BBC schedule in chaos as 5Live sport, Final Score and Football Focus pulled from air
The BBC’s sporting schedule was thrown into chaos as presenters and pundits pulled out of programs in support of Gary Lineker.
Football Focus was scheduled to air Saturday lunchtime, but Bargain Hunt played in its lunchtime slot, while The Repair Shop aired at 4.30pm instead of Final Score.
BBC Radio 5Live was also hit by the fact that Mark Chapman was not hosting sports coverage and live football commentary on Saturday afternoon.
BBC journalist Damian Grammaticas said on the BBC’s news channel that pressure from football pundits and commentators “has forced the BBC to completely change its sports coverage schedule today”.
Meanwhile, the man at the heart of the excitement left home on Saturday to watch his beloved team Leicester play Chelsea.
A steady stream of presenters, pundits and commentators have withdrawn from BBC sports programming and coverage in solidarity with the host of the match of the day.
The BBC said it was “decided” that Lineker, 62, would step down from moderating the MOTD over impartiality following his tweet about the government’s new immigration policy.
Referring to Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s announcement to bar migrants from crossing the Channel on small boats, he described the language she used as “not unlike that used by Germany in the 1930s”.
A BBC spokesman said: “The BBC have had extensive discussions with Gary and his team over the past few days.
“We have said we view his recent social media activity as a violation of our policies.
“The BBC has decided that he will step down from presenting Match Of The Day until we have an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.”
But Lineker confirmed it last night I that the decision to “resign” was forced upon him.
The announcement prompted a flurry of reactions from fellow BBC Sporters. Match-of-the-day experts Ian Wright and Alan Shearer said they weren’t ready to present the show either.
Sunday’s Match Of The Day 2 was also thrown into chaos when pundit Jermain Defoe announced he was stepping down from his place on the show.
Football Focus presenter Alex Scott pulled out two hours before it aired, while Kelly Somers confirmed she would not be presenting a BBC show today.
A joint statement from Match Of The Day commentators, including Steve Wilson, Conor McNamara, Robyn Rowen and Steven Wyeth, said they “did not feel it was appropriate to participate in the program given the current circumstances”.
The players also withdrew from post-game interviews today. A spokesman for the professional football association said it had been “informed that players involved in tonight’s games will not be asked to attend interviews with Match Of The Day”.
The BBC said that evening’s program will focus on match action with no studio presentation or expert knowledge.
Final Score host Jason Mohammad and a number of the show’s pundits also removed their services, including Glenn Murray, who tweeted that he would not be appearing.
He wrote: “I was supposed to be in Media City today but thinking about it last night I felt it was the right thing to do to step back from Focus & Score today.
“I hope normal service resumes next week.”
Football coverage on BBC Radio 5live was also affected as Mark Chapman appeared to have made his own choice to feature and follow suit with Dion Dublin and Leon Osman.
Football pundit Dion Dublin said “No 5live for me today” in a show of solidarity with colleagues at BBC Sport amid the broadcaster’s impartiality dispute with Lineker.
In a tweet, the former Aston Villa and Manchester United striker said: “In solidarity with my BBC Sport colleagues NO 5live for me today!”
5Live, which would normally broadcast today’s football matches including commentary and opinion, will show pre-recorded content instead, the BBC said.
Fighting Talk host Colin Murray previously said the show will not air on 5Live “for obvious reasons”.
Former BBC chief executive Greg Dyke said the company made a “mistake” and “undermined its own credibility” by taking Lineker off the air.
He told BBC Radio 4’s ‘Today’ program that the company’s precedent is that “news and current affairs staff are expected to be impartial and not everyone else’s”.
But Richard Ayre, a former head of editorial policy at the BBC, said the channel’s reputation was “bigger and more important” than anyone else, including Lineker.
He told BBC Breakfast on Saturday that in the run-up to the general election the company “needs to keep as straight a line as possible between the parties and avoid taking sides in its own result, and the BBC believes that is the case around.” to ensure that these key people, who are publicly identified as the BBC, also have a clear line on their private social networks.”
He added: “It’s a sad occasion for viewers, for anyone interested in football it will be very sad not to be able to reconcile with Gary.
“He’s amazing and it will be very sad when he goes but honestly the BBC and its reputation is bigger and more important than anyone, even Gary.”
The BBC has been contacted for comment I.