A former BBC boss has said presenters like Gary Lineker who are “inextricably bound up with an important BBC programme” should have to abide by impartiality rules.
10.03.2023 - 19:49 / deadline.com
Gary Lineker is to temporarily step back from Match of the Day after breaking the BBC’s impartiality rules on Twitter.
The BBC said: “The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days. 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.
“When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. 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.”
Lineker, the BBC’s highest-paid presenter, railed at “beyond awful” government plans to stop small boats carrying asylum seekers from arriving on British shores. He later added: “We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. 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.”
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A former BBC boss has said presenters like Gary Lineker who are “inextricably bound up with an important BBC programme” should have to abide by impartiality rules.
Gary Lineker agreed it was "good to be back" on the BBC to present Manchester City's FA Cup tie against Burnley on Match of the Day Live after stepping back from presenting last weekend in a controversial row over broadcaster's impartiality rules. The former England and Leicester City footballer came under fire for comparing the language used by the government in their asylum plans to 'that used by Germany in the 30s' in a tweet.
Gary Lineker admitted he was 'glad to be back' on the BBC to present Manchester City''s FA Cup tie against Burnley, after controversially being told to step back from presenting Match of the Day last weekend.
Gary Lineker will return to our TV screens later following a row which left the BBC's sport coverage in disarray. The former England international had to 'step back' from off his Match of the Day presenting duties after taking to social media to hit out at Government plans to stop small boats making the journey to Britain.
All eyes have been trained on Gary Lineker’s Twitter account since the Match of the Day host struck a deal with BBC management to return to work this weekend, and he has not disappointed.
Gary Lineker’s son has spoken out after facing relentless abuse on Twitter following his father’s public fallout with BBC over small boat tweets. George Lineker shared a screenshot of someone telling him he should be “burned at the stake” for supporting his dad when the Match of the Day (MOTD) presenter was briefly suspended from the BBC. Commenting on the abuse, George wrote: “Social media’s mad isn’t it.
UPDATE: BBC employees will stage their biggest strike in 13 years on Wednesday after eleventh-hour talks with management failed. The walkout will force coverage of the UK government’s Budget off air and heap more embarrassment on Director-General Tim Davie, who has apologized for scheduling chaos over the Gary Lineker saga.
“Ambiguity” around social media guidelines was to blame for the BBC Gary Lineker scandal, according to Ofcom boss Melanie Dawes, who was challenged on the “creeping politicization” of UK TV news during a committee hearing this morning.
EXCLUSIVE: The BBC has scrambled to avoid further disruption to its schedules after a walkout over Gary Lineker’s suspension canceled Premier League output.
will return to his Match of the Day presenting duties after the BBC apologised for suspending him in an impartiality row that has rocked the corporation. Lineker got to keep his job but made no apology for his tweet comparing the language used to launch a small boats asylum policy with that used in 1930s Germany – and tweeted again about the plight of refugees within minutes of being reinstated.
Gary Lineker is set to return to BBC Match of the Day this weekend following a row over impartiality.
Emily in Paris actor Lucien Laviscount didn't hold back on the Oscars carpet as he made his feelings about the Conservative government clear amid the ongoing Twitter row with Gary Lineker. The 30 year old actor shouted "f**k the Tories" and appeared to make a rude hand gesture when approached by GMB's North American correspondent Noel Phillips for his opinion on the matter.
Self Esteem showed her support for Gary Lineker last night (March 11) by wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “Free Gary” at her Eventim Apollo show in London.The singer-songwriter – real name is Rebecca Lucy Taylor – shared on Twitter an image of herself sporting the tee at the show, writing “Solidarity” and tagging the BBC Sport presenter.She has followed in the footsteps of Fatboy Slim, who on Friday (March 10) displayed Lineker’s face on a video screen behind him. The move was met by huge cheers from fans who were watching the DJ perform in Manchester.It comes amid a row between the BBC and Lineker after the latter on Tuesday (March 7) called the government’s controversial plan to ban people arriving in the UK illegally from ever claiming asylum an “immeasurably cruel”.
The BBC has recently descended into chaos after Gary Lineker was forced to step back from hosting Match of the Day following a row over impartiality. The footballer-turned-pundit, 62, was accused of breaching the BBC's impartiality rules after he posted a tweet comparing the language used to launch a new Government asylum policy with that of 1930s Germany.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spoken out after Gary Lineker was dropped from his role on Match of the Day. The row broke out earlier this week after the former England striker took to social media to hit out at Government plans to stop small boats making the journey to Britain.
Piers Morgan has blasted the BBC's decision to pull Gary Lineker off Match of The Day. The corporation said the presenter's criticism of the government's Migration Bill was a "breach of our guidelines". The sports pundit will now be stepping back from his presenting duties until a "clear position" on his social media use is agreed upon.
Football Focus and Final Score have been axed from today's BBC schedule as presenters are continuing to pull out in solidarity with Gary Lineker. BBC Radio 5 Live Sport has also suffered as contributors refused to go on the air.
More than 10 of the BBC’s highest-profile sports stars have staged an unprecedented walkout over the British broadcaster’s decision to suspend Gary Lineker. Below is a list of those who have walked out, with links to tweets explaining their reasons for joining the protest.
The BBC’s Premier League output is in freefall as mutinous presenters and pundits stage a protest over the suspension of Gary Lineker.
Fatboy Slim has thrown his support behind Gary Lineker after the footballer turned pundit was asked to “step back” from his presenting duties at the BBC.Earlier this week, Home Secretary Suella Braverman outlined the government’s controversial plan to ban people arriving in the UK illegally from ever claiming asylum.Lineker responded, 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”. Braverman then hit out at Lineker, saying that his comments “diminished the unspeakable tragedy” of the Holocaust.There is no huge influx.