Gary Lineker has joined Benedict Cumberbatch in agreeing to house Ukrainian refugees in the UK.
The former England and Leicester City footballer previously hosted a Syrian refugee back in 2020, and heaped praise on the “worthwhile” experience, revealing that the man, known only as Rasheed, had become part of the family.
Gary gave up one of the five bedrooms in his £4 million home, and said he happily would do it all again as the experience gave his family a “different perspective” on life.
Now, the Match of the Day host has selflessly volunteered to take in Ukrainian refugees, who have fled the terrifying conflict in their country, after Russian forces invaded last month.
In a post on Twitter, Gary fired back at The Reclaim Party, who suggested he, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour MP Yvette Cooper should take in refugees.
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“When @BorisJohnson @GaryLineker and @YvetteCooperMP take in a refugee, the rest of us can follow,” the post read, as it poured scorn on the Government’s scheme to house refugees in the UK.
However, Gary was prepared with a fitting comeback, as he blasted the wannabe political party, headed by Billie Piper’s ex-husband Laurence Fox.
“You should probably have plucked out another name. I went first…and second…..and will continue to host. If any of you would like do the same, @RefugeesAtHome are amazing,” he replied, along with a thumbs up emoji.
His son George Lineker also retweeted The Reclaim Party’s post, and added: “Get your facts right fella.”
Gary joins more than 89,000 other people who have signed up to offer up their homes to Ukrainian refugees set to arrive in the UK after being forced to flee.
Sherlock Holmes star Benedict Cumberbatch is another celebrity who has offered up a room at one of his three London homes to displaced Ukrainians.
“It is a really shocking time to be a European two and a half hours flight away from Ukraine, and it's something that hangs over us,” he told Sky News on the red carpet at the BAFTAs on Sunday.
“We all need, as we know, to do more than wear a badge. We need to donate, we need to pressure our politicians to continue to create some kind of a refugee safety and haven here for people who are suffering,” the Marvel star continued.
“I think already today the news has broken that there's been a record number of people volunteering to take people into their homes, and I hope to be part of that myself,” the father-of-three added.
The stage and screen star owns a five-bedroom townhouse in Camden, alongside a flat in Shepherd's Bush and a three-bedroom home in Hampstead.
