Gary Lineker, the BBC and celebrity influencers

It’s the end of an era for Match of the Day – with Gary Lineker hosting for the final time after 25 years in the hot seat. He will now leave the BBC a year earlier than expected in the wake of an antisemitism row.

Amol – who recently sat down with Lineker for a long television interview – reflects on the former footballer’s run-ins with the BBC over impartiality and use of social media – and his legacy both as a presenter and a modern celebrity influencer.

He’s joined by former culture minister, Conservative peer Lord Vaizey, and by former Sun editor David Yelland, now co-host of BBC Sounds podcast When It Hits the Fan.

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The Today Podcast is hosted by Amol Rajan and Nick Robinson who are both presenters of BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Amol was the BBC’s media editor for six years and is the former editor of the Independent, he’s also the current presenter of University Challenge. Nick has presented the Today programme since 2015, he was the BBC’s political editor for ten years before that and also previously worked as ITV’s political editor.

This episode was made by Lewis Vickers and Tom Smithard with Izzy Rowley. Digital production was by Izzy Rowley. The technical producer was Michael Regaard. The editor is Louisa Lewis. The executive producer is Owenna Griffiths.