referencing the circumstances surrounding his departure. Throughout the show, tributes poured in from colleagues and football legends, including Alan Shearer, Micah Richards, Ian Wright, and Peter Shilton. A montage celebrated his dual legacy as a prolific striker and a beloved presenter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Never Throw Away the Water After Boiling Eggs - The Reason is Genius! Tips and Tricks Undo At the program's conclusion, Lineker was presented with a commemorative cap and a golden boot by Shearer and Richards. Fighting back tears, he expressed gratitude: 'It's been an absolute privilege to have hosted Match of the Day for a quarter of a century. It's been utterly joyous.' He added, 'Rather like my football career, everyone else did all the hard work, and I got the plaudits.' Potential reason for his departure Live Events Lineker's departure was precipitated by his sharing of an Instagram video from the Palestine Lobby, which featured a rat emoji, a symbol historically associated with antisemitic propaganda. Upon realizing the offensive nature of the imagery, he promptly deleted the post and issued an apology: 'I have stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and all forms of racism all of my life, including, of course, antisemitism, which I absolutely abhor.' Lineker will lose out on an estimated £800,000 (NZ$1.8m) after being forced to leave without a pay-off. Sources close to the corporation say the decision to drop him was made primarily by BBC chiefs who had run out of patience with his outspoken political views. Despite initial plans to continue hosting the FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup, Lineker and the BBC agreed to part ways entirely. BBC Director General Tim Davie acknowledged Lineker as 'a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades.' Future of 'Match of the Day' The BBC has announced that Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, and Gabby Logan will take over presenting duties for Match of the Day starting next season. Lineker offered his well-wishes: 'I'd like to wish Gabby, Mark, and Kelly all the very best when they sit in this chair. The programme is in the best of hands.' As the final credits rolled, Andrea Bocelli's 'Time to Say Goodbye' played, underscoring the end of an era in British sports broadcasting . The former England captain became the BBC's highest-paid presenter, having initially started out as a BBC Radio Five Live presenter. He also worked on Grandstand during his early years in broadcasting. His podcast, The Rest Is Football, will have its last episode on BBC Sounds this week, but The Rest Is History will continue on the platform.
Sky News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Gary Lineker bows out from Match Of The Day
Gary Lineker bid a tearful farewell to Match Of The Day as he presented the show for the final time. The ex-England striker, 64, announced his departure earlier this month after sharing a social media post from the Palestine Lobby group titled: "Zionism explained in two minutes." The Instagram post was illustrated with a rat, which has been used to represent Jewish people in antisemitic propaganda - including Nazi Germany. Lineker "apologised unreservedly" for sharing it, saying he was unaware of the reference and it was a mistake. He maintained the importance of "speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza". 1:44 Presenting his final Match Of The Day alongside regular colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, Lineker did not directly address the circumstances of his departure during the programme. "It wasn't meant to end this way," he quipped in his opening line, continuing: "But with the title race over and the relegation places confirmed, the Champions League was all we had left to talk about." Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle secured the remaining places in Europe's elite competition. After running through highlights of all 10 games from the final day of the Premier League season, Lineker thanked his fellow pundits, viewers and those who work behind the scenes, before wishing good luck to his replacements. Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates will take on presenting duties for the 2025-26 campaign. 2:48 'It has been so special' Lineker wiped away tears at the end of the show, having been played a montage of messages including from Richards, Shearer, Ian Wright, Alan Hansen, Paul Gascoigne, Pep Guardiola, and Claudio Ranieri. Italian manager Ranieri led Lineker's beloved Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, which memorably saw the BBC's highest paid star present an episode of Match Of The Day in a pair of boxers. He had promised to appear on the show half naked if Leicester won the league. Lineker started presenting Match Of The Day back in 1999, and has also fronted the BBC's coverage of World Cups, Euros tournaments, and the Olympics. "It has been so special," Lineker said as he signed off, "and I am sorry that your team was always on last.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Gary Lineker seen arriving at Match of the Day studios ahead of final show tonight after controversial BBC exit
GARY Lineker arrived at the Match of the Day studios thorough an underground entrance 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. 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. 2
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- 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
