Gary Lineker – latest: BBC talks with presenter ‘moving in right direction’ as disruption continues
According to BBC News, there are hopes a resolution will be reached soon but not all issues are ‘fully resolved’
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Talks between BBC and Gary Lineker are believed to be “moving in the right direction” after a second day of disruption to the corporation’s sports programming.
There is “growing confidence” that the former England player will return to host the popular BBC show, according to reports,
According to BBC News, there are hopes a resolution will be reached soon but not all issues are “fully resolved.”
The Women’s Super League Chelsea v Manchester United game on BBC Two kicked off with no pre-match presentation and no pundits tonight.
BBC Radio 5 Live’s football phone-in programme 606 will also not air again tonight, according to Sky News.
Mr Lineker, who has hosted Match of the Day for almost a quarter of a century, has been embroiled in a row over impartiality after comparing the language used to launch a new government asylum policy with 1930s Germany.
BBC boss should use Match of the Day’s 20-minute silence to consider if row could have been handled any worse
Gary Lineker: How much is the Match of the Day presenter paid?
How the Gary Lineker and Match of the Day chaos unfolded - and the repercussions for the BBC
Gary Lineker: History of Match of the Day host’s political tweets
‘Sickening’: Tory backlash over plan to detain children arriving on small boats
Children who arrive in the UK on small boats will be detained in immigration centres under Rishi Sunak’s plan to tackle the crisis, it has emerged – sparking a backlash among senior Conservatives.
Campaigners, MPs and have pointed out that the bill allows the detention of families with children, reversing a ban introduced by the David Cameron-led coalition government a decade ago.
The Refugee Council and other experts fear the legislation could allow the deportation of unaccompanied children if returning them to their country of origin is deemed safe – an idea denied by government.
Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has the story:
‘Sickening’: Tory backlash over small boats plan to detain children
Rebellion brewing, as senior figures denounce plans to reverse David Cameron-era ban on child detention
Gary Lineker refuses to respond to questions on role at BBC
Gary Lineker said “I can’t say anything” to questions from reporters when he left his home in Barnes, south-west London, to walk his dog on Sunday morning.
He was asked “do you still want to work for the BBC?”, “have you spoken to Tim Davie overnight?”, “have you had discussions with BT or Sky?” and “is this the end of your presenting career?”, but provided no response.
He was dressed in blue jeans, a blue zipped jumper and walking boots, and left for a nearby park.
BBC wants to ‘pick and choose’ when presenters can be impartial, says John Barnes
The BBC wants to “pick and choose” when its presenters can be impartial, former England football star John Barnes has said.
Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Mr Barnes said: “I don’t know when the BBC has ever been impartial but BBC reporting on the World Cup was anything but impartial.
“So, it seems that they want to pick and choose when they want to be partial, criticising others or criticising other countries or other political parties or other religions seems to be okay.
“But, of course, if you then criticise what goes on in this country, then it seems that they will then come up with the impartiality rule.”
Voices: This wasn’t Match of the Day - just another symbol of broken Britain.
There were no words. Which was apt in its own way, because when people can’t speak freely, there often aren’t. There were noises, the sound of various crowds. But there was not even the most iconic theme tune in sports broadcasting. Which is just as well, because this wasn’t Match of the Day. It was a 20-minute highlights package stitched together, looking like the kind of cheap production of goals from a second-rate European league that was waiting for some interchangeable, inoffensive song to be added on before it was broadcast.
Out senior football writer Richard Jolly on the burgeoning impartiality row between Gary Lineker and the BBC:
This wasn’t Match of the Day - just another symbol of broken Britain
A cheap 20-minute highlights package stitched together epitomised the cultural vandalism caused by this Conservative government
Lineker may have ‘outgrown’ role at BBC, says former boss
A former BBC executive has described Gary Lineker as a “brilliant” broadcaster but questioned if he has “outgrown” his role at the BBC.
Peter Salmon, who among his many roles was previously the controller of BBC One and director of sport, said the fallout of the impartiality row surrounding the former England footballer is a “mess” and feels director general Tim Davie needs to get a “grip” of the situation.
Discussing Lineker‘s role while on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Salmon said: “It’s complex and he’s a major figure. Twenty-five years in Match Of The Day - he’s more than just a TV presenter, he’s a national figure.
“He’s got views, he’s got passions, he’s been involved in looking after Ukrainian refugees. It may be that Gary’s outgrown the job and the role in the BBC.
“Twenty-five years in, before that Des Lynam, Gary took over, he’s been brilliant. Sometimes there’s a point at which you cross the line.”
Reflecting on the disruption to the BBC’s sports schedule this weekend due to pundits walking out in solidarity with Lineker, he added: “It’s a mess, isn’t it?
“They must be wishing they could reel back 72 hours and start all over again. It’s Oscars day but there’s no awards for how this has been managed.
“I think they’ve got to take action pretty quickly. It doesn’t help the chairman of the BBC himself is slacked to one side in this process and there’s a bit of an issue. Tim Davie is isolated in some ways, he needs to come home and grip this now. We need him back running the ship.”
Limited Match of the Day episode watched by 2.6m
Saturday night’s limited Match Of The Day (MOTD) was watched by 2.6m viewers, according to BBC News.
The football highlights programme was viewed by nearly half a million more than last Saturday’s show, which had an audience of 2.1 million, according to BARB overnight figures.
However, the show was radically different as it aired for only 20 minutes and did not include accompanying commentary or analysis from pundits or even its famous theme tune - instead broadcasting only short highlight clips of the day’s matches.
Gary Lineker said “I can’t say anything” to questions from reporters when he left his home in Barnes, south-west London, to walk his dog on Sunday morning.
He was asked “do you still want to work for the BBC?”, “have you spoken to Tim Davie overnight?”, “have you had discussions with BT or Sky?” and “is this the end of your presenting career?”, but provided no response.
He was dressed in blue jeans, a blue zipped jumper and walking boots, and left for a nearby park.
Watch: Rachel Reeves says the BBC pulling Gary Lineker off the air was 'out of proportion'
‘Cruelty without purpose’: Plan to detain children arriving on small boats sparks anger
Children who arrive in the UK on small boats will be detained in immigration centres under Rishi Sunak’s plan to tackle the crisis, it has emerged – sparking outrage among charities and concern among Tory MPs.
A coalition of more than 350 charities, businesses and unions have condemned home secretary Suella Braverman’s Illegal Migration Bill, as the Archbishop of York said it “amounts to cruelty without purpose”.
Campaigners have pointed out that the bill allows the detention of families with children, reversing a ban introduced by the David Cameron-led coalition government a decade ago.
Our political correspondent Adam Forrest has more:
Plan to detain children arriving on small boats denounced as ‘sickening’
Backlash as senior Tories denounce plans to reverse David Cameron government ban on child detention
What we know of BBC disruption so far
Following the heavily limited edition of Match of the Day on Saturday, it was announced this morning that both Match of the Day 2 and the coverage of the Women’s Super League match would follow a “much reduced” format today.
Saturday’s episode of Match of the Day lasted “just 20 minutes” - with no presenter, pundits, commentary or interviews.
Yesterday’s disruption did not stop there, however, as both Football Focus and Final Score were pulled at the eleventh hour.
Bargain Hunt was broadcast in place of Football Focus on BBC One at noon on Saturday, while The Repair Shop was due to run instead of Final Score at 4.30pm.
BBC Radio 5 Live was also impacted, with host Mark Chapman relinquishing the helm of both 5 Live Sport and Fighting Talk.
Pre-recorded content replaced the live broadcasts, with Kammy & Ben’s Proper Football Podcast aired during Fighting Talk’s slot followed by The Footballer’s Football Podcast which played on Radio 5 Live when 5 Live Sport would have aired.
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