BBC presenter Gary Lineker is set to leave the corporation amid ongoing controversy and criticism over his social media posts. A new era for the popular sports program, Match of the Day, is on the horizon.
Gary Lineker, one of the BBC’s most prominent and highest-paid presenters, is expected to leave the corporation. The 64-year-old former England striker will make an announcement on Monday regarding his departure.
Gary Lineker is a renowned English former footballer and current sports broadcaster. Born on November 30, 1960, in Leicester, England, he played as a striker for clubs like Leicester City, Everton, and Barcelona. Lineker's impressive career saw him score 48 goals in 80 appearances for the English national team. He won an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 1992 for services to football. Today, he is a respected sports presenter, known for his work on BBC's Match of the Day.
Lineker had previously stated that he would remain with the BBC despite announcing his departure from ‘Match of the Day‘ at the end of this season. However, speculation suggests that he may be stepping down altogether. His final ‘Match of the Day’ presentation is scheduled for next weekend.
The decision comes after a social media controversy in which Lineker shared a post about Zionism that included an antisemitic illustration. He apologized and deleted the post after learning about its symbolism.
Criticism and Controversies
Lineker has faced criticism before for his posts on social media, including a 2023 incident where he was temporarily suspended from the BBC over a comment on a government asylum policy. The BBC’s impartiality rules were rewritten as a result of this incident to emphasize the importance of presenters respecting the corporation’s impartiality.
New Presenters Announced
Despite Lineker’s impending departure, he will still front the BBC’s coverage of next season’s FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup. However, new presenters have been announced for Match of the Day, including Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, and Gabby Logan, who will take over from the start of the 2025-26 season.
Lineker has not publicly commented on his departure from the BBC, but he previously expressed that he felt the corporation may have wanted him to leave Match of the Day due to contract negotiations. He also stated that he would be focusing more on podcasting in the future.
- bbc.com | Gary Lineker expected to leave the BBC
