How the BBC lost love with Gary Lineker after Nazi Germany social media posts and mass strike

Less than six months ago he was officially reprimanded for accusing the Liz Truss Government of taking money from Russian donors in breach of the BBC’s impartiality rules.

In fact, his posts had become increasingly inflammatory and anti-Tory after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in 2016; Lineker wrote in 2018 that he felt Brexit had “gone really, really wrong”.

He continued: “Imagine how desperate you must be to still be behind the Tory party in the polls. The absolute state of our politics.”

He was criticized by BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew, who wrote: “Gary. You are the face of BBC Sport. Please follow the BBC’s editorial rules and keep your political views to yourself, whatever the subject. If I followed your example I would be fired. Thanks.”

Lineker retorted: “Jonathan, I am the face of my own Twitter account. “I’ll keep tweeting things I like, and if people disagree with me, so be it.”

Agnew’s frustrations were shared by other colleagues, and when Lineker aired criticism of the Conservative Party voting against proposed restrictions on water companies’ sewer leaks, he was rebuked by a senior BBC journalist.

Neil Henderson wrote: “The BBC lives or dies by its impartiality. If you can’t stand it, get out.”