Gary Lineker’s long-standing role as BBC’s Match of the Day host recently came to an end – and it’s now been reported that his final interview was cancelled amid concerns that the former striker would discuss the war in Gaza with Mohamed Salah.
On the final day of the 2024/25 Premier League season, which saw Arne Slot’s run away with the title, Lineker hosted his concluding episode of the well-watched TV programme.
Initially set to head the BBC’s coverage for next year’s 2026 World Cup, as well as being their front man for the FA Cup, the Leicester City hero announced that he would be stepping back from the broadcaster entirely after becoming embroiled in controversy.
Lineker’s Interview With Salah was Cancelled
'It felt like it may have come up naturally in conversation'
Lineker was due to talk to Liverpool talisman Salah – who is widely regarded as one of the best players in world football – as his final act in the chair. In a final snub to the much-beloved 64-year-old, the Beeb pulled the plug on his final interview without warning, as reported by The Sun.
A source has insisted that the decision was made by director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, who joined the organisation just last year. There were fears that Lineker – recently involved in an online row over an antiemetic post – would discuss the war in Gaza.
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“The play was for the interview to be shown across the BBC the weekend of Gary’s final Match of the Day,” an insider told The Sun. “That would include on Football Focus the day before as well as online and social media. Out of nowhere, it got cancelled.
“Some people think they didn’t want Gary and Mo to talk about Gaza. Salah has spoken out in his support for Palestinians living in Gaza and Gary has made his feelings clear too. It felt like it may have come up naturally in conversation.”
The Sun have reported that, according to a source, there was “no love lost” between Lineker and Kay-Jelski as, at the FA Cup final between winners Crystal Palace and Manchester City, the England hero gave the latter the cold shoulder.
In terms of the aforementioned post, Lineker shared an Instagram story about Zionism featuring a rat – an antisemitic trope used by the Nazis to characterise Jewish people as vermin.
Becoming the highest-paid presenter eventually, Lineker – one of England’s greatest-ever strikers – replaced Des Lynam as Match Of The Day’s (MOTD) primary presenter in 1999 and his combination of guile and knowledge to his post-retirement craft.
Lineker had been suspended from his duties as MOTD main presenter in March 2023 after a post about the small boats controversy. Following a boycott by his co-stars, he was quickly reinstated as the broadcaster’s main man.
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