Former England footballer Gary Lineker has replied to Tommy Robinson after the political activist reposted a video of Lineker walking with his daughter-in-law in Mexico. The clip, which circulated on social media last month, showed the 65-year-old Match of the Day presenter alongside Bella Lineker.
Robinson, 43, shared the video on his platform, captioning it with a question directed at Lineker: “What you up to here @GaryLineker?” He also included a two-eyes emoji, seemingly to draw attention to the encounter.
In the short video, Lineker can be seen waving and saying “you too” to fans before joining his son Harry, who briefly appears wearing a yellow Tigres shirt, the home kit of the Mexican football club.
Family holiday photo provides context
Two weeks ago, Harry Lineker posted a photo on Instagram from his holiday in Mexico. The image shows him and his wife wearing the same outfits as seen in the viral video, suggesting the encounter took place during a family vacation.
Fellow football figures Jermaine Jenas and Alan Shearer were among those who reacted to Harry’s post, with Wayne Lineker, Gary’s brother, commenting: “Love this pic.”
Now back in the UK, Lineker celebrated his 65th birthday yesterday by watching Manchester United‘s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
It was recently announced that Lineker will be moving to Netflix with a significant deal that will involve him hosting coverage of the 2024 World Cup in North America.
Lineker left the BBC in May following a controversy over a social media post about Zionism that included an image of a rat, which has been historically used as an antisemitic insult.
Podcast finds new platform on Netflix
The Rest Is Football, Lineker’s podcast previously hosted on BBC Sounds, will now be available on Netflix following his departure from the BBC.
In a statement announcing his exit from the BBC, Lineker acknowledged the upset caused by the image he shared, stating that he “would never consciously repost anything antisemitic.” He added, “Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”
In addition to his Netflix deal, Lineker is set to host a new ITV quiz show called The Box, which will feature celebrity contestants taking part in challenges at various locations.
As Gary Lineker moves on to new opportunities, fans look forward to seeing what the future holds for the respected football figure.