Gary Lineker won the Best TV Presenter award at Wednesday’s National Television Awards, ending Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly’s more than two-decade run and using his acceptance speech to reference his controversial departure from the BBC.
The 64-year-old former Match of the Day host told the O2 Arena audience that “it’s not lost on me why I might have won,” and added: “I think it demonstrates that perhaps it’s OK sometimes to use our platform to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice.” Lineker’s victory stopped Ant and Dec’s streak of wins that stretched back to 2000.
Lineker, who presented Match of the Day for 26 years and was the BBC’s highest-paid presenter on about £1.35 million a year, left the programme earlier this year after sharing an Instagram repost about Zionism that included an emoji that critics said had anti-Semitic connotations. He apologised for the repost, later described it as a mistake and said in November 2024 that stepping down was “best for all concerned.” He had been due to front BBC coverage of the 2025-26 FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup but departed earlier than planned.
On stage, Lineker opened with light banter, joking he had won the “Ant and Dec award,” and referenced Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup victory as part of a quip about the Geordie duo. He paid tribute to colleagues past and present, calling Match of the Day “the most iconic football show on television” and thanking the people he had worked with both in front of and behind the camera.
In remarks to reporters in the winners’ room after the ceremony, Lineker reiterated that the award carried a symbolic message about speaking out. “I don’t think anyone seriously thought I was cancelled. It was a mistake and I think everyone saw it for that so I was never in the slightest bit concerned for that,” he said, adding that the win “is perhaps a message that it’s OK to share your views and speak up for those who perhaps don’t have a voice.” He also said the repost had been a clear mistake and reiterated his support for expressing views on issues including Gaza.
Lineker’s emotional final Match of the Day appearance in May featured a seven-minute tribute with contributions from figures including Pep Guardiola, Virgil van Dijk, Ian Wright and Andrea Bocelli. At the end of that show he thanked viewers for their “love and support” and wished his successors well; the programme has since used a rotating presenting lineup including Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates.
Reaction on social media was largely supportive, with viewers praising Lineker for “sticking to his principles.” Former England teammate and Match of the Day co-presenter Alan Shearer congratulated him on X, and comedian Lee Mack gave Lineker a shout-out during his own acceptance speech when The 1% Club won Best Quiz Show.
The National Television Awards, held annually at London’s O2 Arena, featured a wide range of winners across categories including drama, reality and entertainment. Lineker’s win marked a notable moment in the ceremony, underlining the continued public profile of a presenter whose television career has been closely entwined with both sport and public debate.
Lineker declined to expand on future television plans at the awards, saying instead that he was grateful to those who supported him during a turbulent period and to colleagues who had been part of his long tenure on Match of the Day.