Lineker of England quits the BBC after expressing regret for a post that sparked accusations of antisemitism

After apologizing for sharing a social media message praising Zionism that sparked complaints about antisemitism, former England soccer captain Gary Lineker, who became the sport’s spokesperson on British TV, is leaving the BBC.

After hanging up his boots, 64-year-old Lineker—who scored 48 goals for his country and was the golden boy of English soccer in the 1980s and early 1990s—went into broadcasting, hosting the BBC’s premier ‘Match of the Day’ (MOTD) highlights show for 25 years.

The broadcaster’s best paid star, the former striker, was renowned for never getting a yellow card in his 16-year playing career. However, the officially impartial BBC had warned him repeatedly for voicing political opinions.

On Monday, Lineker announced that he would leave following Sunday’s season-ending games. Last week, he expressed his regret “unreservedly” for posting online content that included a picture of a rat, which is often used as a slur against Jews, and criticized Zionism.

Gary has accepted responsibility for his error. After this season, we have decided that he will no longer present,” BBC Director General Tim Davie stated in a statement.

Lineker, who received a salary of 1.35 million pounds ($1.80 million), was initially scheduled to leave MOTD this year, although he was expected to continue fronting the BBC’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup and the FA Cup games the following season.

The Instagram post “that contained an emoji that has awful connotations” was reposted, and he apologized again, stating that he would never intentionally publish anything antisemitic.

His decision to leave the BBC was announced in a video. “It was a genuine mistake and oversight, but I should have been more diligent,” he said. “I’ve stood up for minorities and humanitarian issues and against all forms of racism all of my life, including, of course, antisemitism, which I absolutely abhor.”

The largest Jewish advocacy organization in Britain, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, which demanded that Lineker be fired, said it was pleased with the result.

“It is right that the BBC and Gary Lineker have decided that the presenter will stand down from his work in light of the offence he caused by re-posting an antisemitic image.”

POWERFUL OPINIONS

Following a playing career that saw him score 331 goals in 654 competitive games while playing for Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Barcelona, Lineker rose to prominence in the British media.

For a long time, the BBC justified his high salary, saying it was appropriate for a well-liked host of a flagship show. In 2016, after his boyhood team, Leicester City, won the Premier League, he made an appearance on MOTD in his underwear to fulfill a commitment.

However, in recent years, he has been a target of attack from right-wing politicians, publications, and other commercial rivals of the publicly funded BBC because of his strong opinions on subjects like opposing Britain’s exit from the EU.

He was briefly removed on the air in 2023 for criticizing the immigration policies of the then-Conservative government, but he was brought back after a public outcry and a near-mutiny at the broadcaster.

After he steps down, Lineker will still be busy. He is a co-founder of Goalhanger, a podcast production company that creates the wildly successful “The Rest Is…” podcasts on subjects like politics, history, and soccer.