Alan Shearer and Ian Wright have introduced they’re boycotting Match Of The Day this weekend over the BBC’s determination to face Gary Lineker down from the present.
The company stated on Friday that it had “decided” Lineker would take a break from presenting the highlights programme till an “agreed and clear position” on his use of social media had been reached.
Lineker, 62, has been embroiled in a row over impartiality after evaluating the language used to launch a brand new Government asylum coverage with Thirties Germany on Twitter.
The announcement by the BBC prompted pundit and former Arsenal striker Wright to tweet that he wouldn’t be showing on Saturday in “solidarity”.
“Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity,” he stated.
Former England striker and pundit Shearer adopted shortly after, tweeting: “I have informed the BBC that I won’t be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night.”
BBC presenter Jermaine Jenas, one other Match of the Day pundit, later tweeted: “Been on air with the One Show. I wasn’t down to be doing match of the day tomorrow, but if I was I would of said no and stood with my fellow pundits and @GaryLineker.”
Micah Richards had earlier stated on Twitter: “I was not due to be working on MOTD tomorrow, but if I was, I would find myself taking the same decision that @IanWright0 & @alanshearer have.”
Former Arsenal and England participant Alex Scott, who’s one other BBC pundit, additionally appeared to rule herself out of presenting the programme on Saturday, tweeting a Gif of US politician Bernie Sanders saying “Nah! Not me” with the caption: “FYI…”.
Commenting on Shearer’s tweet, George Lineker, the son of Gary, stated “what a man” after which added in a separate Tweet: “RIP MOTD tomorrow.”
Announcing the choice concerning Lineker on Friday, a spokesperson for the BBC stated the broadcaster had 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.
“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 will not be but clear who will stand in for him throughout Saturday’s version of Match Of The Day.
According to Channel 5, presenter Dan Walker messaged Gary Lineker asking: “What is happening. Are you stepping back?”
Lineker responded: “No, they’ve told me I have to step back.”
The row was sparked by Lineker’s response on Twitter to a Home Office video wherein Home Secretary Suella Braverman unveiled the Government’s plans to cease migrants crossing the Channel on small boats.
The ex-England striker wrote: “There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries.
“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.”
It is the newest controversy to hit the company after its chairman, Richard Sharp, turned embroiled in a cronyism row over him serving to Boris Johnson safe an £800,000 mortgage facility.
BBC director-general Tim Davie warned workers about their use of social media when he took on the position on the finish of 2020, and tips round social media use have since been up to date.
Staff had been instructed they should observe editorial tips and editorial oversight in the identical manner as when doing BBC content material.
Lineker is a contract broadcaster for the BBC, not a everlasting member of workers, and isn’t answerable for information or political content material so doesn’t want to stick to the identical guidelines on impartiality.
