Gary Lineker has likened his departure from the BBC to a marriage that had simply "run out of love" after more than two decades together.
The 65-year-old former England striker, who presented Match of the Day for 26 years, told The Louis Theroux Podcast that the relationship with the corporation had "petered out" by the time he left last May.
"We'd been together for a long time, and we were starting to run out of love for each other," Mr Lineker said.
"I'll always love the BBC. It's an amazing, amazing corporation."
Gary Lineker presented Match of the Day for 25 years | GETTYThe presenter also addressed the social media controversy that accelerated his departure, insisting his only regret was failing to notice a rat emoji in an Instagram post about Zionism.
The image has historically been used as an antisemitic trope.
"The only regret I have is missing the emoji. Nothing else," he stated.
"I don't think anyone thinks it was deliberate. But I apologised because it was a mistake. I didn't see it. I'm not that stupid."
Mr Lineker was effectively forced out of the BBC in May 2025 following a major controversy over a social media post
| GETTYLooking ahead to this summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the broadcaster admitted he has concerns about the tournament.
He pointed to uncertainty in the United States' political climate and questioned whether developments in the country could affect the competition.
Mr Lineker also raised concerns over FIFA's ticket pricing strategy, suggesting ordinary supporters risk being priced out of attending matches.
He warned that soaring costs could leave stadiums dominated by corporate guests rather than the travelling fans who traditionally help create the World Cup's unique atmosphere.
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Despite his BBC departure, Mr Lineker has enjoyed considerable success through Goalhanger, the media company he co-founded with former ITV Sport executive Tony Pastor in 2014.
Six months after leaving the corporation, Goalhanger secured a £14million deal with Netflix to produce daily editions of The Rest is Football podcast throughout the World Cup from a studio overlooking Times Square in New York.
Former England captain Alan Shearer will join Lineker in New York, while ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards will contribute remotely from Britain and make occasional appearances in the United States.
The deal marks another milestone in Goalhanger's rapid rise from a small documentary production company to one of Britain's most successful podcast businesses.
Los Angeles-based investment firm The Chernin Group recently acquired just under a quarter of the company in a deal reported to value Goalhanger at more than £100 million.
The business now boasts around 250,000 paying subscribers alongside millions of listeners across its free, advertising-supported shows.
"It's great, and it will help us grow, hopefully in America, as well," Mr Lineker said of the investment.
"We're growing so quickly anyway, it's an amazing business.
"We're just blagging it, we don't know what we're doing but somehow it's working."
Mr Lineker maintains that staying true to his principles was essential, regardless of the friction it caused with his former employer."
You've got to have your own morals," he said of how things concluded at the BBC.
While he delivered a pointed monologue before the BBC's opening coverage of the Qatar World Cup, describing it as "the most controversial World Cup in history," he confirmed his Netflix approach will differ.
Mr Lineker is set to host daily World Cup podcast shows from New York's Times Square area
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"We're going to be honest about it, we'll discuss our concerns," Mr Lineker explained.
"But I'm not going to do a monologue because that's not our vibe. It was different at the BBC."
He pledged to address contentious topics including ticket prices and any incidents involving fans, adding: "You've got to be true to yourself."