Gary Lineker’s controversial departure from the BBC after 26 years presenting Match of the Day has once again put the issue of BBC impartiality and guidelines for its stars firmly in the spotlight.
The season ended for Gary Lineker after he shared a social media post illustrated with a rat emoji – historically used to represent Jews in antisemitic propaganda. 64-year-old Lineker issued a full apology for what he described as an error, claiming he had not seen the emoji before he reposted it. But it proved to be a social media outrage too far for the BBC’s highest-paid star, after many years of him pushing the boundaries of impartiality which has always been the bedrock of the BBC’s relationship with UK citizens.
The BBC’s impartiality rules were updated in 2023, to say that high-profile BBC presenters should be able to express their views on political issues, so long as they were not campaigning (although it fails to provide clarity on what constitutes campaigning). The guidelines also stress the importance of “high standards of civility in public discourse”. For an organisation funded by the public through the licence fee, the BBC walks a tightrope when it comes to its Charter, and Lineker has a history of creating wobbles that undermined trust in the Corporation.
In 2023 Lineker was suspended for comments he made on UK immigration policy comparing the language being used by the government to 1930s Germany. In 2018 he had a public spat with BBC colleague and cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew, who criticised Lineker for expressing his political views on Twitter (X), and asked him to observe BBC Editorial guidelines, claiming he would be sacked if he followed the same example.
Lineker’s strained relationship with the BBC appears to have been pushed to breaking point with his latest post, with Lineker leaving the BBC after this season’s Match of the Day and will no longer present its World Cup coverage next year.
It had already been announced that Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will host Match of the Day from the start of the 2025-26 season. But Lineker’s BBC exit is now set to spark an intense rivalry between his three successors over who will lead the World Cup coverage in USA, Canada and Mexico and take the main presenting job for next year’s FA Cup Final. The three were expecting to have supporting roles alongside Lineker but now will be competing for the much-coveted lead anchor role.
Lineker has no such worries about competing for his next roles. Through his Goalhanger Podcasts company he has built a large audio broadcasting empire, producing shows such as The Rest Is Football, The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is History, all of which regularly rank among the UK’s top 10 audio shows. He has publicly stated that he has been shifting his focus away from television presenting towards podcasting.
Despite this, speculation is rife that the former Everton, Spurs and Barcelona striker is already being wooed by both ITV and Sky Sports to be part of their teams in North America next summer. Either of these options may be welcomed by Lineker as he could continue his football broadcasting without the personal constraints that come with working for the BBC.
And of course, one of the UK’s longest product endorsements continues, as Lineker remains a brand ambassador for Walkers, a brand he has been the face of for over 30 years. The relationship has survived through the many public scandals, although Lineker hasn’t appeared in a Walkers TV advert since he was initially suspended from the BBC. But with his newfound freedom perhaps we are about to see the re-launch of the famous ‘Salt & Lineker’ flavour!
David Little is a Partner at Bishop & Sewell in our expert Sports Law and Corporate & Commercial teams.
If you would like to contact him, please call on either 07968 027343 or 020 7631 4141 or email: company@bishopandsewell.co.uk.
The above is accurate as at 27 May 2025. The information above may be subject to change. The content of this note should not be considered legal advice, and each matter should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
