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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Email today@bbc.co.uk 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.