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Match of the Day host Gary Lineker has issued a dignified yet devastating response to Tommy Robinson after the far-right activist attempted to manufacture a scandal involving the football legend and a young woman. The exchange, which has since gone viral, served to highlight not only Lineker’s composure but also the continuing pattern of harassment and misinformation peddled by Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
The incident began when Robinson shared a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, showing Lineker walking down a street with a young woman. The caption, "what you up to here Gary Lineker?", was widely interpreted as a suggestive attempt to imply infidelity or impropriety on the part of the 63-year-old presenter. The video was viewed millions of times, inciting a wave of speculation among Robinson’s followers.
However, the smear attempt collapsed almost immediately when Lineker addressed the post directly. Shutting down the insinuation with facts, Lineker revealed that the woman in the video was his daughter-in-law, Bella, and that the pair were engaged in a mundane family errand.
"If you must know, I was going to a chemist with my daughter-in-law, to get some medicine for her unwell husband… my son," Lineker wrote. He concluded his rebuttal with a poignant observation on Robinson’s character: "Hatred is a dreadful weakness."
The exchange has drawn renewed attention to Robinson’s modus operandi, which frequently relies on context-free imagery and inflammatory rhetoric to target individuals and communities. Critics argue that this latest attack on Lineker is consistent with Robinson’s long history of demonizing specific groups, particularly British Muslims and immigrant communities.
Robinson has recently faced intense scrutiny for his social media activity targeting the British Bangladeshi community. In a series of inflammatory posts, the activist has been accused of generalizing an entire demographic based on the actions of individuals, a tactic experts warn fuels division and real-world violence. Fact-checkers and community leaders have repeatedly condemned his narrative, noting that crime statistics do not support his racially charged assertions. His rhetoric frequently conflates distinct South Asian communities to push a singular, xenophobic narrative, ignoring the vast contributions British Bangladeshis have made to the UK’s cultural and economic fabric.
This behavior is part of a verified timeline of abuse. Robinson, a founder of the English Defence League (EDL), has built a career on anti-Muslim sentiment. His record includes spreading unverified claims about "Muslim gangs" and "fighting-age men" entering the country, rhetoric that played a significant role in stoking tensions during the widespread disorder seen across the UK in recent months. His digital footprint is littered with debunked claims regarding immigrants, where legitimate asylum seekers are frequently mislabeled as dangerous criminals without evidence.
Furthermore, Robinson’s credibility as a "journalist"—a title he frequently claims—is heavily undermined by his extensive criminal record. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon has previous convictions for assault, mortgage fraud, using fraudulent travel documents, and multiple counts of contempt of court. His disregard for the rule of law was most famously displayed when he nearly caused the collapse of a grooming gang trial by filming defendants, an act that could have allowed guilty men to walk free.
Despite his legal troubles and the debunking of his claims, Robinson retains a platform, recently being spotted in the company of former Neighbours actress Holly Valance. The pair were seen on a luxury train journey with Reclaim Party leader Laurence Fox, sparking concern among Valance’s associates regarding her proximity to a figure with such a divisive and criminal history.
As the dust settles on this latest social media storm, the contrast between the two men remains stark. While Lineker continues to advocate for compassion and refugees, Robinson finds himself once again corrected by the truth, his attempt to damage a reputation resulting only in further highlighting his own reliance on distortion and hostility.
