[Football] Gary Lineker to step back from presenting MOTD

[Titanic]

Gary Lineker to step back from presenting MOTD

Gary Lineker to step back from presenting Match of the Day until agreement reached on social media use - BBC statement

www.bbc.co.uk

Gary Lineker is to step back from presenting Match of the Day until an agreement is reached on his social media use - BBC statement.
It follows an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the government's new asylum policy.
In a tweet, the presenter had compared the language used by the government to set out its plan to "that used by Germany in the 30s".

 

[chickens]

Maybe we should ask Peter Walton.

He agrees with all of us equally.

 

[Swansman]

I can assure you that Barney Ronay won’t have known your thoughts and opinions when he wrote that. Therefore, you are agreeing with him and not the other way round.

In other words you’ve read it uncritically, copied and pasted it, thought “that’ll do” and gone to bed.

As for the bit about not being Uni, you do realise there are copyright laws in this country? Break them again and you’ll have some time off. I’ve lost count of the times Bozza has asked people not to post images that are copyright protected and to acknowledge source when quoting an article

Tbf he wasn't quoting anything, he was clearly pretending it was his own words.

 

[schmunk]

If there's to be no commentary over the match highlights, it'd be the perfect time for home and away fans to unite in an around-the-grounds match-long chorus of "Fuck the Tories"...

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

So politics aside….because it’s the same people saying the same stuff as a proxy for a general election thread. So the commentators have now gone on strike and the BBC have said there will not be any manager interviews tonight. Match of the Day is all a bit toxic now but Sky have highlights anyway.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Tbf he wasn't quoting anything, he was clearly pretending it was his own words.

Yep. And linking to it and quoting the paragraph would have taken at least another ten seconds

 

[Pevenseagull]

If he'd come out with this on MOTD - fair game

The fact he's used his own Twitter account - as a freelance contractor - to give his opinion...where does the BBC get off on this ? Pathetic. They have no right to gag him. They can bin him, thats their right. But to do it over this, cowing to this foul, disgusting, corrupt, two-faced lying government. It speaks VOLUMES more about the stuffed suits at the BBC who are in the pockets of this rancid Tory party than it does about Lineker.

I wish he had done it on MOTD ... I don't know how 'live' the broadcast is but it would have been mighty fine for him to have signed off for the night tonight with, 'well that's it for now, AN historic 12 goal home defeat for dirty Leeds at the hands of should I say feet and Lewis Dunk's head of a stunning Brighton and Hove Albion ... oh, and the UK government are a bunch of self serving ****s ... Goodnight and goodbye'.

So politics aside….because it’s the same people saying the same stuff as a proxy for a general election thread. So the commentators have now gone on strike and the BBC have said there will not be any manager interviews tonight. Match of the Day is all a bit toxic now but Sky have highlights anyway.

Whoever is on they won't be nice about us.

 

[willalbion]

Except the BBC have expressly denied this and put out a statement to this effect. They are also broadcasting it. But the conspiracists are entrenched in their view it’s further evidence of government censorship and there’s no hope of them changing their stance. So 2023…

Deny it? It’s happened. It’s not being aired in prime time, unlike the other 5 episodes. Why? What’s your theory?

 

[AlbionBro]

Lineker is being supported by fellow MOTD hosts, pundits, commentators and even players and shone a light on some pretty shoddy behaviour by the Government and BBC.

How is it an own goal other than you not agreeing with him?

I agree entirely, the language part has upset virtually all, let's face it he doesn't need to shine a light on this government, it's being done 24/7 by themselves.

 

[Jim in the West]

Respect that, the BBC has been used as a political football (no pun intended) by successive governments probably since its creation. Governments are always trying to control it. Linekers mistake as I and others have repeatedly pointed out was to cite the Nazis in all but name. All this nuisance nonsense about the language, and he didn’t expressly use the name Nazis thereafter is I’m afraid not going to wash. As we’ve seen. Gary’s a fool if he thought otherwise. That or he’s too clever for his own good. Either way he’s miscalculated. Twitter isn’t the platform to debate such a complex matter. All he’s done is empower a government further that would like to revoke the licence. There’s a lot more at stake than Gary Linekers ego and bloody football as many call our beloved sport.

I very much doubt GL has miscalculated. It's a matter of principle. He thought it was right to call out this government's appalling policy on refugees and asylum-seekers. He was right not to cave in to the BBC DG's request to desist from such statements in the future. What has happened since is that the government's policy is coming under more critical examination and the BBC is seen to be reacting to government pressure. Many, many more people are now aware that the BBC is run by Tory party donors and members of the Tory party. The government now needs to be very careful what it does. Much more interference in the BBC and the average bloke will begin to seriously doubt its impartiality. The very thing that Tim Davie thought he was trying to preserve is at risk - and it's not down to GL, it's down to the fact that the BBC is run by people with very clear political affiliations. As you say, there's a lot more at stake than "GL's ego"....but I don't think it's an own goal on his part. Someone needed to surface these issues, and GL has done it amazingly effectively.

Incidentally, refusing to show David Attenborough's documentary in case it upsets Conservative party supporters is another massive own-goal by the BBC.

 

[Wozza]

Anyone else want to express their personal views on the format of MOTD, like it's f**king relevant to conversation?!

News: Russia has invaded Ukraine.

"Oh well, went there once on holiday and the food was terrible!"

 

[Swansman]

To summarize very shorty what has happened:

Gary Lineker has expressed personal criticism about a decision made by the UK government. Voicing his opinion has resulted in him getting suspended from appearing on state television.

How can you not - regardless of political orientation - see how flawed and totalitarian that is? If China or Russia would suspend government critics from appearing on TV we'd say "typical dictatorships to censor everything". But when it is done in the UK, some people think "Gary Lineker have to blame himself: shouldn't voice his opinions in public".

It isn't too remarkable that people agree or disagree with Gary Lineker. It is however truly remarkable that some people think suspending a TV persona, because of his personal opinions about the government, is something that is compatible with a democratic society. How can you not take off your political-tinted glasses and see it for what it is? Why are some of you defending this, your own party political convictions aside?

 

[Randy McNob]

General election now. This government must be removed not allowed to take us on this dystopian path, turning the national broadcaster into a government propagandist mouthpiece. They want the UK to be the North Korea of Europe, they say they represent the British people, prove it and call an election. The overwhelming support for Lineker is evidence the public do not support the governent's policies

 

[Bakero]

Not sure if this has been mentioned already but sounds like the show tonight is going to be pundit-free as no one will cross the picket line.

 

[beorhthelm]

theory this morning is this suits both parties: Lineker wants to move on to other things, beeb want to end largest contract. the stalemate wont be resolved because neither side really want it to.

BBC wear impartiality like a hairshirt, applying it where not necessary. they could have got out of this by stating comments weren't on their broadcast so dont count, ignored a bit of whining about that. are they collectively so dumb to not see the contradiction of suspension and the comments, or did someone take the opportunity presented.

 

[oldboyroy]

Alex Scott pulled out of football focus in support of Gary Lineker

 

[Deleted member 37369]

Not sure if this has been mentioned already but sounds like the show tonight is going to be pundit-free as no one will cross the picket line.

That’s how I watch it anyway. I record it Saturday night and watch it Sunday. I watch our game and generally fast forward most other games just watching goals and any controversial bits. Don’t listen to a word Lineker and co have to say because I’m really not interested!

 

[Wozza]

Not sure if this has been mentioned already but sounds like the show tonight is going to be pundit-free as no one will cross the picket line.

Yep, no host, no pundits and no original commentary, with the potential of production staff pulling out, bringing the whole show down.

[Edit: No player interviews either. Plus, Football Focus and other shows in doubt.]

Another cut-back. Another reduction in service. It's a perfect metaphor for our Tory government.

Millions will suffer, but a few will insist it will actual improve things - or at least pretend that it does, to suit a personal agenda.

 

[Bakero]

That’s how I watch it anyway. I record it Saturday night and watch it Sunday. I watch our game and generally fast forward most other games just watching goals and any controversial bits. Don’t listen to a word Lineker and co have to say because I’m really not interested!

No Comms either.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Why are all the free speech defenders suddenly trying to tell us Gary should have kept quiet?

Almost like they weren't in favour of free speech at all.

Why are the same people defending the publisher over Dahl now kicking off over this?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

So politics aside….because it’s the same people saying the same stuff as a proxy for a general election thread. So the commentators have now gone on strike and the BBC have said there will not be any manager interviews tonight. Match of the Day is all a bit toxic now but Sky have highlights anyway.

Which is probably why SSN is making such a big thing about it!

These are crazy times. Never before would 'man not turning up for work' create THIS much of a fuss.

And what has it done? Divide people. Again. Just like Brexit, Covid, immigration, etc etc. Everything is designed to force people to pick a 'side' and subsequently argue with each other. At the same time, the country - and its people - continue to struggle. It's ACTUALLY unbelievable.