Gary Lineker blasts BBC and details chat with Alan Shearer and Ian Wright in first interview since exit
Gary Lineker has fired shots at the BBC in a new interview, with the former footballer insisting the broadcaster has ‘lost their way’.
The 64-year-old recently left the Beeb 12 months ahead of schedule following a social media row.
Lineker shared a Instagram post about Zionism to his followers and, though he issued a grovelling apology, was outsted. He had originally been set to continue working with the BBC until the World Cup in 2026, but those plans were shelved.
Now, the former England, Tottenham, Barcelona and Leicester striker has blasted the BBC and says their rules over impartiality became a ‘massive problem’.
He told The Sun: The impartiality issue has become a massive problem that I think they’ve probably created themselves by the rules that have been set within the business.
“I understand in your news and current affairs they have to be generally impartial but, I mean, it is hot today right? I think we can all say that we don’t need someone to come in to tell us it’s actually not hot.
“We just need to know the truth.
“I think they’ve lost their way a little bit with that and there’s a degree of impartiality at the very top of the BBC.
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“There are thousands of amazing people at the BBC but it’s not reflected at the top.
“They’ve tried themselves up in knots with it.”
Lineker then elaborated on a chat he had with Ian Wright and Alan Shearer when he knew his time with the broadcaster was coming to an end.
The veteran presenter added: “I had a little group chat back then, particularly with Ian Wright and Alan Shearer.
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“I said, I’ve got a feeling they’re going to take me off air on Saturday and Ian Wright immediately said ‘if they do that I’m going to go’.
“So the next day they announced I wasn’t doing the show.
“They actually announced it without telling me first.
“I just thought what’s the point of having a big platform if you don’t use it to kind of push beliefs that you believe to be right.”
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Despite leaving ahead of schedule, however, Lineker insists he’s not ‘bitter or twisted’ about his departure.
Match of the Day will be different when the new season starts in August, with a trio of presenters set to take over.
Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan will all provide coverage of the popular football highlights show.
As for Lineker, the 66-year-old has been coy on his plans for the future.
He is likely to keep working on his Rest is Football podcast alongside close friends Shearer and Micah Richards.
The new Premier League season will start on August 15, with Liverpool hosting Bournemouth in the opening match.