I Felt Bbc Wanted Me To Leave Match Of The Day, Says Lineker

Gary Lineker has said he believes nan BBC wanted him to time off Match of nan Day arsenic he was negotiating a caller statement past year.

The presenter and nan BBC jointly announced successful November that he would beryllium stepping down from nan flagship shot programme, though he will still big World Cup and FA Cup coverage.

Asked by nan BBC's Amol Rajan why he would take to time off fixed his successful tenure, Lineker said: "Well, possibly they want maine to leave. There was nan consciousness of that."

The BBC didn't remark connected that suggestion, but astatine nan clip Lineker's exit was announced, nan corporation's head of athletics described him arsenic a "world-class presenter".

However, nan BBC noted successful nan aforesaid connection that Match of nan Day "continually evolves for changing viewing habits".

A caller trio of presenters - Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan - was announced successful January.

Reflecting connected his departure from Match of nan Day, Lineker told Rajan: "It's time. I've done it for a agelong time, it's been brilliant."

However, asked why he'd want to time off erstwhile nan ratings were still precocious and it was a occupation Lineker still enjoyed, nan erstwhile footballer said he "had nan sense" nan BBC had wanted him to measurement down.

"I ever wanted 1 much contract, and I was umm-ing and ahh-ing astir whether to do 3 years [more]," Lineker explained.

But, he continued, nan matter of really agelong to motion for was analyzable by nan rhythm of broadcasting authorities for matches.

"In nan end, I deliberation location was a emotion that, because it was a caller authorities period, it was a chance to alteration nan programme," he said.

"I deliberation it was their penchant that I didn't do Match of nan Day for 1 much year, truthful they could bring successful caller people. So it's somewhat different that I would do nan FA Cup and nan World Cup, but to beryllium honest, it's a script that suits maine perfectly."

Lineker added that he was pleased his shot podcasts had been picked up by BBC Sounds arsenic portion of a woody pinch nan corporation.

Lineker was besides asked astir comments he posted connected societal media successful March 2023, criticising nan then-government's migration policy.

The remarks led to his suspension from nan BBC, prompting different sports presenters to down devices successful solidarity, thing Lineker said he felt "moved" by.

Reflecting connected his tweets, Lineker said he did not regret taking nan position he did, but that he would not do it again because of nan "damage" it did to nan BBC.

"I don't regret saying them publicly, because I was correct - what I said, it was meticulous - truthful not astatine each successful that sense.

"Would I, successful hindsight, do it again? No I wouldn't, because of each nan delirium that came pinch it... It was a ridiculous overreaction that was conscionable a reply to personification that was being very rude. And I wasn't peculiarly rude back."

He continued: "But I wouldn't do it again because of each nan kerfuffle that followed, and I emotion nan BBC, and I didn't for illustration nan harm that it did to nan BBC... But do I regret it and do I deliberation it was nan incorrect point to do? No."

The statement erupted erstwhile Lineker called a authorities asylum argumentation "immeasurably cruel", and said a video promoting it utilized connection that was "not dissimilar to that utilized by Germany successful nan 30s".

The location caput astatine nan time, Suella Braverman, who appeared successful nan video, called his disapproval "offensive" and "lazy", while Downing Street said it was "not acceptable".

Lineker's station reignited nan statement astir nan BBC's impartiality guidance connected societal media and really it applied to presenters.

While unit moving successful news and existent affairs are expected to stay impartial connected societal platforms, location had been questions complete really overmuch nan rules extended to BBC personalities successful different areas specified arsenic intermezo and sport.

Lineker based on that nan erstwhile group of rules "were for group successful news and existent affairs".

"They person subsequently changed," he acknowledged. "But that near group for illustration me, who has ever fixed his honorable opinions astir things, past they abruptly changed them and you person to go, 'Oh, I've sewage to beryllium impartial now'. It doesn't make immoderate sense."

He added: "I've ever been beardown connected humanitarian issues and ever will be, and that's me."

Lineker said that, pursuing his tweets, "the goalposts were massively moved because it was ne'er an rumor until, suddenly, this point".

The BBC updated its societal media guidance successful 2023 pursuing a reappraisal that was commissioned successful nan aftermath of nan fallout complete Lineker's tweets.

The corp said presenters of flagship programmes, specified arsenic Match of nan Day, "carry a peculiar work to respect nan BBC's impartiality, because of their floor plan connected nan BBC".

Asked if he understood that his comments gave ammunition to nan BBC's critics, Lineker said: "Yes of course, I understand that, but does it make it incorrect what I did? I don't deliberation so. Would I do it if I knew what would've happened and transpired? Of people I wouldn't."

Lineker deed nan headlines again precocious erstwhile he, on pinch 500 different high-profile figures, signed an unfastened later urging nan BBC to reinstate a documentary astir Gaza to iPlayer.

The documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, was pulled from nan streaming work successful February aft it emerged its 13-year-old narrator was nan boy of a Hamas official.

Lineker told Rajan he would "100%" support nan documentary being made disposable again, arguing: "I deliberation you fto group make their ain minds up. We're adults. We're allowed to spot things for illustration that. It's incredibly moving."

He added that, though nan 13-year-old was narrating nan programme, nan book had "not been written by [the child], it's been written by nan group who produced nan show".

"I deliberation [the BBC] conscionable capitulated to lobbying that they get a lot," he said.

After concerns were raised, nan BBC took down nan programme while it carried retired further owed diligence. The matter is presently still being investigated by nan corporation.

The BBC said it had identified superior flaws successful nan making of nan documentary. The BBC committee said nan mistakes were "significant and damaging".

In nan wide-ranging interview, which will beryllium broadcast connected Tuesday, Lineker besides discussed his footballing career, his son's leukemia conflict arsenic a baby, and his views connected gambling sponsorship successful sports.

Lineker said nan shot manufacture should rethink its work erstwhile it comes to taking money from gambling firms.

"I cognize group [for whom] it becomes an addiction, it tin wholly destruct their lives," he said.

"There's talk astir taking [logos] disconnected nan shirts, but you spot it connected nan boards astir nan crushed everywhere.

"I deliberation shot needs a long, difficult look astatine itself astir that, I really do."

On apical of his presenting roles, Lineker is besides nan co-founder of Goalhanger Podcasts, which make nan successful The Rest is History bid and its spin-offs astir Politics, Football, Entertainment and Money.

The 64-year-old indicated to Rajan his adjacent profession move "won't beryllium much telly", adding: "I deliberation I'll measurement backmost from that now.

"I deliberation I'll astir apt attraction much connected nan podcast world, because it's specified a nosy business and it's conscionable been truthful incredible."

Amol Rajan Interviews: Gary Lineker is connected BBC iPlayer now and will aerial connected BBC Two astatine 19:00 BST connected Tuesday.