BBC boss apologizes for sport disruption in Lineker row.
Tim Davie, the director general of the BBC, has apologized to license fee payers following a day of sports programming interruptions.
On Saturday, football programs were abruptly canceled after presenters and commentators walked out in support of Match of the Day host Gary Lineker.
Match of the Day was shortened to 20 minutes.
After criticizing the government’s controversial asylum policy, Lineker was suspended. However, Mr. Davie denied that the government influenced his decision.
In addition to having no host, Match of the Day on BBC One on Saturday evening aired without commentary and Alan Shearer and Ian Wright.
The program also lacked its signature theme song and opening credits. The show began with a graphic reading “Premier League Highlights” before launching directly into clips from the Bournemouth vs. Liverpool game, with the crowd noise replacing the usual commentary.
Mr. Davie acknowledged that it had been a “difficult day” for the company, but stated that “we are working extremely hard to resolve the situation.”
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In an interview with BBC News, Mr. Davie stated, “Success for me is getting Gary back on the air, and together we are giving audiences world-class sports coverage, which I’m sorry we weren’t able to provide today.”
The director general stated that he would “absolutely not” resign, but conceded that “this has been a difficult period for the BBC.”
He stated that there had been no “appeasement” of any political party in response to allegations from opposition parties that BBC executives had caved to pressure from Downing Street and ministers over the anti-government tweet.
Mr. Davie stated that Mr. Lineker had been asked to “step back” due to his involvement in “party political matters.” He added that he was willing to review impartiality rules for independent contractors like Lineker.
George Lineker, the son of Gary Lineker, was quoted in the Sunday Mirror as saying he believed his father would return to Match of the Day. However, George stated that “he [Lineker] will never go back on his word.”
Tuesday, Lineker commented on the Illegal Migration Bill, describing it as “an immeasurably cruel policy aimed at the most vulnerable people, using language not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 1930s.”
His suspension on Friday sparked a broader discussion about the impartiality of the BBC, the government’s asylum policy, and the status of the broadcaster’s chairman, Richard Sharp.
It also resulted in an unprecedented day of chaos for the BBC’s sports operation, with some of the most recognizable voices and faces associated with its football coverage walking off the job.
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On a day that should have featured morning-to-evening football programming on television and radio, the BBC was forced to air reruns or podcasts on Radio 5 Live to fill in schedule gaps.
Football Focus was scheduled to air at noon, but the host tweeted that he “doesn’t feel right going ahead with the show today” an hour and a half beforehand.
Final Score was eliminated from the 16:00 time slot after host Jason Mohammad informed the BBC that he refused to host.
Fighting Talk, a regular Saturday morning program on Radio 5 Live, was canceled due to a staff boycott; host Colin Murray stated that the decision was “made by the entire… team and myself.”
The afternoon’s television programming consisted of repeats of Bargain Hunt and The Repair Shop. At one point, 5 Live resorted to airing previously recorded content.
Before Match of the Day aired at 22:20 on BBC One, a continuity presenter informed viewers, “We’re sorry we’re unable to broadcast our normal Match of the Day with commentary tonight, but here is the best action from today’s Premier League matches.”
There are significant concerns regarding Sunday’s planned coverage and the BBC’s ability to air Match of the Day 2 with Mark Chapman. On Saturday, the host was absent from the airwaves.
In a statement released Saturday evening, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak referred to Lineker as a “talented presenter” but added that the controversy was not a matter for the government.
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He stated, “As prime minister, I must act by my moral convictions, recognizing that not everyone will always agree.” Because of this, I have been unambiguous in my approach to stopping the boats.
Gary Lineker was an outstanding football player and a gifted presenter. I hope that the current situation between Gary Lineker and the BBC can be resolved expeditiously, but it is not the government’s responsibility.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport stated, “individual cases are a matter for the BBC,” whereas Downing Street and several senior ministers have been vocally critical in recent days.
The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, and the Culture Secretary, Lucy Frazer, both attacked the presenter for comparing the government’s language to that of Nazi Germany.
Ms. Braverman stated that Mr. Lineker’s use of the Nazi analogy was “lazy and unhelpful.”
Senior Labour politicians, including party leader Sir Keir Starmer, have expressed their support for Lineker. He stated that the government should concentrate on repairing the asylum system rather than “whingeing” about Lineker and accused BBC executives of caving into ministerial pressure.
Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, demanded that BBC chairman Richard Sharp resign, stating that the controversy exposed “failures at the top” of the corporation.
“We need leadership at the BBC that upholds our proud British values and can withstand the consistently turbulent politics and bullying tactics of today’s Conservatives,” he continued.
Greg Dyke, who served as director general between 2000 and 2004, stated earlier on Saturday that the BBC had “undermined its credibility” with its handling of the controversy.
He cited the ongoing controversy surrounding Mr. Sharp and added that the BBC’s decision regarding Mr. Lineker could give the impression that it has “caved into government pressure.”
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An ongoing KC-led review of Mr. Sharp’s appointment as BBC chairman is investigating whether he failed to disclose his role in facilitating an £800,000 loan guarantee for former prime minister Boris Johnson. He has denied any involvement in Mr. Johnson’s loan arrangement.
Additionally, the BBC is conducting an internal investigation into any potential conflicts of interest Mr. Sharp may have in his current capacity as BBC chairman.
Roger Mosey, former head of BBC TV News and director of sport, also demanded Mr. Sharp’s resignation and stated that the chairman had “damaged the BBC’s credibility.”
Others, however, have shown more support for the BBC’s actions. Former BBC editorial policy controller Richard Ayre stated on Friday that the BBC had “no choice” but to take action against Lineker.
He stated that BBC director general Tim Davie had “clearly tried” but failed to reach an agreement with Lineker, adding: “It’s inevitable that, having in effect not fired him but removed him temporarily at least, the BBC will now face a torrent of criticism alleging that it is acting at the government’s behest.”
Since 1999, Lineker has hosted Match of the Day and is the BBC’s highest-paid star, earning approximately £1.35 million in 2020-21. He is employed on a freelance basis by the BBC.
BBC employees are expected to maintain impartiality on political issues and must adhere to stringent social media guidelines, but there is significant debate as to how they should apply to non-news staff.
The Match of the Day production team was not informed in advance of the decision regarding Lineker, according to BBC News.
On Saturday, Lineker was seen attending a Leicester City home game and has not yet made a public statement regarding recent events.
