BBC legend to host final match of the day after backlash over repost of antisemitic imagery

Gary Lineker is expected to leave the BBC this week after a social media post sparked a fierce backlash and accusations of antisemitism. This controversy over Gary Lineker BBC antisemitism ends his 26-year career as the face of Match of the Day.

The 64-year-old presenter is understood to have reached a “mutual agreement” with the broadcaster to step down. He will reportedly host his final Match of the Day this Sunday, and is not expected to front coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season’s FA Cup.

The fallout stems from a video Lineker reposted last week, which included pro-Palestinian commentary critical of Zionism and featured an illustration of a rat — a symbol long associated with antisemitic propaganda. The image provoked outrage and condemnation from Jewish organisations and sections of the public.

Lineker swiftly deleted the post and issued a public apology, stating he would “never knowingly share anything antisemitic” and removed the video “as soon as I became aware of the issue.” Nonetheless, pressure on the BBC to act mounted rapidly.

Director General Tim Davie, speaking days later, said: “The BBC’s reputation is held by everyone and when someone makes a mistake, it costs us. We absolutely need people to be exemplars of the BBC’s values and follow our social media policy. Simple as that.”

A petition sponsored by the Campaign Against Antisemitism garnered over 10,000 signatures demanding Lineker’s immediate removal. Though he was already expected to retire from his Match of the Day duties at the season’s end, plans had been in place for him to lead major tournaments, including next year’s World Cup.

But in light of recent events, sources indicate Lineker recognised his position had become “untenable.”

“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 esteem — dragged into further controversy,” a source told The Sun. “He remains absolutely devastated by the recent turn of events and is deeply regretful about how his post was interpreted.”

The decision draws a line under a career that began when Lineker took over from Des Lynam in 1999 and turned the former England striker into one of the BBC’s most recognisable faces. His salary of £1.4 million last year made him the corporation’s highest-paid star.

From next season, Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman will share presenting duties on Match of the Day.

This is not the first time Lineker’s social media activity has collided with his BBC responsibilities. In March 2023, he was briefly suspended over comments criticising the Conservative government’s asylum policies. More recently, he backed the rebroadcast of a controversial Gaza documentary, How to Survive a War Zone, which the BBC pulled after revelations about the narrator’s ties to Hamas.

Despite frequent clashes with BBC leadership, Lineker remained a vocal figure in British media and political debate. His departure over the latest row, however, appears more final — a quiet exit rather than a public standoff.

The BBC declined to comment when contacted, but the silence speaks volumes. Lineker’s departure marks not only the end of a broadcasting era but also a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over impartiality, free expression, and the tightrope walked by high-profile media figures in politically charged times.

For many fans, Sunday’s Match of the Day won’t just be a roundup of goals — it will be a farewell to the show’s longest-serving host, signing off under the heaviest cloud of his career.