'I'm part of new look Match of the Day line-up - Gary Lineker showed me his true colours'

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Joe Hart has hailed the "incredible work" Gary Lineker did for Match of the Day following his controversial exit. The ex- BBC host worked on the flagship for over 25 years and left at the end of the 2024/25 Premier League season.

A series of controversies came before Lineker's exit. Just before he departed, the 65-year-old shared a social media post about the Israel-Palestine conflict that included a picture of a rat, which is historically known as an antisemitic insult .

Despite apologising and confirming he hadn't spotted the image, the former Tottenham star said he would step down from the BBC before the FA Cup and World Cup . Lineker said: "However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am.

"Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action."

The 65-year-old was replaced by Kelly Cates, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman who have been fronting the coverage throughout the current campaign. Hart, who often appears as a football pundit on the BBC and other broadcasters, has shared how he truly feels about Lineker.

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The former Celtic shotstopper has announced that he is returning to the pitch as part of the Soccer Aid line-up at London Stadium this May. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror , Hart said: "The world keeps spinning, I find that in football. That was one of the things I learned very, very early.

"You had such important people leave, you had managers leave, and you felt like it was going to be a huge hole.

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"But Gary was unbelievable, brilliant, what he did for the Match of the Day, very welcoming to me. I can't thank him enough for how he integrated me into the MOTD family, and he was an incredible spearhead for it."

Hart's comments speak volumes about how important Lineker was to MOTD's growing popularity in the modern game.

The ex-goalkeeper also admitted that the footballing world has to move on and believes the BBC have done so in the right way with their new-look programme.

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Regarding Lineker's replacements, Hart added: "He's moved on and the presenters who have come in have been excellent. You know, Kelly [Cates], Gabby [Logan], Mark Chapman, all brilliant in their own rights.

"Like I say, the world keeps spinning. They are doing a top job, but no one will ever forget the incredible work that Gary did."

Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle for the 2025/26 season, saving £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.