Gary Lineker's downfall at the BBC was 'inevitable' insists TV legend

Gary Lineker's early exit from the BBC has been branded 'inevitable' by fellow sports presenter Steve Rider. Lineker's time at the BBC came to an end last month after he issued an apology for sharing an anti-Semitic post on social media.

The former England striker was originally set to depart the BBC following the 2026 World Cup, but the social media most prompted Lineker and the broadcaster to come to terms on an agreement for him to leave early.

And Rider, who left the BBC for ITV in 2005 after Lineker replaced him as presenter of the broadcaster's golf coverage, believes both parties are at fault. "To put forward his opinions so energetically, you need to step outside the framework of the BBC," Rider told the Telegraph.

"That message was never convincingly conveyed to him by the BBC, and that's where they are at fault. He needed people looking after him before he pressed the button on some fairly volatile retweets. He needed to be saved from himself. So, there was a kind of inevitability about it."

Since departing the BBC, Lineker has largely been focused on his Goalhanger Podcasts company, which produces the popular 'The Rest is Football ' show that he hosts alongside his former Match of the Day colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.

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The podcast was being hosted on BBC Sounds, but was dropped in the wake of Lineker's departure and has since moved to DAZN for the Club World Cup. The deal allows the show to feature licensed match footage from the tournament, with DAZN having forked out around $1billion (£743m) for the rights.

"The Rest Is Football isn't just being listened to — it's being watched, shared, and talked about across Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, X, and Instagram," said Tony Pastor, who co-founded Goalhanger with Lineker and Jack Davenport.

"Partnering with DAZN to bring official match clips into the mix is the natural next step — adding energy, context, and taking the conversation to the next level. With over six million episode views and listens each month, and huge engagement across social, it's already the UK’s most popular sports podcast.

"As the way fans experience football evolves, The Rest Is Football is right at the heart of it." DAZN's chief executive of growth markets, Pete Oliver, added: "The Rest Is Football is essential viewing and listening for fans who want insight, entertainment, and personality — and this partnership is a brilliant way to bring the FIFA Club World Cup even closer to that audience.

"It's about connecting global football with the voices fans trust and love, and showing the tournament in a fresh, exciting, and authentically British way. As the global broadcast partner of the FIFA Club World Cup and the only place where fans in the UK can watch every game for free, there was no better partner than Goalhanger."

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