Gary Lineker says he doesn’t understand why ‘woke’ is an insult

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Gary Lineker has said that he struggles to comprehend why “woke” is used in a negative way, after mocking his inclusion on a “woke list” by a Sunday newspaper. Last weekend, the Mail on Sunday included Lineker on its “Woke List”, ostensibly comprising celebrities who “are most high-profile in their awakedness to perceived injustices in society – but who have also been accused of having an exaggerated fixation with such issues”. But if you keep putting it out there that ‘woke is bad, woke is bad’, people will eventually believe that it is, whatever ‘woke’ may be.” Gary Lineker says he received a ‘standing ovation’ in Marks & Spencer following his BBC suspension When it was suggested that “woke” was used to people trying to bolster their public image by aligning themselves with “fashionably worthy credentials”, Lineker pointed out that this often resulted in abuse, “so I think it means the opposite to that”. And I never feel insulted by it – because I think it’s a compliment.” Lineker’s remarks echo those made by his fellow BBC star Graham Norton last year, where he suggested that so-called “cancel culture”, where someone is “cancelled” due to their perceived problematic behaviour, should in fact be called “accountability culture”.