Gary Lineker to leave BBC over antisemitism row

Gary Lineker is to leave the BBC after this season's final Match of the Day and will no longer present its coverage of the World Cup next year, Sky News understands.

It comes after he "apologised unreservedly" for a social media re-post featuring a rat, saying he would "never knowingly share anything antisemitic".

The former England striker was already due to leave Match of the Day at the end of this season. But he was set to continue hosting their coverage of FA Cup games and international tournaments.

However, he will now leave the corporation completely following next weekend's final Premier League games.

Gary Lineker is to leave the BBC after this season's final Match of the Day and will no longer present its coverage of the World Cup next year, Sky News understands.

It comes after he "apologised unreservedly" for a social media re-post featuring a rat, saying he would "never knowingly share anything antisemitic".

The former England striker was already due to leave Match of the Day at the end of this season. But he was set to continue hosting their coverage of FA Cup games and international tournaments.

However, he will now leave the corporation completely following next weekend's final Premier League games.

Not sure he's to bothered plenty time for his other projects and probably be picked up by some broadcaster for wc...

Gary Lineker is to leave the BBC after this season's final Match of the Day and will no longer present its coverage of the World Cup next year, Sky News understands.

It comes after he "apologised unreservedly" for a social media re-post featuring a rat, saying he would "never knowingly share anything antisemitic".

The former England striker was already due to leave Match of the Day at the end of this season. But he was set to continue hosting their coverage of FA Cup games and international tournaments.

However, he will now leave the corporation completely following next weekend's final Premier League games.

Not sure he's to bothered plenty time for his other projects and probably be picked up by some broadcaster for wc...

I don't disagree with some of his views, especially about Israel/Palestine.

But as soon as he reposted something that was antisemitic, he had to go. No choice for the BBC.

Gary Lineker is to leave the BBC after this season's final Match of the Day and will no longer present its coverage of the World Cup next year, Sky News understands.

It comes after he "apologised unreservedly" for a social media re-post featuring a rat, saying he would "never knowingly share anything antisemitic".

The former England striker was already due to leave Match of the Day at the end of this season. But he was set to continue hosting their coverage of FA Cup games and international tournaments.

However, he will now leave the corporation completely following next weekend's final Premier League games.

Not sure he's to bothered plenty time for his other projects and probably be picked up by some broadcaster for wc...

I don't disagree with some of his views, especially about Israel/Palestine.

But as soon as he reposted something that was antisemitic, he had to go. No choice for the BBC.

Not sure if actually what he wrote was it was Roland rat that caused the problem!

He is an arrogant so-and-so.

Not because of his views, but because his employer is under immense pressure due to its state broadcaster status, and he loved the attention it afforded him.

He can continue with his podcasts and do short bursts of TV and air all his views from next week as much as he wants and i won't care.

The BBC is under constant attack and he didn't help one single bit.

It sounds today like the BBC Director General, Tim Davie, was under extreme pressure from the BBC Chairman to let Lineker go.

Davie was effectively told that either Lineker goes or you go.

Davie then decided to let Lineker host the cup final on Saturday because he didn't want a repeat of what happened last time, when other presenters refused to host. He also allowed Lineker to announce it himself.

It sounds today like the BBC Director General, Tim Davie, was under extreme pressure from the BBC Chairman to let Lineker go.

Davie was effectively told that either Lineker goes or you go.

Davie then decided to let Lineker host the cup final on Saturday because he didn't want a repeat of what happened last time, when other presenters refused to host. He also allowed Lineker to announce it himself.

I doubt we'll get all the shannigans from Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman or Gabby Logan. His celebrity is from being the highest-paid "talent" at the BBC. I doubt MoTD will lose a single viewer due to the changes.

He is great at his job, entertaining, not sure anyone is worth £1.3 million for reading a teleprompter and talking about a subject he is knowledgeable about, but i don't need his views on any subject outside of football.

He just got too big for his boots and put his "beloved" BBC under more pressure than it regularly manages to put itself under.

It sounds today like the BBC Director General, Tim Davie, was under extreme pressure from the BBC Chairman to let Lineker go.

Davie was effectively told that either Lineker goes or you go.

Davie then decided to let Lineker host the cup final on Saturday because he didn't want a repeat of what happened last time, when other presenters refused to host. He also allowed Lineker to announce it himself.

I doubt we'll get all the shannigans from Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman or Gabby Logan. His celebrity is from being the highest-paid "talent" at the BBC. I doubt MoTD will lose a single viewer due to the changes.

He is great at his job, entertaining, not sure anyone is worth £1.3 million for reading a teleprompter and talking about a subject he is knowledgeable about, but i don't need his views on any subject outside of football.

He just got too big for his boots and put his "beloved" BBC under more pressure than it regularly manages to put itself under.

Totally agree actually.

I would even say that Chappers is a better presenter than him. Done a brilliant job on 5 Live every Saturday for many years and also done well hosting Sky's coverage of the EFL Cup.

Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan also two strong and experienced hosts.

This Saturday was his last appearance anyway .... so he wasn't pushed or anything as dramatic as being made out its just to make out bbc as done something about him? .. WC is next year will anyone care he's not on BBC no chance but be very surprised if he doesn't reappear on another platform covering it..

Surprised Netanyahu hasn't blamed him specifically for what happened in Washington?

“Antisemitism” is so loosely used. Say anything bad about Israel and you’re an “antisemite”, however I didn’t quite see what Lineker posted so can’t comment specifically about him.

But the word is being pinned at people for any criticism over a country’s actions. Nothing to do with the religion.

“Antisemitism” is so loosely used. Say anything bad about Israel and you’re an “antisemite”, however I didn’t quite see what Lineker posted so can’t comment specifically about him.

But the word is being pinned at people for any criticism over a country’s actions. Nothing to do with the religion.

He actually didn't say anything antisemitic he replied to a post but within that post was an emoji of a rat! Which has antisemitic overtones he Denies knowledge of it or its meaning?
But Jews using anything said against them as antisemitic and look at poor us persecuted for nothing other than being Jewish what have we done to deserve such treatment?

“Antisemitism” is so loosely used. Say anything bad about Israel and you’re an “antisemite”, however I didn’t quite see what Lineker posted so can’t comment specifically about him.

But the word is being pinned at people for any criticism over a country’s actions. Nothing to do with the religion.

He actually didn't say anything antisemitic he replied to a post but within that post was an emoji of a rat! Which has antisemitic overtones he Denies knowledge of it or its meaning?
But Jews using anything said against them as antisemitic and look at poor us persecuted for nothing other than being Jewish what have we done to deserve such treatment?

You said yourself that it has 'antisemitic overtones'. I personally can't see how he included the emoji not knowing the significance.

“Antisemitism” is so loosely used. Say anything bad about Israel and you’re an “antisemite”, however I didn’t quite see what Lineker posted so can’t comment specifically about him.

But the word is being pinned at people for any criticism over a country’s actions. Nothing to do with the religion.

He actually didn't say anything antisemitic he replied to a post but within that post was an emoji of a rat! Which has antisemitic overtones he Denies knowledge of it or its meaning?
But Jews using anything said against them as antisemitic and look at poor us persecuted for nothing other than being Jewish what have we done to deserve such treatment?

You said yourself that it has 'antisemitic overtones'. I personally can't see how he included the emoji not knowing the significance.

He knew unquestionably....but I didn't know until it was put out by board of Jews.... He also put out the comment highlighted by annis earlier so it's logical to conclude he was following on from. That!

“Antisemitism” is so loosely used. Say anything bad about Israel and you’re an “antisemite”, however I didn’t quite see what Lineker posted so can’t comment specifically about him.

But the word is being pinned at people for any criticism over a country’s actions. Nothing to do with the religion.

He actually didn't say anything antisemitic he replied to a post but within that post was an emoji of a rat! Which has antisemitic overtones he Denies knowledge of it or its meaning?
But Jews using anything said against them as antisemitic and look at poor us persecuted for nothing other than being Jewish what have we done to deserve such treatment?

You said yourself that it has 'antisemitic overtones'. I personally can't see how he included the emoji not knowing the significance.

He didn't post the emoji himself separately, he posted a video and there was a small emoji of a rat on the video. Big difference as the implication of your comment is that he posted something, and added the image of the rat himself.

What he actually did was far more innocent. He didn't 'include' the rat emoji himself.

Loved his line when the reporter said that the BBC should be impartial. “They’re not impartial in the Ukraine v Russia war”. The guy didn’t have an answer. If standing up for innocent children being killed isn’t allowed then I’m not sure I want to live on this planet for much longer.

“Antisemitism” is so loosely used. Say anything bad about Israel and you’re an “antisemite”, however I didn’t quite see what Lineker posted so can’t comment specifically about him.

But the word is being pinned at people for any criticism over a country’s actions. Nothing to do with the religion.

He actually didn't say anything antisemitic he replied to a post but within that post was an emoji of a rat! Which has antisemitic overtones he Denies knowledge of it or its meaning?
But Jews using anything said against them as antisemitic and look at poor us persecuted for nothing other than being Jewish what have we done to deserve such treatment?

You said yourself that it has 'antisemitic overtones'. I personally can't see how he included the emoji not knowing the significance.

He didn't post the emoji himself separately, he posted a video and there was a small emoji of a rat on the video. Big difference as the implication of your comment is that he posted something, and added the image of the rat himself.

What he actually did was far more innocent. He didn't 'include' the rat emoji himself.

I didn't say he posted it seperately. I said that I find it difficult to see how he wasn't aware of it when he sent it. He admitted in his apology video that it was an oversight or terrible mistake.

Loved his line when the reporter said that the BBC should be impartial. “They’re not impartial in the Ukraine v Russia war”. The guy didn’t have an answer. If standing up for innocent children being killed isn’t allowed then I’m not sure I want to live on this planet for much longer.

“Antisemitism” is so loosely used. Say anything bad about Israel and you’re an “antisemite”, however I didn’t quite see what Lineker posted so can’t comment specifically about him.

But the word is being pinned at people for any criticism over a country’s actions. Nothing to do with the religion.

He actually didn't say anything antisemitic he replied to a post but within that post was an emoji of a rat! Which has antisemitic overtones he Denies knowledge of it or its meaning?
But Jews using anything said against them as antisemitic and look at poor us persecuted for nothing other than being Jewish what have we done to deserve such treatment?

You said yourself that it has 'antisemitic overtones'. I personally can't see how he included the emoji not knowing the significance.

He didn't post the emoji himself separately, he posted a video and there was a small emoji of a rat on the video. Big difference as the implication of your comment is that he posted something, and added the image of the rat himself.

What he actually did was far more innocent. He didn't 'include' the rat emoji himself.

I didn't say he posted it seperately. I said that I find it difficult to see how he wasn't aware of it when he sent it. He admitted in his apology video that it was an oversight or terrible mistake.

I understood what upu meant and I agree he knew what it meant and it was a follow up from a previous post...he's gone now so irrelevant but read the BBC are happy bunnies he's taken the fallout from it and not the Beeb.