Gary Lineker, the legendary Match of the Day presenter, used his acceptance speech at the National Television Awards (NTA) to defend his social media posts on Gaza. This came after he won a trophy that had been held by Ant and Dec for over two decades.
Lineker caused a significant upset at the awards ceremony when he clinched the best presenter award. This accolade had been consistently won by popular duo Ant and Dec for more than 20 years. The former footballer beat stiff competition from Claudia Winkleman, host of The Traitors, Alison Hammond from This Morning, and TV presenter cum reality TV star Stacey Solomon.
Controversy surrounding Lineker's early exit from BBC
The nomination for this prestigious award came just months after Lineker's early departure from BBC following a controversy surrounding his social media post about Zionism. The post featured an image of a rat – historically considered an antisemitic insult – which led to considerable backlash. Despite announcing last year that he would step down as presenter of Match of the Day at season's end, plans were initially in place for him to return as frontman for BBC's 2026 World Cup coverage and live FA Cup matches.
In his winner’s speech, Lineker took aim at critics who opposed him using his social media platforms to voice out on issues such as Gaza and UK Government’s immigration policies. He defended this use of his platform stating it was crucial to "speak up on behalf of those who have no voice".
Gary Lineker, Football pundit, said:
"It’s not lost on me why I might have won this award. Aside from presenting Match of the Day, the most iconic football show on television, for 26 years, and there’s so many amazing people I’ve worked with in front of the camera and behind the camera over that period of time.
"I want to say a massive thank you to each and every one of them because I wouldn’t be here receiving this award if it wasn’t for them. Also, I think it demonstrates that perhaps it’s okay sometimes for us to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice. So thank you, it means the world."
Lineker has been synonymous with Match Of The Day since 1999 when he took over from Des Lynam. His departure from the iconic highlights show marked the end of an era.The last person to win the entertainment award before Ant and Dec's long-standing run was Michael Barrymore in 2000. Lineker’s win marks a significant shift in this trend, highlighting his enduring popularity and influence within the world of sports broadcasting.
