Gary Lineker takes aim at the BBC after early exit as Match of the Day presenter as ex-England striker points to 'decline'

Lineker left the BBC at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, bringing to an end 25 years as the host of the show. He has spoken at a viewing of the 'Gaza: Doctors Under Attack' documentary in London, which the BBC opted not to broadcast.

Lineker said, as quoted by The Guardian: "It [the documentary] needed to be seen, it really did need to be seen – I think everyone would agree with that. As someone who’s worked for the corporation for 30 years, to see the way it's declined in the last year or two has been devastating, really, because I’ve defended it and defended it against claims that it’s partial. It talks about impartiality all the time. The truth is at the moment, there is a problem at the very top of the BBC. They're bowing to the pressure from the top."

Lineker had been due to remain lead host of the BBC's flagship football output until the 2026 World Cup, but left early after reposting a video about Gaza that contained a picture of a rat, which is historically an antisemitic image. He apologised for the post, saying he "would never knowingly share anything antisemitic".

Lineker is now focusing on his production company, Goalhanger, and podcast company, Goalhanger Podcasts, which includes The Rest Is Football and The Rest Is Politics.