Match of the Day favourite Ian Wright believes "heads have got to roll" in the wake of the BBC's impartiality row with Gary Lineker.
The BBC forced Lineker to "step back" from presenting Match of the Day after the former England international criticised the government's new Illegal Immigration Bill and their use of language towards refugees. Lineker's controversial axe led to a backlash.
Wright and his fellow BBC pundits boycotted last Saturday night's Match of the Day, as the BBC were forced to pull most of their football coverage. The BBC apologised and reinstated Lineker, who doubled down on his stance in vindication, on Monday morning.
Wright told the BBC he would permanently quit Match of the Day if Lineker was not reinstated and supported his colleague's opinion. The Arsenal legend has discussed the topic further on his latest appearance on the Wrighty's House podcast.
"For me, they made a hot mess," claimed Wright. "I’m telling you - this is all from high up - I can’t blame my man Philip Bernie [the head of BBC TV sport], the BBC Sport team. All of this is over a tweet. At some stage, surely, heads have got to roll.
"The mismanagement levels of this is, I can’t even tell you, but it’s done - everybody knows how I feel about it. I’m just pleased that it’s kind of come to something."
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Wright appears to be referring to the BBC's chair Richard Sharp, director general Tim Davie and non-executive director Robbie Gibb. All three chiefs have previously been associated with the Conservatives - leaving huge question marks over the BBC's impartiality.
Several Tory MPs and right-wing political commentators demanded for Lineker to apologise or leave the BBC after he criticised the government. Some pundits believe the Tories put pressure on the BBC to axe Lineker, although this theory remains disputed.
At present, no senior figures at the BBC have resigned over the row. Lineker did not call for Davie's resignation after the row was settled. He tweeted, "I'd like to thank Tim Davie for his understanding during this difficult period. He has an almost impossible job keeping everybody happy, particularly in the area of impartiality."
Wright believes the media storm surrounding Lineker's tweet was a "perfect distraction from what really matters". The story has dominated the headlines since last week and has overshadowed many important topics, such as the new Illegal Migration Bill.
The controversial legislation, led by prime minister Rishi Sunak and home secretary Suella Braverman, aims to detain migrants who enter the country via illegal routes without bail or judicial review before being deported and blocked from returning.
Several human rights activists and groups have slammed the bill, with Lineker describing it as "beyond awful". The ex-footballer doubled down on his stance after his reinstatement. He tweeted, "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."
