Gary Lineker reveals he WAS sacked by BBC in talks after antisemitism row

Gary Lineker has confirmed that it was the BBC's decision, rather than his own, for him to leave the corporation early after the Match of the Day presenter shared an antisemitic post on his social media.

Lineker, 64, shared a pro-Palestine video which was accompanied by a rat emoji earlier this year. That led to an outpouring of anger and calls for the BBC to sack Lineker instead of allowing the former England striker to see out the remainder of his contract.

It was announced in May that Lineker would leave the BBC at the end of the 2024-25 season, with the popular presenter stating that "stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action."

But in a new interview with The New World, Lineker has revealed what really happened prior to his exit.

When he was asked if leaving was his choice or a case of 'quit or be quitted', he replied: “The latter.”

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Reflecting on the incident, he said: “I missed it [the rat emoji]. To be honest, I wouldn’t have understood the connotations anyway until it was pointed out to me. I genuinely didn’t see it. I’m not an idiot. I may not have known it was an antisemitic trope, but I would have wondered why someone had put a rat there. Why would you ever conflate a rodent with a human?

“I wouldn’t do that on purpose – it would be the biggest act of self-harm ever. But, yeah, it was a tough couple of days.”

Lineker, who was due to front the BBC's coverage of the FA Cup in the new season and the 2026 World Cup, swiftly removed the post and issued a public apology.

That wasn't enough, though, and the decision was made for Lineker to leave the corporation early rather than continue appearing in the 2025-26 season.

In a statement released at the time, Lineker apologised again, saying: “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.”

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