Liverpool legend John Barnes believes the BBC appears to 'pick and choose' when it wants to be impartial amid the ongoing fallout around Gary Lineker.
The BBC confirmed on Monday morning that Lineker was set to return to the broadcaster, after being stood down on Friday afternoon for comments he made on social media about the government’s plans to ban people arriving in the UK on "small boats" from ever claiming asylum. The former Everton forward came under fire from Suella Braverman, the home secretary, and a number of Conservative MPs over his tweet.
Football coverage on BBC TV and radio shows was hit across the weekend as pundits, presenters and reporters – including Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Alex Scott – walked out in solidarity with Lineker. Match of the Day aired for just 20 minutes on Saturday without accompanying commentary or analysis from presenters, and Sunday’s edition followed a similar format, running for a reduced 15 minutes.
