Gary Lineker is set to depart the BBC "by mutual consent" without a payout following controversy over an allegedly anti-Semitic social media post.
The former England football captain, who is the broadcaster's highest-paid presenter earning £1.4 million annually, shared a post on Instagram featuring a rat, widely considered an anti-Semitic trope, as part of a video supporting Palestine.
The situation at the BBC has become "untenable" according to one insider, who told the Financial Times: "There is a huge amount of upset internally. This was the last straw. There is mutual recognition that he has had to go."
Despite the fury within BBC offices, the decision was made by Lineker to stand down by mutual consent.
Gary Lineker will leave BBC with NO payout after deciding to leave 'by mutual consent'
Reuters
That means he will be walking away from any potential payout, which could have amounted to a full year's salary considering that he had not originally planned to leave until after the World Cup next year.
Following an outcry, Lineker removed the controversial video and issued an apology.
"On Instagram, I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references," he said.
"I very much regret these references. I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views."
BBC colleagues and executives were reportedly angered by an interview Lineker gave to the Telegraph last week that blindsided management and appeared to criticise his boss.
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Tim Davie, BBC director-general, addressed the situation last week in Manchester, saying: "The BBC's reputation is held by everyone, and when someone makes a mistake, it costs us."
Lineker has had several previous run-ins with BBC management during his tenure at the corporation.
In 2023, he was suspended after comparing the Conservative government's rhetoric on asylum policy to that of Nazi Germany.
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Gary Lineker posted a statement on Monday confirming his decision to leave the BBC
PA
His suspension proved short-lived, however, as colleagues walked out in solidarity, forcing the BBC to quickly reinstate him.
The latest controversy appears to have been the final straw for both parties, coming after Lineker had already announced he would step down as lead anchor for Match of the Day after the current season ends this summer.
He had been lined up to present next year's World Cup and the BBC's FA Cup coverage before this accelerated departure.
Lineker led coverage of the FA Cup final for the BBC on Saturday and is expected to bow out after this weekend's Match of the Day, concluding 26 years of presenting.
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The 64-year-old's business interests outside broadcasting include Goalhanger Podcasts, which produces popular shows such as The Rest Is History and The Rest Is Entertainment.
The former footballer's exit marks the end of an era for British sports broadcasting, with Lineker having been a fixture on the nation's television screens since joining the corporation in 1999.
