Political commentator Matthew Stadlen has revealed his feud with departing BBC presenter Gary Lineker, claiming the football legend once branded him one of social media’s most “insufferable” personalities.
Speaking on GB News: "I don't like him for various reasons. One, I think he became a bit tired as a presenter time to move on.
"He was a bit of a hero when I was a boy. We all watched him play for Spurs and, of course, for England. I thought it was fantastic.
"I'll never forget the two penalties he scored to keep us in that World Cup in 1990. A fantastic footballer. Never got yellow carded.
Matthew Stadlen shared the details of the feud with the football star
|GB NEWS
"I won’t miss him, partly because I think he’s become tired as a presenter, partly because I don’t like him personally.
"And that is because he blocked me on Twitter after I said that Messi was a little too left-footed, and he loves Messi.
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"I’d seen Lionel Messi up close at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, which I was lucky enough to attend, and I just thought he kept trying to drag the ball onto his right foot.
"This was too much, apparently, for Gary Lineker, who decided to block me as a consequence.
"And then, since then, I saw that he described me, and I’m sure many of your viewers will agree, as one of the most insufferable people on social media."
Laughing, he said to GB News host Nana Akua: "I bet you agree with him. I've converted you to become a Lineker fan now."
Mr Lineker's BBC tenure concluded prematurely following his circulation of controversial content on social media platforms in May.
The broadcaster shared material critical of zionism that incorporated an image of a rodent, a symbol historically associated with antisemitic propaganda, which he subsequently removed and expressed regret for posting.
"I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic it goes against everything I stand for," Mr Lineker stated in his joint announcement with the BBC.
The incident accelerated his departure timeline, with Mr Lineker stepping down after the 2024/25 season rather than continuing through previously scheduled FA Cup and World Cup coverage.
Gary Lineker left the BBC earlier this year
| GETTYHe acknowledged the distress his actions caused and characterised his early exit as the appropriate response to the situation.
Gary Lineker’s National Television Awards win last September was an emotional one, coming in the wake of his BBC exit.
He broke Ant and Dec’s two-decade dominance to collect the prize, fighting back visible emotion on stage.
"I think it demonstrates that perhaps it's okay sometimes for us to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice," the outgoing presenter told the audience.