Image source, PA Media

Gary Lineker, the BBC's highest-paid presenter, will leave his role at the corporation on Sunday after his final episode of Match of the Day.

His early departure comes after he shared a social media post about Zionism last week that included an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult.

Lineker and the BBC previously agreed he would step down from MOTD and continue to front the FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup – but he will now leave for good on Sunday.

In a statement at midday, the former England striker apologised for sharing the post. "I recognise the error and upset that I caused," he said.

He added that working at the BBC had been "a pleasure and a huge privilege" - but stepping back now "feels like the responsible course of action".

We will be closing this live page shortly, but we have more on the story here:

• A sorry end to a BBC career, writes our culture editor Katie Razzall
• Lineker profile: From football sensation to headline-hitting presenter
• News story: Lineker to leave BBC after social media 'error'

Gary Lineker has hosted Match of the Day - the BBC's Premier League highlights show - for more than 25 years, having replaced Des Lynam in 1999.

On Sunday he will do so one last time on BBC One from 22:30 BST.

Last year, the BBC marked his 25-year anniversary by looking back at his first show - watch the clip below.

Nick Johnson
Live reporter

Image source, PA Media

The click of a latch - this time not a false alarm - and out of the front door emerges Gary, skips down the steps and leaps into his car.

Alan Shearer - Match of the Day pundit and podcast host with Lineker - has reacted to his colleague's departure video on Instagram, writing in the comments: "Thank you for everything."

As we reported earlier, Lineker released a video after the BBC confirmed his departure at midday. You can watch it below:

Image source, Nick Potts/PA Wire

At midday - almost a week after Gary Lineker reposted a video about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult - it was announced he is leaving the BBC sooner than planned:

• The BBC said Lineker would leave after the final Match of the Day of the season on Sunday, with director general Tim Davie calling him a "defining voice in football coverage"
• "I recognise the error and that upset I caused," Lineker said, adding that stepping back now "feels like the responsible course of action"
• Shortly afterwards, Lineker posted a video on social media confirming Sunday would be his last day. "It's been a pleasure and a huge privilege," he said, adding he should have been more "diligent"
• "It is sad to be saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster," said BBC Sport director, Alex Kay-Jelski in an email to staff
• He could not keep quiet - in the end, it brought him down, writes our culture editor Katie Razzall

Nick Johnson
Live reporter

At Gary Lineker's house, there is no sign of the man himself. Our gaggle of journalists have been huddled around phones watching his video statement - which was probably filmed only a few metres from where I am now.

Neighbours have been and gone - giving us a wry smile each time when they find us still here.

We’ve had the odd member of the public asking why we’re here as well. The wait continues.

We're getting reaction from the sport and media world. Football journalist Henry Winter says Lineker "has been an accomplished presenter for the BBC... [he] brings insight, calm and wit, and effortlessly gets the best from studio pundits and guests".

But, says Winter, "Lineker has become increasingly associated with non-footballing issues which overshadow his role as a football presenter.

"He's absolutely entitled to his views (whether people agree with them or not) but they’ve become a distraction...

"When the story-teller becomes the story there’s usually only one ending. It’s sad it’s ending this way."

He could not keep quiet - in the end, it brought him downpublished at 12:43 British Summer Time 19 May

12:43 BST 19 May

Katie Razzall
Culture editor

Gary Lineker seemed unable or unwilling to accept that his high profile might prevent him from voicing strongly-held views that many believed had an impact on the BBC's need for impartiality.

We live increasingly in an age when people want to express their opinions, and often do. Social media has given everyone a platform, and high-profile media figures have huge followings.

He could not keep quiet. In the end, it brought him down.

But he is a successful podcast entrepreneur, owning a third of the shares in Goalhanger, the company behind hit shows including The Rest is History and The Rest is Politics.

I would also not be surprised if he does appear in the future on TV, perhaps even as a presenter of the World Cup for another outlet.

He has shown contrition, but it has been a damaging few days.

Here is an email just sent to BBC Sport staff from the director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski:

"You will have seen in the past few minutes that Gary Lineker will be leaving the BBC at the end of the current football season...

"I appreciate the last week has been difficult and emotional for many of you. Thank you for all the messages and conversations, even if some of them weren’t easy to have. And I hope you understand that I had to wait until now to tell you the news.

"It is sad to be saying goodbye to such a brilliant broadcaster and I also want to thank Gary for his years of service. As ever, if you have questions, you know where I am.

"Let’s finish the season strongly with Gary's final show, enjoy an incredible summer of sport and look forward with excitement to what lies ahead."

We can now bring you this video statement from Gary Lineker's Instagram. The BBC has asked Lineker for an interview - he is yet to respond.

Tim Davie, BBC director general, says: "Gary has acknowledged the mistake he made.

"Accordingly, we have agreed he will step back from further presenting after this season.

"Gary has been a defining voice in football coverage for the BBC for over two decades.

"His passion and knowledge have shaped our sports journalism and earned him the respect of sports fans across the UK and beyond.

"We want to thank him for the contribution he has made."

We can now bring you new comments from Gary Lineker:

"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.

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

We've just had this statement from the BBC:

"Gary Lineker will leave his presenting role following the conclusion of Match of the Day for the 2024/25 season.

"He will not be part of the BBC's coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season's FA Cup coverage."

Katie Razzall
Culture editor

There are lots of people who love Gary Lineker and agree with him - that he's a football presenter and it doesn't matter what he says on social media.

But of course, there are many others - and I have to say, people have been emailing me over the last few days, people inside the BBC - saying: "This is just too much. No other BBC presenter would be able to get away with this."

Roger Mosey - former head of news and director of sport at the BBC - says "the biggest problem is that the BBC allowed Gary Lineker to have a social media profile".

"And if you're the highest paid presenter in the BBC, I think it's difficult to be starting to opine on anything that comes into your head as a former footballer, when you also have this BBC hat you're wearing," he tells BBC 5 Live.

"I think a lot of people this morning may be saying, well, actually, I agree with Gary about Palestine.

"But if you happen not to agree with Gary about Palestine or the EU or about other issues, why are you as a licence fee payer funding someone to run their own social media profile with views that are hostile to you?"

Mosey adds: "If you're working for the BBC... you have to take a wide range of views into consideration and be empathetic to a very diverse set of people.

"And that, I think, has not been happening really in his social media posts."

Paul Glynn
Culture reporter

Last week, Lineker shared a social media post about Zionism which included an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult.

The presenter apologised, saying he would never knowingly have shared anything antisemitic. But it is not the first time Lineker has been criticised for his social media posts and public statements.

In 2023, the BBC said it had had a "frank conversation" with the star after he criticised the government's asylum policy, saying the language was "not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s".

Earlier this month, Lineker appeared to criticise the new boss of BBC Sport, Alex Kay-Jelski, telling the Telegraph, external he had "no television experience'", while urging him not to make changes to Match of the Day.

And in a recent interview with the BBC's Amol Rajan, Lineker said he sensed the BBC wanted him to leave as he negotiated a new contract last year. You can watch a clip of that below.

Nick Johnson
Live reporter

I have been on dozens of so-called "doorsteps" over the past few years - a term for a gaggle of journalists and photographers on public property, outside an address, trying to obtain an interview, photograph, or a new line for a story.

As a journalist, you feel like a coiled-spring on some "doorsteps", more than others. Today is definitely one of those days.

Every clatter of a wheelie bin lid, every blip of a car being unlocked sends our fingers and thumbs scrambling for the camera shutters and record buttons.

We all know what we’d like - few words from the man himself. But that doesn’t feel imminent.

It's an understatement to say Lineker has caused problems for BBC bossespublished at 10:53 British Summer Time 19 May

10:53 BST 19 May

Katie Razzall
Culture editor

This is a sorry end to a BBC career.

Gary Lineker was amongst the corporation’s highest paid presenters for a reason - he is popular with audiences, knowledgeable and brilliant at his job.

But it’s an understatement to suggest he has also caused problems for his BBC bosses over the years, as their high profile football presenter began to morph into a presenter with opinions that he voiced on social media.

This has always been about reputational management for the BBC. He had already, in the eyes of BBC bosses, caused the corporation damage with previous social media posts.

Mistakenly sharing a video about Zionism which included a rat emoji was the final straw.

It was difficult to see how he could continue presenting for the corporation, particularly at a time when the BBC is enmeshed in another controversy, surrounding a documentary about Gaza that it pulled after discovering the child narrator was the son of a Hamas official.

I understand Gary Lineker is genuinely upset by what’s happened. He is mortified that he posted the video. His relationship with the BBC is coming to an end in circumstances nobody would have wanted.

Image source, Ian Walton/PA Wire

Gary Lineker is set to leave the BBC sooner than planned.

It is understood Lineker, the highest-paid BBC presenter, will no longer present coverage of the World Cup in 2026, or next season's FA Cup matches, as was expected.

Instead he's expected to leave the corporation after the final Match of the Day of Sunday. A formal announcement is expected today.

Last week, Lineker apologised after sharing a social media post about Zionism that included an illustration of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic insult.

In 2023, he was temporarily suspended after an impartiality row over a social media post, which led to the BBC's social media rules for presenters being rewritten.

We'll have all the latest news and analysis on this page.