Lineker to leave BBC sooner than planned after antisemitism row

Gary Lineker has announced he will leave the BBC. He will present his final episode of Match of the Day on Sunday.

The 64-year-old was expected to cover the men's FA Cup and World Cup. However, he faced criticism last week for a social media post about Zionism. The post included an illustration of a rat, which is historically an antisemitic insult.

On Monday, Lineker stated he did not see the image. He emphasized that he would never intentionally share anything antisemitic. He acknowledged the error and expressed regret for any upset caused. He believes stepping back is the responsible choice.

Lineker has faced criticism for his social media posts before. However, this incident was seen as a breaking point by BBC bosses. Culture and media editor Katie Razzall reported that they found his position untenable.

BBC director general Tim Davie released a statement about Lineker's departure. He noted that Lineker acknowledged his mistake and agreed to step back after this season. Davie praised Lineker as a defining voice in football coverage for over two decades.

Lineker expressed deep care for football and his work with the BBC. He reiterated that he would never consciously repost anything antisemitic, as it contradicts his values.

He also shared a video on Instagram addressing the situation further. In it, he said he would never have shared the post if he had seen the emoji used in it, which has "awful connotations."

Lineker apologized again for any hurt caused by his mistake and acknowledged needing to be more diligent.

He mentioned standing up for minorities and against racism throughout his life, including antisemitism, which he abhors. He concluded it was best for everyone if he stepped down from presenting duties altogether.

Reflecting on his time at the BBC, Lineker called it a "pleasure" and "huge privilege." He described Match of the Day as integral to his life.

He stated that while his relationship with the BBC was wonderful, it was time to part ways.

Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer thanked Lineker in response to his post.

After announcing his exit, Lineker was seen leaving home on Monday afternoon.

In an email to staff, BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski acknowledged last week’s difficulties and emotions surrounding this decision. He expressed sadness at saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster and thanked Lineker for years of service.

Kay-Jelski encouraged everyone to finish strong with Gary's final show and look forward to upcoming sports events.

Lineker had been set to lead next year's FA Cup and World Cup coverage on BBC after previously announcing plans to leave Match of the Day at season's end.

He replaced Des Lynam as Match of the Day presenter in 1999 but sensed during contract negotiations that there were pressures regarding his role in Premier League highlights.

Roger Mosey, former director of BBC Sport, commented on Radio 4's Today programme about challenges facing high-paid presenters who are also social media activists.

Lineker faced temporary suspension from BBC earlier this year over comments criticizing government asylum policy. Additionally, he signed an open letter urging reinstatement of a documentary about Gaza earlier this year.

Beyond broadcasting, Lineker co-founded Goalhanger Podcasts, known for The Rest Is History series covering various topics like politics and football.

His departure from BBC also includes ending licensing deals related to Goalhanger podcast titles on BBC Sounds this year.