Match of the Day latest — Gary Lineker pulled by BBC as show to air with NO presenters while Football Focus is CANCELLED

BBC’s Former head of TV news and director of sport weighs in

Roger Mosey, who was previously a senior member of staff at the BBC gave his thought on Twitter about the situation.

He said: “So a few quick thoughts on where we are now with Gary and the BBC and the future. First, the tweets this week weren’t compliant with editorial guidelines as they have developed over the decades. The BBC is right about that, and also that impartiality is vital. But…

“The BBC has been inconsistent in applying the guidelines over the years. Their statement about not wanting Lineker to be “an opinion-free zone” is an example of murkiness. The corporation also hasn’t explained why Lineker is restrained but Alan Sugar & Co seem not to be.

“But most crucially now, by removing Lineker from MOTD, it looks as if the BBC has given in to one side of the culture war. That is, of course, intensified by the presence on the BBC board of govt appointees – most notably the chairman.

“So suggestions for now: Richard Sharp should go. He damages the BBC’s credibility. Ideally, Lineker should stay within clear, agreed guidelines. And the BBC should send out its executives to be interviewed and explain how they intend to resolve this crisis.”

Labour leader addressed the BBC vs Lineker situation

Keir Starmer joined the group of people who disagree with the BBC’s decision to drop Gary Lineker.

He said: “It is not impartial for BBC to cave in to Tory MPs complaining about Gary Lineker, it’s the opposite of impartial. They got this one badly wrong and now they’re very, very exposed.

“What they should be doing is standing up, accepting they’ve broken the asylum system, and telling us what they’re going to do to actually fix it, not whingeing on about Gary Lineker.”

Labour’s shadow education secretary tells BBC to ‘get serious’

Bridget Phillipson spoke to media at the annual conference of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) in Birmingham and called out the BBC for sacking Gary Lineker.

She said: “I think that the BBC just need to get serious about sorting this out. Fans will want to see the programme tonight with all of the presenters and it’s not a situation that we should be in.

“Gary Lineker’s comments were somewhat ill-advised but I think what needs to happen now is the BBC to take a step back from all of this and to resolve it.”

Billionaire John Caudwell comes out in favour of the BBC

According to billionaire and philanthropist John Caudwell, the BBC were right to sack Gary Lineker.

The Phones 4U founder posted on Twitter, saying: “While I still think this circus around @GaryLineker distracts from the real issues with refugees, the @BBC is right to suspend him.

“It’s fine to have an opinion and express it in a fair way. But as British taxpayers pay his salary, he should be promoting Britain not comparing the country to Nazi Germany.

“That’s unpatriotic and damaging to Britain’s image!”

Activist Femi Oluwole speaks out on the matter

The political activist has been very vocal on his Twitter about the BBC dropping Gary Lineker for his political comments.

Among his many tweets, he said: “Is the BBC really an authority on language sensitivity when they thought white news presenters could say the N-Word?

“Is it not MORE offensive to the memory of those killed by the Nazis, to ignore when similar language is used by today’s governments to scapegoat minorities?”

Actor Reece Dinsdale hits out at BBC

The Corrie and Emmerdale star took to Twitter to comment on the BBC’s decision to drop Gary Lineker from Match of the Day.

He pointed out how Gary was allowed to make an opening speech on the BBC’s coverage highlighting the controversies surrounding the FIFA World Cup hosted in Qatar last December, but then couldn’t comment on his own social media about his country’s policy.

Reece Dinsdale tweeted: “He can comment on human rights in Qatar whilst presenting the BBC’s coverage of the World Cup but he can’t comment on the state of his OWN country’s government for himself. How does that balance up, then?”

Support for Gary Lineker from Fatboy Slim

During one of his performances last night, Fatboy Slim displayed a picture of Gary Lineker on the stage.

He posted the video on his Twitter in a bid to show support to the former Match of the Day host who’s been sacked by the BBC.

‘There’s a lot of questions that need to be answered’

Former senior BBC head of religion and ethics told GB News shared his thoughts on Lineker’s situation with the BBC.

He said:  “I think they’ve made a difficult decision, whether it’s the right thing or not only they can tell you. But a lot of people disagree with what they’ve suggested simply because many people would point to the hypocrisy of that particular decision.

“And they’d also point to the fact that Gary is a sports presenter. His views are pretty well known anyway, regards to this and many other particular kinds of subjects.

“He’s not a news and current affairs presenter. And, you know, we need to ask is he entitled to have an opinion as a freelance employee, not a full time employee?

“Can the BBC, or any employer, really police somebody who has a job which is actually only a part time job? He’s a freelancer. And so this opens up a whole load of issues, I can understand the BBC wanting to get to the bottom of it.

“My question would only be actually, you know, did they really understand the makeup of how people operate these days. Gary has a portfolio career. He has a number of employers.

“And so can the BBC really impose its particular perspective on social media policy on somebody who is a freelancer, as opposed to somebody who is a full time worker?

“So I actually think there’s a lot of questions that need to be answered. And I think what it does is show you that the nature of how we work has changed radically.

“He really is a freelancer, and a lot of freelancers work for many different organisations. If he was a full time member of staff at the BBC, I think that would be a completely different conversation.

“It’s complicated because of the nature of his contract. And the fact that he’s not actually a news and current affairs presenter. And I think we’ve lost sight of that.”

What Ian Wright said on his podcast about the Lineker tweet

Before breaking the news that Gary Lineker is being sacked from the BBC, Ian Wright released his latest podcast episode in which he explained the row.

He said: “I’ll tell you something. If they do – the BBC get rid of Gary Lineker – I’m out, I’m gone. I’m not staying there. On his own platform he should be able to say what he wants to say.

“Gary’s tweet was the headline news, bro. They need Gary Lineker to distract everybody because for me it is a human issue, it’s not political.

“They’ve got no empathy. The most vulnerable ones are always the ones that suffer, they’re the ones that suffer and it starts with words. Gary Lineker, he retweeted from a German professor about – because the Hitler thing is what they all jumped on and everything like that.

“He retweeted saying that it all starts with language, it starts with words, they don’t just start throwing people into concentration camps, it starts with words and language.”

Gary Lineker might have presented Match of the Day for ‘the last time’

Former controller of editorial policy at the BBC, Richard Ayre, said that there might be no space for reconciliation between Gary Lineker and the national broadcaster.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Saturday, he said: “It is an irreconcilable position, I think, between the BBC guidelines and Gary who, perfectly understandably, feels that he has a right as an individual to express his views on any issue, however politically contentious it may be, and the BBC takes a different view because its guidelines lay down particular rules for people who are really high-profile BBC personalities, and I don’t think it’s likely that in the coming days they’re going to be reconciled.

“It may already have been the last time we’ve seen Gary presenting Match Of The Day, unfortunately.

“The BBC, in this time of all times, has to tread as straight a line as it can between the parties and avoid taking sides in its own output, and the BBC believes it also has to ensure that those key people who are identified as the BBC in the public mind also walk a straight line in what they say on their private social network

“It’s a sad occasion for viewers, for anybody who’s interested in football, it will be very sad if they can’t reconcile with Gary. He is superlative, he is absolutely extraordinarily good, not just as a football pundit, of course, but I think, in my 50 or so years of association with the BBC, I’ve never come across such a naturally gifted television presenter.

“He’s terrific and it will be very sad if he goes, but frankly the BBC and its reputation is bigger and more important than any individual, even Gary.”

Piers Morgan’s opinion on the Match of the Day situation

The BBC was accused of “losing its mind” by Piers Morgan after they’ve sacked Gary Lineker for a social media comment on the government’s asylum policy.

He took to Twitter, saying: “It’s absolutely insane that Britain has become a country where having an opinion can cost you your job. If we don’t cherish & fiercely protect free speech, even for views we personally despise, we’re no better than totalitarian regimes like China & North Korea.

“Comical to witness so many supposed free speech advocates furiously expressing their opinion that @GaryLineker should be sacked for expressing his opinion. Just about sums up this ridiculous farrago.”

Labour MP hits out at BBC

Angela Rayner has took to Twitter to address BBC and suggest that they “rethink” their decision about removing Gary Lineker from Match of the Day.

She said: “The BBC’s cowardly decision to take Gary Lineker off air is an assault on free speech in the face of political pressure from Tory politicians. They should rethink.”

Petition to reinstate Gary Lineker is created

The Mirror has created a petition to have Gary Lineker reinstated to Match of the Day.

So far, it has reached almost 118,000 signatures with a statement saying: “Gary Lineker has been forced to step back from presenting Match of the Day after tweeting critically about the government’s migrant policy.

“As a freelance sports presenter, Mr Lineker should be able to share his personal views on current affairs. Many other BBC faces have posted controversial opinions on social media without sanction.

“Meanwhile, the BBC chair Richard Sharp remains in post – despite helping to arrange an £800,000 loan for the former Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson while he was applying for his job.

“The Mirror believes Mr Lineker should be able to return to our screens as soon as possible.”

The BBC were ‘mistaken’

Former BBC director general and ex-FA chairman Greg Dyke spoke with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about Gary Lineker’s asylum policy tweer and whether it was right to sack him from Match of the Day.

Saying that the BBC were “mistaken” to make such decision, he shared his thoughts on whether Lineker’s tweet was acceptable: “We live in a world of freedom of speech and therefore, yes. He didn’t broadcast it on the BBC, it was a tweet he did privately.

“I think what the BBC did yesterday was mistaken. And I’ve over the years since I left the BBC never gone public criticising the leadership of the BBC and the decisions they take, because I know what a difficult job it is, and difficult decisions have to be taken.

“News and current affairs employees are expected to be impartial and not the rest. If you start applying the rules of news and current affairs to everybody who works for the BBC, where does it end?”

Bristol Rovers first team to support Lineker

League One side Bristol Rovers have become one of the first teams to support Gary Lineker publicly on their Twitter.

Later today, they play Forest Green.

PFA Comments

The Professional Footballers’ Association issued a statement on Premier League players not speaking to Match of the Day today.

It said: “We have been informed that players involved in today’s games will not be asked to participate in interviews with Match Of The Day.

“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.

“During those conversations we made clear that, as their union, we would support all members who might face consequences for choosing not to complete their broadcast commitments.

“This is a common sense decision that ensures players won’t now be put in that position.”