BBC Cancels Gary Lineker’s Final Interview With Salah Over Fear Of Gaza Discussion (image- Instagram/mosalah)
Gary Lineker, the BBC’s renowned broadcaster who is departing from the channel following his pro-Palestine stance, had scheduled an interview with Liverpool’s Egyptian star Mohamed Salah. As his final act in the chair, Lineker was due to talk to the striker when the BBC pulled the plug on his final interview without warning.
As per The Sun report, the decision was made by director of sport Alex Key-Jelski in fear that Lineker would discuss the war in Gaza with the footballer. “The plan was for the interview to be shown across the BBC the weekend of Gary’s final Match of the Day,” an insider told The Sun. “That would include on Football Focus the day before as well as online and social media. Out of nowhere, it got cancelled.”
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While Mohamed Salah had not been particularly vocal about the Palestinian issue, he did post a video on Instagram in 2023 calling for an end to the massacre. In contrast, Lineker had consistently used his platform to speak out for the people suffering in Gaza. As a result, broadcasters expected the topic to arise naturally during the conversation.
However, BBC clarifying their stance stated that the decision was taken as the interview was planned to be aired after Gary’s last Match of the Day. “It would be wrong to suggest anything else.”
The BBC’s coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has come under sustained scrutiny, with critics accusing the broadcaster of inconsistencies and editorial bias. Most recently, the BBC faced backlash over its decision to withdraw the documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, which depicted the lives of Palestinian children amid the conflict and was narrated by 13-year-old Abdullah al-Yazouri. This incident is seen by many as part of a broader pattern of editorial decisions that appear complicit or cautious in their portrayal of the war in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Lineker bid an emotional farewell to viewers at the end of his final show in the hot seat, saying: “Let me take this opportunity to thank all of the other pundits that I’ve had the pleasure of working with over the last 25 years, you’ve made my job so much easier.”
