Gary Lineker to leave the BBC this week after antisemitism row

A big loss for the broadcaster.

Speculation is mounting the 64-year-old will step down after he presents his final Match of the Day next weekend.

It is understood that Lineker, listed as the highest-paid BBC presenter, will also no longer present the corporation's coverage of the World Cup in 2026.

But last week he had to apologise after sharing a social media post about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult.

Lineker said he very much regretted the references, adding he would never knowingly share anything antisemitic and that he had deleted the post once he had learned about the symbolism of the image.

Last week, BBC Director General Tim Davie said: "The BBC's reputation is held by everyone, and when someone makes a mistake, it costs us."

It is understood that BBC bosses considered Lineker's position untenable.

Reflecting on his departure from Match of the Day, Lineker told Rajan: "It's time. I've done it for a long time, it's been brilliant."

However, asked why he'd want to leave when the ratings were still high and it was a job Lineker still enjoyed, the former footballer said he "had the sense" the BBC had wanted him to step down.

"I always wanted one more contract, and I was umm-ing and ahh-ing about whether to do three years [more]," Lineker explained.

But, he continued, the matter of how long to sign for was complicated by the cycle of broadcasting rights for matches.

"In the end, I think there was a feeling that, because it was a new rights period, it was a chance to change the programme," he said.

"I think it was their preference that I didn't do Match of the Day for one more year, so they could bring in new people. So it's slightly unusual that I would do the FA Cup and the World Cup, but to be honest, it's a scenario that suits me perfectly."