This afternoon it has been confirmed that Gary Lineker will 'step back' from his hosting duties for BBC Match of the Day, after receiving criticism over a social media post in response to the Tory Government's new llegal Migration Bill.
The PA News Agency reports that a BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days. We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines.
"The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match Of The Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media. When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none.
Read more: Gary Lineker will 'step back' from Match of the Day over social media row
"We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”
It comes a day after Gary Tweeted out about how he was 'very much looking forward to presenting' Match of the Day at the weekend. In a social media post yesterday, he wrote: "Well, it’s been an interesting couple of days.
"Happy that this ridiculously out of proportion story seems to be abating and very much looking forward to presenting @BBCMOTD on Saturday. Thanks again for all your incredible support. It’s been overwhelming."
But why is it that Gary has had to take a step back from his beloved hosting duties? Here, Chronicle Live explains.
What has led to Gary taking a step back?
On Tuesday this week (March 7), Home Secretary Suella Braverman unveiled a controversial brand-new Illegal Migration Bill. In a video posted to the Home Office's official Twitter page, Ms Braverman detailed the Tory Government's stance on those entering the United Kingdom illegally.
She said: "Last year, over 45,000 people made the unsafe, unnecessary and illegal journey across the Channel. Our asylum system has been overwhelmed. We're now spending almost £7million a day on hotels.
"Stopping the boats is one of the five promises the Prime Minister has made to the British people, and it's my top priority. That's why today, I'm announcing a new Illegal Migration Bill to do exactly that. The Prime Minister and I have been working flat out for months to bring this legislation to Parliament.
"This bill means that if you come here illegally you will not be able to stay. You will be detained and removed to your home country if safe - or a safe third country, like Rwanda. We are committed to helping those in need like the hundreds of thousands of people we have supported from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Hong Kong in recent years.
"But it's not fair that people who travel through a string of safe countries and then come to the UK illegally can jump the queue and game our system. This bill will bring and end to that.
"Enough is enough, we must stop the boats."
Lineker, always an advocate for equality and diversity however, didn't take too kindly to the Government's new stance or wording in their video. Posting a Tweet of his own, he penned: "Good heavens, this is beyond awful."
The Mirror reports that later, he added: "This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s."
Lineker's employer, the BBC - which remains impartial on political matters - then set up talks with Lineker over his use of social media.
This leads today to the aforementioned quote from the BBC on Lineker's future with the company and Match of the Day - commenting that: "he will step back from presenting Match Of The Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media."
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