BBC fans all have same Gary Lineker complaint as he says MOTD bosses wanted him out

BBC viewers were left saying the same thing after Gary Lineker made a bombshell claim about his Match of the Day exit. Speaking in a new interview with Amol Rajan, the 64-year-old stated that BBC executives subtly pushed him towards a departure from the programme, which he has been presenting for 25 years. As the end of this season's Match of the Day approaches, he divulged to the broadcaster that signs from BBC chiefs signalled it was time for him to step down.

He confessed: It's time [to leave]. I've done it for a long time. It's been brilliant. It's been great." The former footballer went on to suggest the broadcaster's eagerness for him to make an exit, elaborating: "Well, perhaps they want me to leave. There was the sense of that, yes. I've got another year and I'm going to do the FA Cup and World Cup and they're taking our podcast now, the Match of the Day Top Ten, as well as The Rest Is Football that I do with Alan [Shearer] and Micah [Richards]."

After the interview, fans took to social media to share their thoughts. One wrote: "Gary Lineker admits his behaviour damaged the BBC. Well, that was why some of us wanted him to stop."

Another posted: "'BBC News - I felt BBC wanted me to leave Match of the Day', says Gary Lineker- so did everyone else."

Also sharing their brutal verdict, a third added: "'I felt BBC wanted me to leave Match of the Day', says Gary Lineker. Lots of us did. We turned over when we saw you."

Others were in support of the presenter, with Jeremy Vine star Narinder Kaur writing: "Gary Lineker being pushed out by the BBC shows how even those with a platform for truth and integrity are silenced when it doesn’t fit the narrative. It's all about controlling the message, not the public's interest."

A second agreed: "Gary Lineker is asked about likening the language used by the govt with that used by Germany in the 1930s, and he says he was right to say it because it was accurate. He's right, it was."

"Gary Lineker is the best in the business," declared a third as another echoed: "The BBC bullied out Gary Lineker for stating the truth, they wanted a yes man but he’s a warrior for the truth. I have so much respect for him. Well done Gary you’ll continue to have my support and you’ll be on the right side of history."

In March 2023, the ex-England player was suspended from Match of the Day after making a divisive comment about the government's tough new stance on small boat migrants, comparing his policy to that of Nazis in 1930s Germany.

His departure from the programme was announced in November last year, with BBC bosses confirming he would be stepping down at the end of the 2024/25 season.