Gary Lineker

Ex-director general says decision to suspend presenter for criticising government's asylum policies is mistaken.

And clearly the BBC has failed on that.” The decision led to displays of solidarity from Lineker’s co-hosts, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, who announced that they would not be participating in Saturday’s show. If you’re working for the BBC, you have a responsibility, when you’re public-facing … “I think what the BBC did yesterday was mistaken. Asked whether Lineker’s tweet was acceptable, he said: “We live in a world of freedom of speech and therefore, yes. “And once the BBC does that, then you’re in real problems.

England icon Gary Lineker removed from BBC role after criticism of government asylum policy.

As a freelancer who doesn't work in news or current affairs, Lineker isn't bound by the same rules and he often delves into politics and human rights issues with his tweets. He was the leading scorer at the 1986 World Cup and finished his international career with 48 goals in 80 matches for England. The BBC considers Lineker posting such views on social media as a breach of its guidelines. "So Gary Lineker wants to continue to present 'Match Of The Day' and is not apologising for what he has said," Walker said on Channel 5, where he works, "but he has said it's a BBC decision to force him to not present the program at the moment." After more of his BBC co-workers, like former players Alex Scott, Jermaine Jenas and Micah Richards, said they would not want to work on "Match of the Day" because of the treatment of Lineker, the BBC took the decision to change the format of the show. Lineker has yet to make an official comment, though one of his former colleagues on the BBC — Dan Walker — said he had been in contact with Lineker and asked him "whether he is stepping back or whether the BBC have told him to step back."

One of the BBC's best loved presenters has been taken off air due to an impartiality row.

Gary, 62, will not present the nation's flagship football show after the BBC decreed his 'Nazi' jibe tweet that compared the Home Office's immigration ...

We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines. You are the face of BBC Sport. 'They'd have been sliced into 100 pieces and fans, marshals and drivers were wholly at risk of injury and death. Please observe BBC editorial guidelines... 'Traditionally, the BBC would always want that to be the case but I think in the current day and age when we live in a world full of social media, when journalism broadcasters have the ability to go and work for other people or do their own podcasts and all the rest of it, that's a bit of an unrealistic expectation.' Mr Sambrook, who was director of news at the BBC and director of BBC Global News and the BBC World Service, was asked Lineker's comments. A source close to Match of the Day told MailOnline that even the production team was 'considering walking in support of Gary Lineker and have contacted their union'. Announcing the changes to this week's show, a BBC spokesperson said: 'Some of our pundits have said that they don't wish to appear on the program while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary. Regular Match of the Day commentator Steve Wilson said he and other talking heads have vowed not to participate in the next programme. Offer:Joe Lycett has said he is 'very much available' to step in for Gary Lineker as host of Match of the Day [READ MORE: Gary Lineker's BBC career hangs by a thread: Match of the Day star 'needs to choose' between voicing political opinions and fronting show](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11847421/Gary-Linekers-BBC-career-hangs-thread-following-mutiny-Nazi-tweet-row.html) [Joe Lycett](/tvshowbiz/joe-lycett/index.html) has said he is 'very much available' to step in for [Gary Lineker](/sport/gary-lineker/index.html) as host of Match of the Day. BBC bosses told the former England striker on Thursday afternoon that he either had to stop his politicised posts or quit the BBC altogether.

Greg Dyke wades into row over Match of the Day host's migrant Nazi jibe.

Walker, who now presents Channel 5’s evening news, said on air: “I’m actually texting the man himself at the moment. She said the corporation "should work very closely with both sides" to form a policy to "apply across the board", and in the meantime should "call for the suspension" of its chairman. His original tweet said: [he (Lineker) will step back from presenting Match of the Day](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/03/10/gary-lineker-next-tv-job-bbc-motd/) until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media". [latest to criticise the move](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/08/gary-lineker-twitter-controversy-politics-bbc-nazi-jibe/), saying of Tim Davie, the current boss, that he "does not know how he gets out of this". [plunged the BBC into crisis](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/10/gary-lineker-steps-back-match-day-migrant-nazi-jibe/), with the flagship football show now airing as only highlights on Saturday night after its main pundits and commentators staged a boycott, with producers said to be in "meltdown" and some Premier League players considering refusing to do interviews.

Gary Lineker will take a step back from presenting "Match of the Day," the iconic British football show, following controversy about a tweet he wrote ...

Meanwhile, Dan Walker, a former BBC Breakfast and Football Focus presenter, tweeted: “I used to sit in for Gary Lineker on MOTD… “When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?”

Broadcaster pulls ex-footballer from sports programme after he compares government rhetoric over immigration to Nazi Germany.

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Usual BBC programs Football Focus and Final Score have been scrapped today amid a mass presenter walk out, including Alex Scott, in support of Gary…

Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week….— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) [March 11, 2023] However - I have this morning informed the BBC that I will not be presenting the show this afternoon on BBC One. The former Brighton striker, on Twitter, said: "Was meant to be up in Media City today but reflecting last night I felt it was the right thing to do to step away from Focus & Score today. "However - I have this morning informed the BBC that I will not be presenting the show this afternoon on BBC One." In a tweet, Scott said: “I made a decision last night that even though I love my show and we have had an incredible week winning an SJA for football focus that it doesn’t feel right for me to go ahead with the show today.

Pundits Ian Wright and Alan Shearer and regular commentators say they will not appear on Saturday.

He is employed by the BBC on a freelance basis. "The BBC is not acting impartially by caving in to Tory MPs who are complaining about Gary Lineker," he told broadcasters at Welsh Labour's conference in Llandudno. He said the government should focus on fixing the asylum system rather than "whingeing on" about Lineker and accused BBC bosses of bowing to pressure from ministers. Lineker reacted to it on Twitter calling it an "immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s". Mr Dyke warned the move could create the impression that the "BBC has bowed to government pressure". "The real problem today is that the BBC has undermined its own credibility by doing this," he told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Ian Wright and Piers Morgan support BBC presenter's right to express views while Suella Braverman and Lee Anderson are critical.

Mike Graham Another TalkTV host, Graham called Lineker’s tweet “disgusting” and said he should apologise to people of Jewish heritage who had found it offensive. “The people who are paying Gary Lineker’s salary are licence fee payers and they do not all agree with Gary Lineker,” she said. “To kind of throw out those kind of flippant analogies diminishes the unspeakable tragedy that millions of people went through and I don’t think anything that is happening in the UK today can come close to what happened in the Holocaust.” Lee Anderson The Conservative party vice-chair called Lineker’s invocation of Nazi-era Germany “disgusting and vile”. “The perception out there is that the BBC has bowed to government pressure. Ian Wright After it was announced on Friday that Lineker would not be hosting Saturday’s Match of the Day (MOTD), his co-host Wright said he wouldn’t be appearing either.

Alex Scott, the host of the BBC's "Football Focus" TV programme, pulled out of the show after Gary Lineker was taken off air.

This is a common sense decision that ensures players won't now be in that position." In the interest of transparency, this was a decision taken by the entire FT team and myself." "The PFA have been speaking to members who wanted to take a collective position and to be able to show their support for those who have chosen not to be part of tonight's programme," the PFA said in a statement.

BBC Radio 5 Live's schedule was obliterated as live sport coverage was replaced by podcast repeats. Colin Murray and Mark Chapman were among the presenters who ...

We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines. Lineker was deemed to have broken BBC impartiality rules last October after tweeting his views on the Conservative Party accepting donations from Russia. “When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. - Lineker is yet to even comment on his suspension. We are sorry for these changes which we recognise will be disappointing for BBC sport fans. [BBC](https://deadline.com/tag/bbc/) has apologized after its Premier League output went into freefall as mutinous presenters and pundits staged a protest over the suspension of [Gary Lineker](https://deadline.com/tag/gary-lineker/).

The BBC is facing a boycott of its flagship soccer show "Match of the Day," as well as other soccer coverage, following its announcement that presenter Gary ...

But the decision to take Gary Lineker off air is indefensible. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?” Lots of non Public Service Broadcasters can accommodate him and his views and he would be better paid.” “I honestly do not believe, despite a lot of the commentary, that this is about left or right,” Davie said. [tweeted](https://twitter.com/NicolaSturgeon/status/1634258493954727949): “As a strong supporter of public service broadcasting, I want to be able to defend the BBC. “It’s always such a privilege to work with BBC MOTD. But tomorrow I have taken the decision to stand down from my punditry duties. In an interview with BBC News on Saturday, the broadcaster’s Director General Tim Davie was asked if he should resign over the crisis. “The PFA have been speaking to members who wanted to take a collective position and to be able to show their support for those who have chosen not to be part of tonight’s programme,” the statement added. [announced](https://twitter.com/PFA/status/1634490666276323328/photo/1) on Saturday “players involved in today’s games will not be asked to participate in interviews with Match of the Day.” He added: “There is no huge influx. “The BBC will only be able to bring limited sport programming this weekend and our schedules will be updated to reflect that,” a BBC spokesperson said in a statement Saturday.

Gary Lineker took advantage of a Saturday off to watch his hometown club Leicester City take on Chelsea.

A basic edition of Match of the Day will air but will do little distract from the corporation's crisis that leads the nation's news bulletins. WHAT NEXT FOR LINEKER & THE BBC? Instead, Lineker was all smiles as took the trip from his home in southwest London to the Midlands this afternoon to watch the club he has never hid his affection for - famously appearing on the show in his underpants after their unexpected 2016 Premier League title win.

The BBC apologises for 'limited' sports broadcasts, after presenters drop out of key programmes.

Time to soften the tone, praise Lineker - he’s "a great footballer and is a talented presenter". "We fully understand the depth of feeling and why some freelancers will elect to not work on BBC sport programmes today or choose to join protests." The bill would allow the UK government to detain and remove asylum seekers arriving via illegal routes. The government, it seems, was happy enough to weigh in while the issue gained momentum. But the minute Gary Lineker was suspended it became a bit more tricky. Earlier he said: "At the heart of this is the government’s failure on the asylum system. The minute Lineker was suspended that dynamic changed. It’s an opportunity for Labour to try to get back on the front foot. And it also gives Sir Keir Starmer an opening to criticise the whole small boats policy too. While Rishi Sunak’s statement has softened the tone from the government, and ministers have gone quiet since Lineker was suspended, for Labour the opposite is true. But he said: "Everyone wants to calmly resolve the situation. "As a keen sports fan I know to miss programming is a real blow and I’m sorry about that.

Alex Scott, the host of the BBC's "Football Focus" TV programme, pulled out of the show after Gary Lineker was taken off air.

This is a common sense decision that ensures players won't now be in that position." In the interest of transparency, this was a decision taken by the entire FT team and myself." "The PFA have been speaking to members who wanted to take a collective position and to be able to show their support for those who have chosen not to be part of tonight's programme," the PFA said in a statement.

Saturday's Match Of The Day will go ahead without a presenter, pundits and several regular commentators amid an impartiality debate.

Jason Mohammad announced he would not be presenting Final Score on Saturday, tweeting: “As you know, Final Score is a TV show very close to my heart. “We all love the BBC and are proud to work for such a great broadcaster. We have made a salary sacrifice today. Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week…” Many of us are freelancers – only paid per game. He said he would not “add to” the corporation’s current statement on the matter but that there had been “very constructive discussions”.

As a growing number of Premier League players and presenters rallied to Lineker's support, Britain's national broadcaster was forced to rip up its radio and ...

Last year, the BBC found Lineker had breached impartiality rules with a tweet about the Conservatives’ alleged Russian donations. Lunchtime TV program “Football Focus” was replaced on Saturday with a rerun episode of antiques show “Bargain Hunt,” while early evening “Final Score” was swapped for “The Repair Shop.” We are working hard to resolve the situation and hope to do so soon.” He was greeted with cheers from bystanders as he arrived. There will not be any post-match player interviews, either. [was suspended](https://apnews.com/article/gary-lineker-bbc-migrants-comments-braverman-86e76bdcec9d9c6773a3a87d5943422b) from “Match of the Day,” a popular highlights show, over a [lawmakers’ language about migrants](https://apnews.com/article/uk-migrants-channel-asylum-human-rights-braverman-497fc05aa4056bc3fdb2b5ba381931c1) to that used in Nazi Germany.

The BBC is facing an escalating crisis over its suspension of former England striker Gary Lineker from Match of the Day over a Twitter post commenting on ...

Last year, the BBC found Lineker had breached impartiality rules with a tweet about the Conservatives’ alleged Russian donations. Lineker, its chief presenter since 1999, is the network’s highest-paid star, as well as one of English soccer’s most lauded players. One of the network’s radio stations, 5 Live, did not air one of its lunchtime shows after a presenter withdrew from hosting. On Friday, the BBC said the 62-year-old Lineker would “step back” from Match of the Day until “we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.” There will not be any post-match player interviews, either. The Professional Footballers’ Association said some players wanted to boycott the show as a gesture of support, and as a result “players involved in today’s games will not be asked to participate in interviews with Match of The Day.”

The BBC has scrambled to stem an escalating crisis over its suspension of former soccer star and programme...

We are working hard to resolve the situation and hope to do so soon." Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said the BBC was "caving in" to political pressure from Conservative lawmakers. On Friday, the BBC said Lineker would "step back" from "Match of the Day" until "we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media." Lineker, 62, was a household name in Britain even before he became chief "Match of the Day" presenter in 1999. He was suspended from "Match of the Day," the iconic soccer highlights show, over a Twitter post that compared lawmakers' language about migrants to that used in Nazi Germany. And there was to be no studio punditry from some of the most high-profile stars in the British game as former England strikers Ian Wright and Alan Shearer led the boycott.

The BBC was forced to scrap much of its weekend sports programming as it scrambled to stem a crisis over its suspension of Lineker for comments criticizing ...

Lineker has yet to comment publicly, and on Saturday went to his hometown of Leicester to watch Leicester City play Chelsea in the Premier League. On Friday, the BBC said Lineker would "step back" from "Match of the Day" until it had "an agreed and clear position on his use of social media." There will be no commentary on the matches and no studio punditry from some of the most high-profile stars in the British game who have chosen to support Lineker and not work. We are working hard to resolve the situation and hope to do so soon." Lunchtime TV program "Football Focus" was replaced with a rerun episode of antiques show "Bargain Hunt," while early evening "Final Score" was swapped for "The Repair Shop." British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made his first comments on the storm, saying: "Gary Lineker was a great footballer and is a talented presenter.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says a row between the BBC and football presenter Gary Lineker over his criticism of the government's migration policy ...

"The BBC is not acting impartially by caving in to Tory MPs who are complaining about Gary Lineker," Labour leader Keir Starmer said on Saturday. "We are working hard to resolve the situation and hope to do so soon," the BBC said in a statement. - The opposition party says the BBC is "not acting impartially by caving in to Tory MPs"

Former England footballer Gary Lineker, now a respected and experienced TV presenter, posted a tweet about a UK government policy. It lead to a broadcasting ...

The BBC initially said it would have to hold a "frank conversation" about Lineker's social media use, in which he would be "reminded of his responsibilities". However, the broadcaster later said he would not be presenting the latest episode of Match Of The Day, saying: "When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) While it is a public organisation without an overall owner, the BBC is overseen by a chairperson, Richard Sharp. Commentators collectively said they would not cover their games, meaning the BBC would have to draw from a global feed, and there were earlier rumours that players could decline post-match interviews. Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week…— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) Braverman told ITV that Lineker's remark was "irresponsible", although she too inaccurately said the 62-year-old was equating the government's "measures" to 1930s Germany, not its rhetoric. However, it was a follow-up tweet that caused the bigger controversy. Lineker retweeted the video, writing: "Good heavens, this is beyond awful." He was stood down from hosting the programme that was due to air on March 11. On March 7, Suella Braverman, the UK Home Secretary, appeared in a video tweeted by the Home Office account entitled 'Enough is enough. The tempest that followed this decision was remarkable.

Broadcaster forced to slash TV coverage, while BBC chair and director general face calls to resign over crisis.

BBC 5 Live presenter Nihal Arthanayake said: “The director general has been very clear that impartiality is his priority and I have seen that play out with a focus that I have not witnessed before. You do have to say though that if Richard Sharp was to stay and Lineker was to go, it would look peculiar.” However, putting the original story so high on the news agenda is a classic BBC phenomenon, because the BBC is so nervous about not appearing to cover its own problems. Even those who support BBC attempts to rein in Lineker’s political comments argue that Sharp, whose actions are still under investigation because he failed to mention the aid he gave Johnson when he was interviewed for the job, has already seriously damaged the image of the public service broadcaster. He is at least as brilliant a broadcaster as people say, but that does not mean he is above the guidelines. He said he hoped “that the current situation between Gary Lineker and the BBC can be resolved in a timely manner, but it is rightly a matter for them, not the government”. Mark Damazer, a former member of the BBC Trust and one-time controller of Radio 4, said Davie should not stand down, because the director general had to enforce current guidelines. Roger Mosey, once a BBC head of news and a former director of sport, also called for Sharp to quit: “Richard Sharp should go. “Because at the heart of this is the government’s failure on the asylum system. Lineker was criticised by home secretary Suella Braverman after he compared the language used by ministers to describe their asylum policies to that of the Nazis in 1930s Germany. Earlier in the week he had been assured there would be no action taken against him, prompting some to suspect that pressure from government turned BBC minds against him. not just the bombastic rhetoric that riled people like Gary Lineker”.