The BBC has apologised to viewers as they will be operating a stripped-back weekend of sport programming following the backlash to the axing of Gary Lineker. The veteran anchor was stood down on Friday, March 10 after the publicly-funded broadcaster said they had “decided he will step back” while discussions over his social media use continued.
The Match of the Day host was taken off the show after describing the government's new Migration bill as "beyond awful" and saying the language in it is "not dissimilar to that used in Germany in the 30s, reports The Mirror. But the decision triggered a slew of high-profile pundits - with presenters and commentators boycotting the BBC ’s coverage of the Premier League this weekend.
That has not only impacted the flagship highlights programme, but also the likes of Football Focus, Final Score and Radio 5 Live commentaries. And the corporation have now apologised for the limited sport on the channels this weekend.
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A statement reads: “The BBC will only be able to bring limited sport programming this weekend and our schedules will be updated to reflect that.
“We are sorry for these changes which we recognise will be disappointing for BBC sport fans. We are working hard to resolve the situation and hope to do so soon.”
Meanwhile, Lineker, who has yet to officially break his silence, is attending Leicester City’s Premier League clash with Chelsea at the King Power Stadium. The former Foxes striker is expected to receive a hero’s welcome.
Lineker is said to have been taken aback by the unified support he has received since BBC made their position public on Friday evening. At that point, a statement read: "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."
The former England captain quickly disputed the BBC press release, claiming his decision to step back was far from a mutual one. And the incident has now resulted in a whole host of names confirming they will not appear this weekend.
Ian Wright was first to announce he would boycott Match of the Day, before fellow pundit Alan Shearer quickly joined him. Alex Scott and Jermaine Jenas, two of the early frontrunners to replace Lineker, then made their stance clear, with both saying they would not appear in solidarity with the anchor.
At that point, BBC were forced to announce that Saturday night's broadcast would be done without punditry or presenters, with full focus on match highlights. Their issues were quickly made worse when the six commentators set to cover the games also announced their intention to sit out of the broadcast.
It has since emerged that players and managers were set to opt against completing their BBC media commitments, with the Professional Footballers' Association later confirming they wouldn't even be asked.
The PFA statement read: "We have been informed that players involved in today's (Saturday) 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."
Away from the highlights programme, BBC's sporting coverage has been impacted. Football Focus and Final Score were both taken off the air after hosts Alex Scott and Jason Mohammed confirmed their intention to boycott. Radio 5 Live is also putting out a limited schedule, although Leeds United vs Brighton will be covered.
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