Gary Lineker to step down from BBC after sharing social media post on Zionism

The 64-year-old Lineker, who is the British national broadcaster’s highest-paid presenter on about 1.3 million pounds ($1.7 million) a year, was set to leave flagship soccer highlights show “Match of the Day” at the end of this season but remain with the BBC to front other soccer coverage, including next year’s men’s World Cup. However, the BBC said Monday in a statement that Lineker will step down entirely from the corporation after the final “Match of the Day” episode next weekend in the wake of his decision to share a post from the group, Palestine Lobby, illustrated with a picture of a rat, titled: “Zionism explained in two minutes.” Lineker, who played his club soccer for Everton, Tottenham and Barcelona, is the co-founder of the hugely successful “Goalhanger” podcasts — the maker of the popular “The Rest is History” series and its spin-offs about politics, soccer, entertainment and money.