The row over the BBC's handling of the Gary Lineker tweet controversy rumbles on. He's 'stepped back' from Match of the Day following posts deemed to have broken broadcaster's impartiality rules. The former footballer has been overwhelmed with support from fellow BBC employees and celebrity pals.
Co-star Ian Wright is refusing to present Match of the Day today (Saturday, May 11) in 'solidarity' with Lineker, while BBC commentator Alex Scott has made the same decision regarding the latest episode of Football Focus. Even Piers Morgan is backing Lineker and has blasted the BBC for its 'spineless' decision.
But not everybody has been so supportive. Conservative MP Nadine Dorries - who previously starred on ITV's I'm A Celebrity and has her own talk show on TalkTV - has blasted the ex-England pro, saying he needs to decide whether he's a Labour candidate or TV presenter.
Posting on Twitter, the 65-year old wrote: ".@GaryLineker need to decide though, is he a footie presenter or a candidate for the Labour Party? We discuss on my show tonight on @TalkTV 8pm !" While the Tory politician-turned Talk TV presenter set the tweet so that only those mentioned could reply, that didn't stop the quote tweets, which are rolling in thick and fast.
Her comments have been retweeted more than 5,000 times, with many highlighting the apparent irony. @FranS199 asked: "Is Nadine Dorries a chat show presenter or a Conservative MP? She seems to think you shouldn’t be both.."
@jakkibak called it: "IRONY epitomised." @did_40 slammed: "But you haven't retired. You did I'm a Celebrity, you are on TV now whilst still an active MP. He's not an MP, can say what he likes, take other jobs. He isn't answerable to a constituency or ethics committee like you!"
@ErinMSCFC1983 asked: "Do you need to decide whether you're an MP or whether you're a TV Presenter? Pot, kettle Black love!" @HelloTerriLowe said: "Uhmm... So do you need to decide if you're an MP or a presenter on your own show??"
@BiteYourBrum said: "COOL. Maybe you should decide if you’re an MP or a TV presenter, hun." @edwinhayward said: "Nadine Dorries, a SITTING MP, is inviting people to tune into HER OWN TV SHOW to discuss Gary Lineker being booted off TV for a political tweet."
@thommoteach joked: "Decide if you are a politician or a tv presenter … stated by a politician presenting a TV show." @BlokeOnWheels said: "Surely that means you have to decide whether you want to be a politician or a TV presenter, or do such rules only apply to non-Tories?"
@CraigyMac1979 asked: "Is this irony? I’m genuinely confused as to whether this is intentional irony or that @NadineDorries is so pathetically lacking in self-awareness that she doesn’t perceive the hypocrisy of her tweet."
Responding to the criticism, the Conservative politiican, TV presenter and former star of ITV's I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here said: "Love this. 2.5m views in a couple of hours. Difference between Gary and I is, I’m a retiring, vintage Con MP starting out as a non BBC presenter. He’s a vintage @bbc presenter starting out as a Labour Party activist. Only, you can’t do that when you work for a public service broadcaster as your platform funded by the licence fee payer. But, you all knew that!"
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