Alan Shearer makes decision on Match of the Day future after Gary Lineker’s BBC axe
Alan Shearer has confirmed he will remain on Match of the Day following Gary Lineker’s premature departure from the BBC after an anti-Semitism scandal.
The former England striker told the Daily Mail that he would be continuing his punditry role on the iconic programme.
Lineker, who had hosted Match of the Day for 26 years, presented his final show over the weekend.
His exit came after he shared an Instagram video about Zionism which included a rat emoji, a symbol historically used to denigrate Jewish people.
The controversy forced Lineker’s immediate departure from the public broadcaster.
Shearer praised his longtime colleague as a “brilliant broadcaster” and described the emotional farewell Lineker received.
“He got a really emotional send off on Sunday, and one he deserved, and he’s a brilliant broadcaster, and he’s a great friend of mine, and we will all miss him,” Shearer said.
The BBC assembled a seven-minute tribute featuring football luminaries including Pep Guardiola, Virgil van Dijk, Ian Wright, and even Andrea Bocelli.
In the tribute, Shearer said: “Match of the Day is everything to him.
“He loves it, it means the world to him. Off air he’s very calm, very generous. You are an amazing friend.”
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Lineker’s controversial Instagram post originated from the pro-Palestine group Palestine Lobby and featured the rat emoji alongside content about Zionism.
After facing immediate backlash, Lineker deleted the post and issued a public apology.”
On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references,” he said.
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“I very much regret these references. I would never knowingly share anything anti-Semitic. It goes against everything I believe in.”
Lineker’s departure means he will forfeit his £1.4million salary without a pay-off.
The BBC has also dropped his company’s programme “This is Football” from BBC Sounds.
Despite Lineker’s departure from the BBC, Shearer confirmed that their professional relationship will continue through their successful podcast venture.
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“It’s different for myself and Micah, because it’s not as if we’re not ever going to see him again,” Shearer explained.
The trio will maintain their collaboration on “The Rest is Football” podcast, which they host together with fellow pundit Micah Richards.
“I mean, we’ve done two recordings of our podcast as well, so we’re still going to be sort of working together,” Shearer added.