Match of the Day is set to be limited just 20 minutes on Saturday night as the crisis surrounding the BBC show deepens following the suspension of host Gary Lineker.
The programme has been thrown into chaos in the last 48 hours after Lineker was asked to step back from his hosting duties after becoming embroiled in a row over impartiality. Pundits including Alan Shearer and Ian Wright have boycotted the show in solidarity with the presenter, while commentators have also refused to appear on the show as normal.
It means Saturday night's highlights show will also be without commentary after the BBC discovered on Saturday afternoon it did not hold the rights to use world feed commentary to replace those who have pulled out.
READ MORE: Jason Mohammad pulls out of BBC show Final Score as stars stage walkout in support of Gary Lineker
The broadcaster had already confirmed that the show will not feature studio presentation or punditry. However, The Times is now reporting that the show will last for a fraction over 20 minutes, with the disruption also set to affect Match of the Day 2 on Sunday.
In Wales, BBC Radio Wales's Call Rob Phillips programme won't be going to air this evening as a result of the BBC's limited sport programming. In its place will be a replay of a classical concert celebrating 100 years of the BBC in Wales.
The development comes after the BBC apologised to viewers over its limited sports programming, with Football Focus and Final Score also pulled from the schedule after presenters, pundits and reporters, including Jason Mohammed and Alex Scott also refused to appear on the channel.
“The BBC will only be able to bring limited sport programming this weekend and our schedules will be updated to reflect that," a statement read. “We are sorry for these changes which we recognise will be disappointing for BBC sport fans. We are working hard to resolve the situation and hope to do so soon.”
A further statement also confirmed: “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."
Match of the Day host Lineker found himself in trouble with bosses earlier this week after tweeting that he thought the UK Government's language relating to the cross-Channel migrants' issue was reminiscent of that used in 1930s Germany.
While the BBC initially suggested that Lineker would be spoken to, with no further action being taken, that decision sparked a furious backlash from Conservative MPs, who cited breaches of the broadcaster's impartiality rules.
It was then announced that the presenter had "stepped back" from his hosting duties, sparking a boycott by many of the broadcaster's biggest stars, with Ian Wright and Alan Shearer announcing their "solidarity" with Lineker by stating they would not be taking part in Saturday's highlights programme.
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