Sporting legend Gary Lineker is set to leave the BBC after 26 years, following a row over his social media posts. The 64-year-old former footballer previously announced that he would be stepping down from his hosting role on Match of the Day, but reports are now claiming that he will be leaving the post one year earlier than planned.

It comes as Lineker landed himself in hot water last week after sharing a controversial pro-Palestine video on Instagram, which attracted accusations of anti-semitism. The post criticised Zionism and featured a picture of a rat – animals used to represent Jews in antisemitic propaganda throughout history. While the latest row seems to have been one step too far for the BBC, it isn’t the first time that Lineker has butted heads with the broadcasters.

Petition to get Lineker sacked from BBC

Back in 2016, the press launched a campaign to get Lineker sacked from the BBC after he tweeted a rebuttal to a statement made by MP David Davies where Davies suggested refugees entering the UK should undergo dental checks to verify their age. The sporting legend wrote: “The treatment by some towards these young refugees is hideously racist and utterly heartless. What’s happening to our country?”

The post led to The Sun calling for Lineker’s sacking from Match of the Day, accusing him of breaching BBC impartiality guidelines.

Telling off by BBC co-star, Jonathan Agnew

In December 2018, Lineker was criticised by the BBC’s cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew for expressing his political views on Twitter. In a scathing rant, Agnew said: “You are the face of BBC Sport. Please observe BBC editorial guidelines and keep your political views, whatever they are and whatever the subject, to yourself. I’d be sacked if I followed your example.”

However, at the time, the BBC appeared to have Lineker’s back with a spokesperson saying: “Gary is not involved in any news or political output for the BBC and as such, any expression of his personal political views does not affect the BBC’s impartiality.”

Lineker caused BBC to rewrite rules

He was temporarily suspended from the BBC in March 2023 after an impartiality row over a post in which he said language used to promote a government asylum policy was “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s”.

The incident led to the BBC rewriting its social media rules as the broadcaster said that programmes outside news and current affairs – including Match of the Day – have “a particular responsibility to respect the BBC’s impartiality, because of their profile on the BBC”.

At the time, Lineker was forced to step away from Match of the Day temporarily until the BBC ironed out the new rules. It “decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media”.

It continued: “When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. We have never said that Gary should be an opinion free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”