The BBC have been rocked as a 'huge rift' opened up between the broadcaster and its Sport staff after an agreement was reached to bring Gary Lineker back.
The corporation stood Lineker down from his Match of the Day presenting duties on Friday amid a row with Conservative party MPs. Lineker had compared the language around the government's Illegal Migration Bill to that seen in 1930s Germany.
But the decision to temporarily remove him led to a fierce backlash among BBC Sport staff, with many of the on-air talent scheduled to feature in the weekend's programming pulling out, forcing large-scale disruption.
After Lineker's return was brokered by director general Tim Davie, the head of BBC Sport, Barbara Slater, held a series of meetings within her department in which staff members confronted her.
According to the Daily Mail, some were left 'outraged' by the how the incident played out, with staff left furious. A 'huge rift' has now opened up in the department between staff and BBC bosses.
A poll was presented to Slater in which 80 per cent of respondents rate senior management zero out of five for the way they handled the situation. There was some criticism of Lineker, but also 'open incredulity' at Slater when she claimed bosses could not have foreseen the fallout.
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Some staff have also been angered by a perceived inconsistency with the rules around social media use. Accounts are closely monitored by BBC officials, with some staff reprimanded if they so much as 'like' a political view on Twitter.
BBC Sport staff also made clear to Slater that there is frustration that the situation was a mess of the corporation's own making. There is also fury at the lack of communication and leadership, with many left waiting in the dark until the last minute to find out if their show would be aired.
Slater had wanted the meetings to remain confidential and admitted to having 'noting but regret' over the events of the last five days. Lineker will return this weekend after a deal was struck between him and Davie, which will see a review take place of the BBC's social media guidelines.
There is scepticism among staff that the review will be effective though. For his part, Lineker is delighted to be able to return to his hosting duties with the BBC and thanked his colleagues for their solidarity.
"After a surreal few days, I’m delighted that we have navigated a way through this. I want to thank you all for the incredible support, particularly my colleagues at BBC Sport, for the remarkable show of solidarity," he wrote on Twitter.
"Football is a team game but their backing was overwhelming. I have been presenting sport on the BBC for almost 3 decades and am immeasurably proud to work with the best and fairest broadcaster in the world. I cannot wait to get back in the MOTD chair on Saturday.
"A final thought: however difficult the last few days have been, it simply doesn’t compare to having to flee your home from persecution or war to seek refuge in a land far away. It’s heartwarming to have seen the empathy towards their plight from so many of you."
