Gary Lineker

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?”

Former England striker Gary Lineker has faced criticism from members of the Conservative party after comparing the language used to launch a new Government ...

A lot of people feel very strongly about this, and they feel that if Lineker is being taken off air, they want nothing to do with Match of the Day on Saturday either." Why are sections of the media and the press just focussing on Lineker? "What about another member of the BBC board, Sir Robbie Gibb. "Now, the rules are a little bit different depending on what area of the BBC you work in. He is somebody who has helped to arrange an £800,000 loan for the former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. "The question is will he ever present Match of the Day again? "But of course, Lineker doesn't work in news of current affairs. A Labour source said: "The BBC's cowardly decision to take Gary Lineker off air is an assault on free speech in the face of political pressure. "It will now be interesting to see what happens with other presenters, pundits, analysts and commentators. We expect these individuals to avoid taking sides on party political issues or political controversies and to take care when addressing public policy matters." The statement continued: "When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. "Happy that this ridiculously out of proportion story seems to be abating and very much looking forward to presenting @BBCMOTD on Saturday.

The former England footballer, who presents the flagship Match of the Day show, compared the language used to launch the new policy to the rhetoric of Nazi-era ...

“Solidarity.” We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines. “The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match Of The Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.”

The BBC have confirmed that presenter Gary Lineker will step back from his role at Match of the Day amid discussions over his use of social media.

Ian Wright has also confirmed he will not be appearing on Match of the Day on Saturday in "solidarity" with Lineker. [said he expected](https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1633835628898160642) to be presenting Match of the Day as normal on Saturday. "The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.

Gary Lineker, the BBC's highest-paid presenter, compared the government's asylum policy to rhetoric used by Nazi Germany.

Lineker was deemed to have broken BBC impartiality rules last October after tweeting his views on the Conservative Party accepting donations from Russia. We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines. “When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. The BBC said Lineker had “additional responsibility” because of his high profile and reminded him that employees should “avoid taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.” Some called for him to be suspended. Lineker has repeatedly defended his original tweets.

Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker is to step back from presenting the programme until an agreement is reached on his use of social media, the BBC sai.

We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines. Lineker tweeted on Thursday that he was “very much looking forward” to presenting Match Of The Day on Saturday. Pundit and former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has said he will not be appearing on Match of the Day on Saturday in “solidarity” with Gary Lineker. “The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match Of The Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media. Gary Lineker will “step back” from presenting Match Of The Day until he and the BBC have reached an “agreed and clear position” on his use of social media. “We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”

Corporation takes its highest-paid presenter off air after criticism from Tory MPs and rightwing media.

I wasn’t down to be doing Match of the Day tomorrow, but if I was, I would of said no and stood with my fellow pundits and @GaryLineker.” Philippa Childs, head of the entertainment trade union Bectu which represents thousands of BBC workers, said the broadcaster’s decision was “deeply concerning”. The presenter and former Arsenal and England player Alex Scott also appeared to rule herself out of presenting Saturday’s edition of Match of the Day amid speculation that she might take over. Lineker’s comments dominated coverage of the government’s new asylum policy and were publicly criticised by a number of cabinet ministers. Sharp later claimed that he had acted “in good faith” as a “go-between”. “Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days. Not me” alongside the caption: “FYI …” He likened the language used by ministers about asylum seekers to “that used by Germany in the 30s”, a [comparison labelled “offensive”](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/mar/09/gary-lineker-says-he-stands-by-remarks-about-immigration-policy-bbc) by the home secretary, Suella Braverman. A BBC spokesperson said Lineker would be off air until an agreement was reached on his future use of social media. Wright, the former England footballer and a regular co-presenter, swiftly said he would not be working on this Saturday’s Match of the Day as a result of Lineker’s suspension. “We are comforted that football fans who want to watch their teams should still be able to do so, as management can use World Feed commentary if they wish.”

Lineker was removed as presenter of BBC's Match of the Day show after criticising UK government's asylum-seeker policy.

He was the leading scorer at the 1986 World Cup and finished his international career with 48 goals in 80 matches for England. 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? In the interests of fairness could you please now ask [@Lord_Sugar]to step aside from [@bbcapprentice]. Otherwise people may wonder if you are truly impartial [@GaryLineker] [pic.twitter.com/GY2JurOiLy] “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”. Lineker has yet to make an official comment on his temporary dismissal, though one of his former BBC colleagues – 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”.

Support pours in for former England captain Gary Lineker, removed by BBC over tweets on UK government's refugee policy.

It’s the BBC that needs Lineker to restore its credibility.” Well done Ian Wright for showing the meaning of solidarity.” “I think he’s become one of the really important cultural figures for the country. “As a strong supporter of public service broadcasting, I want to be able to defend the BBC. But the decision to take But the decision to take Gary Lineker off air is indefensible.

WHAT HAPPENED? Lineker has been in the spotlight after criticising the government's asylum seeker policy with a post on Twitter. The former England captain ...

Ian Wright has also confirmed he will not be appearing on Match of the Day on Saturday in "solidarity" with Lineker. [said he expected](https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1633835628898160642) to be presenting Match of the Day as normal on Saturday. "The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.

In statements posted to social media, four commentators said it would not be appropriate to work on the programme. Earlier, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer also ...

He is employed by the BBC on a freelance basis. “We have never said that Gary should be an opinion free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.” In the statement announcing he would not be presenting MOTD, the BBC said: “When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. 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”. In a later statement, a spokesperson said: “Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary. The corporation said it considered his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines, adding it had been decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.

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/).

By Awobiyi Seyifunmi. Following the suspension of Gary Lineker from hosting matchday duties, key staff at BBC have protested against his suspension.

Hopefully, I will be back in the chair next week…” For me, it’s a human issue, it’s not political.” “That is the distraction and let me tell you something if the BBC do get rid of Gary Lineker I am out,” Wright commented on the issues on his podcast Wrighty’s House.

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.