England footballing legend Gary Lineker won the Best TV Presenter of the Year award at the UK‘s National Television Awards (NTA) on Wednesday, and used his acceptance speech to defend his decision to speak up for “those who have no voice”, months after his controversial exit from the BBC.

Ending Ant and Dec’s 23-year dominance in the category, the former Match of the Day presenter appeared to use his speech to defend his social media posts on Gaza, following criticism over his pro-Palestine social media activity.

Lineker, who was the BBC’s highest-paid on-air figure, came under mounting pressure earlier this year after he reposted a video on Instagram that was critical of Zionism and featured an image of a rat. 

The post sparked allegations of antisemitism and ultimately led to his departure, although he later apologised “unreservedly” for sharing it.

On 25 May 2025, he presented his final episode of Match of the Day, drawing a close to 26 years as the face of the BBC’s flagship football programme. 

His criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza had already made him a target for pro-Israel commentators.

On stage at the O2 Arena on Wednesday, Lineker appeared to acknowledge the political backdrop to his win.

“It’s not lost on me why I might have won this award,” he said, thanking the entire Match of the Day team in front of and behind the camera, without whom he said he would not be receiving it.

He then 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.” His comments were met with loud cheers.

The National Television Awards are decided by public vote.

The nation has spoken… @GaryLineker is TV Presenter of the Year! #NTAs pic.twitter.com/wZO2mmBx5w

— National TV Awards (@OfficialNTAs) September 10, 2025

The moment quickly reverberated online, with many interpreting his award as a direct response to his departure from the BBC. 

In all fairness Gary lineker is one of the best presenters around and how he has been treated has been awful. A very deserving winner. What a speech #NTAs pic.twitter.com/hZQUGTlHwW

— Laura Garside (@LauraGarside) September 10, 2025

Alan Shearer, a former England footballer and Match of the Day pundit who worked alongside Lineker for years, congratulated him on X, writing, “Yesssss @GaryLineker congratulations.”

Gary Lineker pissing all over the BBC’s bonfire by winning a National Television Award.
Go on lad. Nice one#NationalTelevisionAward #NTA pic.twitter.com/S6YFi7PGW2

— Alethea Bernard (@Tush27J) September 10, 2025

One user wrote that Lineker had been “pretty much forced out by the BBC for speaking against genocide” and was now being rewarded by the public with one of television’s biggest prizes. 

Gary Lineker won that public vote NTA because people agree with him using his platform to highlight what is happening in Gaza

— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) September 10, 2025

Another said that he received “his biggest cheer of the night by far” when talking about speaking up for those without a voice, before adding simply: “We know why Gary won. Free Palestine.”

In that acceptance speech, he basically said fuck u bbc, I will still continue to use my platform to speak up about Palestine. Thank you Gary Lineker.

— W (@onlywardsxo) September 10, 2025

One post called the result “the biggest fuck you to the BBC ever,” while another joked: “BBC: ‘We had to let him go.’ Public: ‘We’ll take it from here, you spineless twats.'” 

Several suggested that the public vote for Lineker should serve as a warning to politicians, arguing that voters had rewarded him for “speaking out against genocide”.

This should be a warning to all politicians hoping to stand for election.@GaryLineker won the #NTA Presenter of the Year award.

This was a public vote.

The Public rewarded Linekar for speaking out against Genocide.

What will happen to politicians who failed to do the same? https://t.co/JoYJ6dsqdR

— IndyReset (@IndyReset) September 10, 2025

Another wrote that the outcome showed “the nation quite like those with a platform who use it to speak out against inequity, genocide and injustice”.

Not all responses were celebratory. Critics pointed back to the controversy that led to his departure, with one commentator describing his victory as “telling you everything you need to know about our nation” after “being sacked for retweeting an antisemitic meme”.

That view was challenged by others, however, who accused detractors of deliberately conflating antisemitism with criticism of Zionism. 

“To be honest, I think your tweet wilfully conflating antisemitism and Zionism tells us all we need to know about this situation,” one response read, while another dismissed the criticism as “telling right-wing lies about Gary Lineker”.