Gary Lineker was named Best Presenter at the National Television Awards on Wednesday, ending Ant & Dec’s 23-year winning streak and delivering a surprise result at the ceremony in London’s O2 arena.
Accepting the award, Lineker, 64, said the recognition "isn't lost on me" and added that it "demonstrates that perhaps it's OK sometimes for us to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice." He praised his former colleagues and described Match of the Day as "the most iconic football show on TV."
Lineker departed the BBC at the end of last season after 26 years presenting Match of the Day. The broadcaster had announced in November 2024 that he would step down, and he presented for the final time in May 2025. His exit followed a social media post about Zionism that included a depiction of a rat, imagery that has been criticised as having anti‑Semitic connotations. Lineker apologised for the post and said it was "best for all concerned" that he leave the corporation.
The presenter had been the BBC's highest-paid presenter, with reported annual earnings of £1.35 million, and had been due to front the corporation's live coverage of the 2025–26 FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup before his early departure. Since his exit, the BBC has used a rotation of hosts — including Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates — to present Match of the Day.
Lineker thanked the people he had worked with both in front of and behind the camera and arrived at the NTAs with his sons. His victory at the awards interrupted a long run by Ant & Dec, the presenting duo who had dominated the Best Presenter category for more than two decades.
Organisers and attendees marked the result as one of the evening's notable moments. The NTAs are voted on by the public, and Lineker's win reflected support from viewers despite the controversy that preceded his departure from the BBC.
Lineker's broadcast career spans several decades and includes playing and presenting roles that made him a prominent television figure in the U.K. He was the longest-serving host in Match of the Day's history and remained a high-profile voice in sports broadcasting until his resignation.
The ceremony at the O2 was part of an awards night that recognised a wide range of programmes and presenters across British television. Lineker's acceptance speech remained focused on gratitude for his colleagues and on the platform media figures can use, while he declined in public comments to elaborate further on the circumstances of his BBC departure at the event.