The Guardian is set to report that Gary Lineker will be departing from the BBC on Monday, having expressed regret for sharing certain online content.
It’s been indicated that his upcoming match won’t be focused on the 2026 World Cup or next season’s FA Cup due to a “mutual agreement” with the network.
He is expected to present his final match day program on Sunday, marking 26 years since he succeeded De Linamem.
Last week, at the age of 64, he apologized after it came to light that he had shared a pro-Palestinian video on social media which featured illustrations of mice.
This imagery has been historically used in anti-Semitic contexts, notably in Nazi Germany to portray Jews in a derogatory manner. Lineker stated, “We never knowingly share anti-Semitic content,” and deleted the post promptly once he became aware of the issue.
BBC Director Tim Davie was under pressure to dismiss Lineker, who reportedly earned £1.4 million from the BBC last year.
During a speech in Salford, Davie commented, “The reputation of the BBC matters to everyone. When someone makes an error, it impacts us all.” He emphasized the need for adherence to the BBC’s values and social media guidelines.
Over 10,000 individuals signed a petition pushed by a campaign against anti-Semitism, calling for Lineker’s swift removal from his position.
Although Lineker had planned to finish his role by the end of the season, he was poised to cover the FA Cup from 2025-26 and the World Cup next summer.
Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates, and Mark Chapman are set to take over presentation duties for the upcoming Premier League season.
A source mentioned that “Gary isn’t accepting being in the BBC while the most prestigious football tournament looms and will not cover the World Cup.”
“He offered to step down at season’s end, wanting to prevent the BBC—an organization he respects—from facing further controversy,” the source continued.
“He feels tremendously disheartened by the recent developments and regrets how his posts were perceived. His last match day program will air on Sunday and he will not return.”
In March 2023, Lineker faced a temporary suspension from the BBC following remarks criticizing the Conservative government’s asylum policy.
Earlier this February, he joined 500 notable cultural figures in advocating for the rerun of the documentary “Gaza: How to Survive the War Zone,” describing it as “essential journalism.” The BBC later removed the documentary from BBC iPlayer after it became known that the 14-year-old narrator was the son of a deputy agriculture minister associated with the Hamas government.
The BBC opted not to comment when approached by The Guardian.
