Ian Wright and Alan Shearer have both pulled out of appearing as pundits on Match of the Day on Saturday after the BBC dropped Gary Lineker.
A spokesperson for the BBC confirmed on Friday that Lineker would not be presenting Match of the Day until an agreement has been made regarding his future use of social media.
Lineker described the government's new Migration Bill as "beyond awful" after it was unveiled by home secretary Suella Braverman on Tuesday, later adding: "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."
Wright is a regular on the BBC's flagship highlights programme, but said he would stand alongside Lineker in solidarity by not working on Saturday evening's show. He tweeted: "Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity."
Later on Friday evening, his punditry colleague Shearer made the same decision. He tweeted: "I have informed the BBC that I won’t be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night."
Alex Scott, who has appeared on Match of the Day as a pundit and presented Football Focus, tweeted a GIF of Bernie Sanders saying "Nah! Not me" in an apparent response to people suggesting she might fill Lineker's role on Saturday. Pundit Micah Richards tweeted: "I was not due to be working on MOTD tomorrow, but if I was, I would find myself taking the same decision that @IanWright0 & @alanshearer have."
Wright received support from an array of people, with his ITV colleague Gary Neville writing "You’re more than good!" He added: "I had no doubt Ian Wright would do that! Who the hell is going to go on now !"
Former England goalkeeper Ben Foster replied: "Heck yes Wrighty!" Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling wrote: "Well played Wrighty", while fellow broadcaster Laura Woods replied with three clapping emojis.
Lineker's son, George, wrote: "Few greater people around that you Wrighty". Former BBC presenter Dan Walker, who now works for Channel 5, tweeted: "I used to sit in for @GaryLineker on MOTD… not sure I’d fancy it this weekend. What a mess!"
On Friday, a BBC spokesperson 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."
The Mirror has launched a petition to have Gary Lineker reinstated at the BBC and as the host of Match of the Day. Sign it here.
Later on Friday, the BBC confirmed they had changed the way Match of the Day would change the way the show was made, due to an inability to find any pundits or presenters.
A BBC 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. We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”
Lineker has rejected the BBC's take that he agreed to step back from presenting duties. Responding to his axing, Lineker told Channel 5: "They've told me I have to step back."
Lineker's former England team-mate John Barnes told Sky News: "I don't think he's got anything to apologise for. The main thing people were upset about was when they thought he was comparing it to Nazi Germany in the 1930s, which he wasn't. He was speaking about the language used.
"If you listen to the language used about refugees, it's horrendous - and it is similar to the 30s. He's not saying Britain is like Nazi Germany."
A Labour spokesperson said: “The BBC’s cowardly decision to take Gary Lineker off air is an assault on free speech in the face of political pressure. Tory politicians lobbying to get people sacked for disagreeing with Government policies should be laughed at, not pandered to. BBC should rethink.”
Conservative MP Nadine Dorries tweeted: "News that @GaryLineker has been stood down for investigation is welcome and shows @BBC are serious about impartiality. Gary is entitled to his views- free speech is paramount. Lots of non Public Service Broadcasters can accommodate him and his views and he would be better paid."
Lineker has presented Match of the Day since 1999. He is employed by the broadcaster on a freelance basis and was the BBC's highest-paid presenter in 2020/21, earning £1.35m.
The controversy surrounds his tweets earlier this week. Responding to a tweet from the Home Secretary outlining plans to stop migrants crossing the English Channel on boats which claimed the United Kingdom is "overwhelmed", Lineker wrote: "Good heavens, this is beyond awful."
He later added: "There is no huge influx. 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."
