UK
Gary Linker wins ‘best presenter’ award despite BBC departure over ‘antisemitic’ social media post
The ex-Match Of The Day lead took home a National Television Award for his work on the flagship BBC show
September 11, 2025 11:38
The ex-Match Of The Day lead took home a National Television Award for his work on the flagship BBC show
September 11, 2025 11:38Gary Lineker has won the National Television Award (NTA) for best presenter, despite his departure from the BBC over an allegedly antisemitic social media post.
The ex-Match Of The Day presenter, who left the show earlier this year after sharing a controversial video about Zionism, has been consistently outspoken about his support for Palestine.
Accepting the award for his work prior to his departure, he said: "Thank you to everybody who voted for me, it is hugely appreciated, it’s amazing...
"It is not lost on me why I might have won this award aside from presenting Match Of The Day the most iconic football show on television over the last 24 years...
"I think it demonstrates perhaps it is okay sometimes for us to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice so thank you. It means the world. Thank you very much."
Lineker beat Ant and Dec to win best presenter at the NTA, marking the first time anyone has beaten the duo in 24 years.
The football pundit was already set to leave the BBC after the 2026 World Cup, but his exit was brought forward after he reposted a video entitled: “Zionism explained in less than 2 mins.”
The video, originally posted by campaign group Palestine Lobby, featured an appearance by Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu on US television.
The version of the clip posted by Palestine Lobby, which has called the war in Gaza a “Holocaust” and shared images comparing Benjamin Netanyahu to Hitler, featured a cartoon of a grey rat slowly moving its tail as Buttu spoke.
This version was subsequently shared by Lineker on Monday and remained on his account for many hours before being deleted by Tuesday morning. A spokesman for Lineker said he immediately deleted the video after learning of the rat’s previous use as an antisemitic symbol.
Lineker later told The New World: “I missed it [the rat picture]. To be honest, I wouldn’t have understood the connotations anyway until it was pointed out to me. I genuinely didn’t see it. I’m not an idiot.
"I may not have known it was an antisemitic trope, but I would have wondered why someone had put a rat there. Why would you ever conflate a rodent with a human?
“I wouldn’t do that on purpose. It would be the biggest act of self-harm ever."
However, since leaving the BBC, Lineker has said that he no longer feels like he has to "tread on eggshells".
Speaking of the war, he said: “I think you have to look at something without a vested interest. I’ve got no skin in the game. I’m not Muslim, I’m not Palestinian, I’m not Israeli, I’m not Jewish. I come from a place of complete impartiality. And then it becomes about truth.
“People talked about me being antisemitic. I’m not anti-any group of people. Any race, any colour. But I am anti the killing of children.”
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