Ian Wright has revealed he will walk away from the BBC if the broadcaster chooses to get rid of Gary Lineker.
The BBC's flagship football show Match of the Day was thrown into crisis after its regular commentators joined a boycott of the programme in solidarity with Lineker. Earlier on Friday afternoon, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer also pulled out Saturday's show.
The row began after the announcement on Tuesday of Government plans to make asylum claims inadmissible from those who make their way to Britain on "small boats". Lineker, tweeting in response, said that it was an "immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s".
READ MORE: LeBron James increases equity with Liverpool owners FSG in new 'lifetime deal'
READ MORE: New Everton stadium being 'brought to life' with target date to power up the site revealed
The former Everton forward then came under fire from Suella Braverman, the home secretary, and a number of Conservative MPs over his tweet. The BBC said it deemed the Match of the Day host’s 'recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines'.
However, reacting to the row on Friday afternoon, Wright, speaking on the Wrighty’s House podcast, issued a firm defence of his former England team-mate and revealed he is prepared to walk away from the broadcaster if they cut ties with Lineker.
“Before we go I have got to deal with the Gary Lineker stuff because that is my guy,” he kicked things off saying.
“He wrote a tweet criticising the Government about everything that is happening, with human rights and everything here, and it is the perfect distraction for this Government.
“Gary’s tweet was headline news, it is like they need Gary Lineker to distract everybody because for me, it is a human issue, it is not political.
“They have got no empathy and the more vulnerable ones are always the ones that suffer. They are the ones that suffer. And it starts with words.
“I think Gary Lineker he retweeted from a German professor because the Hilter thing was what they are all jumped on and everything like that.
“He retweeted saying it all starts with language. It starts with words. They didn’t just start throwing people into concentration camps. It starts with words and language and what they are doing again is like the culture war they want us all to have, Left vs Right.
“Wokery. 'You are woke, you are woke'. That is the distraction and I will tell you something, if they do, the BBC get rid of Gary Lineker, I am out! I am gone! I am not staying there.
“On his own platform he should be able to say what he wants to say. Gary Lineker says stuff on everything, but this, he is so right with what he is saying. I’ve spoken to Gary and I am behind him.”
READ NEXT:
Who will present Match of the Day and what time is show tonight after Gary Lineker decision
-
Sean Dyche decision on snoods and hats in the snow as Dominic Calvert-Lewin gives Everton boost
- Man United hammering should not delay what must happen at Liverpool this summer
- Sean Dyche has spoken with Yerry Mina as centre-back waits for Everton chance
Why Jurgen Klopp, Sean Dyche and other managers will not be speaking on Match of the Day tonight
