Gary Lineker hits back at Tommy Robinson in online spat over video of former Match of the Day star with his daughter-in-law
Gary Lineker has shut down Tommy Robinson after the far-right reposted a video of the Match of the Day star with his bride.
The 65-year-old former England and Barcelona striker was spotted by fans walking the streets of Mexico with Bella Lineker last month.
The clip, which went viral on social media, was reposted by Robinson, 43, who hinted Lineker was up to something, writing: ‘What are you doing here @GaryLineker?’ next to the two eyes emoji.
Quickly emphasizing that the woman was his son’s wife, Lineker responded boldly: ‘If you want to know, I was going to the chemist with my daughter-in-law to buy medicine for her sick husband… my son.’
The presenter added: ‘Hate is a terrible weakness.’
Last month, Lineker traveled to Mexico for a week-long trip, where he was inducted into the International Soccer Hall of Fame at a lavish ceremony in Pachuca.
The clip of him and Bella was first shared on Instagram by a fan, along with the caption: ‘What are the chances of meeting Gary Lineker on the street in Mexico?’
Bella smiles awkwardly when she hears a fan say: ‘What’s up, Gary? How are you? ‘Enjoy your holiday.’
Gary Lineker was spotted by fans wandering the streets of Mexico with his bride Bella and son Harry.
Lineker waves and says ‘you too’ before catching up to his son Harry, who is seen wearing the yellow home jersey of Mexican side Tigres in the short video.
Harry shared a photo on Instagram two weeks ago from his holiday in Mexico, where he and his stunning wife wore the same outfits.
Jermaine Jenas and Alan Shearer were among those who reacted to the post, whose uncle Wayne wrote: ‘Love this picture.’
The football legend has now returned to England and was spotted in the Selhurst Park stands on his 65th birthday yesterday to watch Manchester United’s 2-1 comeback win against Crystal Palace.
It was announced earlier this month that Lineker would be moving to Netflix in an “extraordinarily lucrative” deal that will see him feature on the streamer during next year’s World Cup.
Following his departure from the BBC in May, Lineker will host The Rest Is Football podcast for the platform from North America after sharing a post about Zionism on social media, which included an image of a mouse, which has historically been used as an anti-Semitic slur.
Tommy Robinson (pictured) reposted the clip and wrote: ‘What are you doing here @GaryLineker?’, seeming to suggest Lineker was up to something. next to two eyes emoji
Harry Lineker shared a photo on Instagram from his trip to Mexico, where he wore the yellow home jersey of Mexican team Tigres.
He was due to travel to America to cover the BBC’s tournament coverage as his final project after 25 years with the company, but this was canceled when he rebroadcast the footage.
The podcast was previously aired on BBC Sounds but has not gained a mainstream outlet since its launch.
Following his departure from the BBC, it was announced that Lineker would present a quiz show on ITV called The Box, in which celebrity contestants would be taken to unknown locations and take part in different games.
Lineker, who announced his departure in May, said in a statement that he had not seen the visual and that he would “never knowingly republish anything antisemitic.”
He added: ‘However, I recognize the mistake and upset I have caused and I reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.’
