BBC crisis escalates as players and stars rally behind Gary Lineker

Lineker was suspended from Match of the Day over a Twitter post that compared politicians’ language about migrants to that used in Nazi Germany

The BBC said it would broadcast ‘limited sport programming’ over the weekend after hosts of many of its sports shows declined to appear, in solidarity with Lineker

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Gary Lineker arrives at the King Power Stadium in Leicester, England on Saturday. Photo: PA Wire / dpa

Published: 1:49am, 12 Mar 2023Updated: 2:51am, 12 Mar 2023

The BBC’s sport service was in meltdown on Saturday after pundits and commentators refused to work in support of presenter Gary Lineker, who was forced to “step back” after accusing the government of using Nazi-era rhetoric.

Match of the Day presenter Lineker, England’s fourth most prolific goalscorer, sparked an impartiality row by criticising the British government’s new policy on tackling illegal immigration.

The 62-year-old compared the language used to launch the new policy to that of Nazi-era Germany on Twitter, which the BBC said on Friday was 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,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

A Manchester City fan at Selhurst Park stadium in London holds a sign in support of BBC presenter Gary Lineker before the match against Crystal Palace on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

However, the decision decimated scheduled sports programming across the BBC’s television and radio output.

Pundits and former England strikers Ian Wright and Alan Shearer immediately tweeted that they would not take up their usual roles on Match of the Day, followed by the programme’s commentators.