Gary Lineker has apologised after sharing an Instagram video on Zionism with his 1.2 million followers that featured an emoji of a rat.
The Match of the Day presenter posted the story clip from the group Palestine Lobby, which, titled “Zionism explained in less than 2 min”, contained a circled illustration of the animal.
The use of the term rat in association with Jewish people has been widely recognised as antisemitic, with it being used as an insult to describe the race by Nazi Germany.
The former England football captain deleted the post from his profile as soon as he saw the image, Lineker’s agent said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Lineker issued a statement in which he “apologised unreservedly” for the post.
He said: “On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references. I very much regret these references. I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic. It goes against everything I believe in.
“Whilst I strongly believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know that how we do so matters. I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views. It was an error on my part for which I apologise unreservedly.”
Despite deleting the post, the 64-year-old, who is the BBC’s top earner, has drawn criticism from Jewish and campaign groups that combat antisemitism. There are also growing calls for Lineker to leave the corporation.
Nothing to see here.
— Campaign Against Antisemitism (@antisemitism) May 12, 2025
Just Gary Lineker’s Instagram account sharing an anti-Israel video misrepresenting Zionism, complete with a rat emoji. pic.twitter.com/ysuVGH52SN
Lineker is stepping down from hosting Match of the Day at the end of the current football season, but will present FA Cup coverage and the 2026 World Cup for the BBC.
On X (Twitter), the Campaign Against Antisemitism shared a screengrab of Lineker’s post, and wrote: “Nothing to see here. Just Gary Lineker’s Instagram account sharing an anti-Israel video misrepresenting Zionism, complete with a rat emoji.”
In another post, the group, with 67,000 followers, wrote: “Having looked the other way until now, at this point, it is clear that Gary Lineker’s continued association with the BBC is untenable. He must go.”
It added that a complaint will be submitted to the BBC.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the BBC should ask Lineker, who was paid £1.35m in 2023/24, to leave.
A spokesperson told Mail Online: “The BBC has allowed the situation with Gary Lineker to continue for far too long. He has caused great offence with this video – particularly with his egregious use of a rat emoji to illustrate Zionists.”
The Independent has approached the BBC for comment.
This is not the first time Lineker has faced criticism over his views posted on social media.
In March 2023, he was suspended from the BBC after comparing the language used to launch a then-government asylum seeker policy to 1930s Germany, describing the scheme as “immeasurably cruel”.
Earlier this year, Lineker signed an open letter to the BBC, calling on it to reinstate a documentary called Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone. The programme was pulled after it emerged that a boy featured in it was the son of a Hamas official.
In April, Lineker said he did not regret his comments on government policy in March 2023. He told the BBC’s Amol Rajan he had the right to be able to share his opinion on issues, including Gaza.
As a football player, Lineker played for Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur. He scored 48 goals in 80 appearances for England, and was one of the stars of the 1986 World Cup in Argentina.
He has been Match of the Day host since 1999, the longest-serving anchor for the flagship show.
His company, Goalhanger Podcasts, founded in 2019, has released popular podcasts such as The Rest Is Politics, The Rest Is Entertainment, and The Rest Is Football, which he co-hosts with MOTD colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.
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