'I recognise the upset I caused'... Gary Lineker leaves BBC after antisemitism row

GARY Lineker will leave the BBC with no pay-off after hosting his final Match of the Day on Sunday, ending a 26-year run.

- By Alex Turk

Lineker, 64, was set to lead coverage of next season's FA Cup before the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

But BBC bosses have ripped up his contract in the wake of his latest social media controversy, which sparked angry calls for the football presenter to leave.

The Beeb veteran has faced intense scrutiny after sharing a pro-Palestine video criticising Zionism, which included an image of a rat.

Untenable

Lineker later removed the post and apologised, stressing he was unaware that rats were used to represent Jews in antisemitic propaganda throughout history.

But a backlash has prompted BBC bosses to agree that his position has become untenable.

Lineker said in a statement yesterday: “Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember, both on the pitch and in the studio.