Gary Lineker’s accelerated departure from the BBC was all but confirmed on Radio 4 this morning as presenters discussed what went wrong between the corporation and its highest-paid star ahead of his premature exit. “Mistakes” was their answer…
Lineker will present his final Match of the Day next weekend and won’t present the 2026 World Cup coverage. Guido has been keeping track of Lineker’s “mistakes” over the past few years:
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said this morning:
“Gary Lineker’s departure from the BBC was long overdue — this latest incident comes after years of us pointing out his descent. He became a symbol of the rot at the heart of our national broadcaster: a man repeatedly allowed to flout the BBC’s own rules on impartiality, abusing his position to promote his increasingly propagandist politics, vilifying those he disagrees with, and even promoting dehumanising and extreme messages.”
No doubt now unshackled from the BBC punters will get to hear a lot more of Gary’s “true” beliefs which he claims he has kept hidden to date. Gulp…
UPDATE: BBC confirms the exit: “Gary Lineker will leave his presenting role following the conclusion of Match of the Day for the 2024/25 season. He will not be part of the BBC’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season’s FA Cup coverage.”
Lineker’s statement:
“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.
As I’ve said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – 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.”
Speaking to Sky News off the back of Rachel Reeves’ Air Passenger Duty hike, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said:
“Labour is dependent on those Red Wall seats, and yet every move she makes poisons economic growth and damages the UK’s recovery… it’s the Chancellor who stumbles from policy misstep to policy misstep… I think her policy decisions are incredibly stupid.”