The world’s most famous football programme, Match of the Day, is set to take up a very different format this weekend after a public fallout between lead presenter Gary Lineker and the BBC prompted a mass boycott from fellow hosts, pundits and commentators.
The corporation had decided to remove the TV host - who attended Leicester's home loss to Chelsea - from Saturday night’s episode after he refused to apologise for a tweet he had posted regarding a new government immigration policy, with the BBC taking the view that he had broken its impartiality standards.
In response, scheduled pundits Alan Shearer and Ian Wright said they would not be participating in the show, sparking other potential replacements and regulars to do the same.
READ MORE: Further blow to BBC show following Gary Lineker controversy
Then, commentators who were due to call the games in unison declared that they would not pick up the microphones this weekend. Meanwhile, Alex Scott told the BBC she would not be fronting weekly Saturday lunchtime show Football Focus, with Jason Mohammed and pundits also choosing to step back from afternoon programme Final Score.
The Professional Footballers’ Association announced earlier in the day that it would support Premier League players from speaking to the BBC for interviews, after which it was confirmed that no Match of the Day interviewers would approach personnel for pre and post-match chats.
Soon afterwards, BBC Radio 5 Live staff withdrew from scheduling in protest against the BBC’s decision to step Lineker down from presenting duties. As a result of the mass boycotts, Match of the Day is now set to run highlights without any punditry and commentary in what will be a severely stripped-back show.
The Times reports that the duration of the production is set to be cut to just 20 minutes from its scheduled one-hour-20-minute slot. It adds that the BBC are contractually obliged to show Premier League highlights but that disruption is likely to impact Sunday’s Match of the Day 2.
It means there will be no analysis on Manchester City’s trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Nothing has been officially confirmed for Match of the Day 2 yet, but Manchester United’s clash with Southampton on Sunday is likely to undergo the same procedure.
The outcome of the stalemate is unclear ahead of a big week for BBC Sport, with it due to broadcast live FA Cup quarter-final matches next weekend as well as the usual Premier League highlights.
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