LONDON: Former England football captain Gary Lineker will leave the BBC at the end of the season, it was announced on Monday, days after he shared a social media post that contained antisemitic imagery.

The corporation`s highest-paid presenter had been due to front coverage of the 2026 World Cup and next season`s FA Cup. But this Sunday`s Match of the Day, on the last day of the Premier League season, will be his final show. `Gary Lineker will leave his presenting role following the conclusion of Match of the Day for the 2024/25 season,` the BBC said in a statement.

`He will not be part of the BBC`s coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season`s FA Cup coverage.` Last week Lineker shared an Instagram story about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult. He removed the post and apologised unreservedly, saying he would `never knowingly share anything antisemitic`. In a fresh statement on Monday, Lineker restated that he did not know about the post`s antisemitic connotations.

`I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am,` he said. `Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.

He added: `Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember both on the pitch and in the studio.

`I care deeply about the game, and about the work I`ve done with the BBC over many years. As I`ve said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic it goes against everything I stand for.`-AFP