Gary Lineker in tears as he says 'I can't be silent'

BBC's Match of the Day presenter and Tottenham Hotspur legend, Gary Lineker, has sparked debate once again with his comments on the situation in Gaza.

Describing it as "the worst thing I've seen in my life," Lineker insisted: "I can't be silent about what's happening." Despite BBC stars being bound by media guidelines set out by the broadcaster last year after Lineker made contentious comparisons between UK asylum policy and 1930s Germany, the Match of the Day presenter did not hold back in his critique of Israel's military actions following the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas.

Since those attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's orders for bombardments and ground operations in Gaza have resulted in over 34,800 Palestinian casualties, predominantly women and children, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry. In a conversation with Zeteo, the media platform established by British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan, the ex-Spurs and England striker said: "It's the worst thing I've seen in my life.

"I've got no skin in this game. I'm not Muslim, I'm not Jewish, I'm not Israeli, I'm not Palestinian.

"So I see it, I think, purely from the outside as from a neutral perspective. And I can't think of anything that I've seen worse in my lifetime, the constant images of children losing their lives day in day out.

"Obviously, we all know October 7 happened but the minute you raise your voice against what they [Israel] are now doing you get accused of being a supporter of Hamas and this kind of stuff. There is a lot of heavy lobbying on people to be quiet so I understand why most people refrain, but I'm getting on a bit now, I'm fairly secure and I can't be silent about what's happening there.

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"I think it's so, so utterly awful and it already looks like it's happening, going into Rafa, where they've sent everybody down there. It's not antisemitic to say that what Israel is doing is wrong.

"I just can't see how everybody doesn't see that now, whatever the cause, whatever started it, we all know that, the history of this area, of the world goes way before October 7. But it's, it's truly dreadful, what's happening and I cry on a regular basis when I see certain images on social media."

After criticising a government policy he likened to language used in 1930s Germany, Lineker was temporarily taken off air from Match of the Day on March 10, 2023. In solidarity with Lineker, high-profile pundits such as Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Jermaine Jenas pulled out of their scheduled appearances, which led to his quick return to the show.

In a report released by BBC in September, flagship shows including Match of the Day, The Apprentice, Dragon's Den and The One Show were bound by impartiality rules. The document states that while freedom of speech is recognised as essential, presenters are, however, barred from endorsing or criticising any political party during live broadcasts - this rule is also implemented for two weeks pre and post the series.

Parameters have been set on conversations regarding individual UK politicians' character, statements made on contentious issues during an election period, and involvement in a formal capacity with a lobbying group. Lineker has welcomed these restrictions, tagging them as "eminently sensible."