Gary Lineker speaks out about the difficulty of following the BBC’s strict impartiality rules during his 30 year career hosting Match of the Day and They Think It’s All Over
He was notoriously their highest earner, but despite the £1.75m pay cheque during his 30 years at the BBC hosting Match of the Day, Gary Lineker is enjoying his new found autonomy. The former footballer, 65, left the corporation in 2025 and during that time regularly hit the headlines for seemingly flouting their strict impartiality rules. He said, “With the BBC, it was like a marriage, it was great for a long time and then it petered out. It was difficult at times, but I feel a lot freer now. And I can give my opinion on things if I feel I need to.”
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After winning 80 caps for England, Lineker, transitioned into sports punditry starting out at Radio 5 Live before moving into more mainstream hosting on They Think It’s All Over and Grandstand. Over the years he breached the BBC’s guidelines on impartiality repeatedly, airing his views on immigration policy, environmental issues and political donations on his personal social media accounts. He repeatedly contested this, claiming the BBC “moved the goalposts.”
Speaking at Soho Farmhouse’s Soho Summit he said, “When I joined the BBC, the impartiality didn’t exist for those outside of news and current affairs. So, in sport, you could give your opinion. I’ve never really gotten involved in politics.
“It’s always humanitarian for me. And then social media comes and then in 2019, I think, they decided that would now apply to all people, and then they’d had a chat with me, and I said: ‘Well, I’m still going to post on humanitarian issues.’ So that was it, it wasn’t easy. But I don’t criticise anyone for not speaking out, because I know how difficult it can be. And I will say for me, though, I’m pretty secure in life.”
He’s been the most outspoken about refugee rights and immigration policy, anti-Brexit advocacy, and the Israel-Gaza conflict but doesn’t believe he personally can change anything.
He said, “Do I think it makes a difference, what I say? No, I don’t.. I wish it did. But it makes a difference to me because I if I didn’t speak up for those that perhaps don’t have a voice, I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror. But I wouldn’t be critical of anyone who does not speak? The only person you control is yourself.
Despite his activism, Lineker believes nothing beats the feeling of playing football.
He said, “The one thing I would say that I miss is the feeling of scoring a goal. And it’s almost indescribable, especially in a big game. To score in a World Cup is like an explosion of different emotions, of joy, of relief, maybe.”
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