[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".

 

[Hotchilidog]

Utterly pathetic from the BBC. Just contemptible.

 

[midnight_rendezvous]

So it’s/ was fine when Andrew Neil, Jeremy Clarkson and Alan Sugar use/ used their platforms to view their political views. It’s fine that Laura Kuenssberg has fundamentally been a Tory mouthpiece for years. It’s fine that Fiona Bruce, the host of their flagship political program, Question Time, is married to a Tory donor. And it’s also fine that the BBC chairman donated to the Tory party and organising giving Boris Johnson a loan… but a tweet from Gary is breaching impartiality? The absolute state of the BBC.

 

[Comrade Sam]

The sadest thing about it is that the government has decided we will buck the Christian idea of asylum, the humanitarian idea of refuge and generally contributing in any way to helping those in need of a place of safety - and the only person to publicly stand up is a TV sports host.

 

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

They have been trying to muzzle him for years. Either they hate crisps, Leicester or basic human empathy. My money is on Leicester.

 

[pocketseagull]

Another shocking thing recently was the BBC website coverage of the Hancock whatsapp messages. The headline online was his reaction to being caught cheating, buried in the story was a paragraph about him blaming Sunak's eat out to help out scheme for spreading covid- how was that not the lead?!

 

[Eeyore]

I'm very much on the fence on this. Part of me thinks it's another example of over sensitivity but he must appreciate he's one of the most well know public figures employed at the bbc. He should probably realise different rules apply to him with regards to voicing an opinion

He's a football presenter. If he was political presenter, perhaps there may be an argument.

BBC can never get it right. They get attacked from both the right and the left while most of us watch on bewildered.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Good.

He and Shearer have been the Smug Brothers for far too long.

Time to move on.

 

[GrizzlingGammon]

I'm very much on the fence on this. Part of me thinks it's another example of over sensitivity but he must appreciate he's one of the most well know public figures employed at the bbc. He should probably realise different rules apply to him with regards to voicing an opinion

Why only him. Lord Sugar has done it.

No impartiality for Andrew Neil when editor of the Spectator whilst also working at the BBC.

Isn't this the cancel culture so many are against?

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Get rid of him.
Regardless of his politicising he’s too expensive for a publically-funded organisation.
People watch motd for the football not the presenters.
The bbc could put an autocue infront of any number of talented presenters, who would do the job and cost a lot less.

I do wonder if this is part of the thinking behind the decision – essentially giving the BBC an opportunity to save cash. You only have to look at how many big earners have departed the organisation to see what the BBC is up against in terms of its budgets and Gary's cash is a relatively big proportion of that. From the wider point of view, he'll do OK, even if he loses the MoTD gig.

However, it's an absolutely ridiculous decision, regardless of all of that. I was under the impression that the 'impartiality' thing was just down to news-based staff, not everyone. And he wasn't even ON the BBC when he was saying it – plus it's just ONE of his contracts!

You don't have to look far to find examples of bias from people – or people expressing an opinion – at the BBC. But it's whether those who shout the loudest in opposition to the opinions get heard – or agreed with – that matters. Express an opinion that the organisation agrees with (or the Government has suggested) and there wouldn't be an problem. Speak out? Then you're facked!

 

[GrizzlingGammon]

Good.

He and Shearer have been the Smug Brothers for far too long.

Time to move on.

Cancel culture.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Well at least he’s got the full support of his brother….

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Absolutely, excellent presenter hopefully the Beeb won't give him a cringe worthy script but it's a long shot.

Yep Mark Chapman would fit in seamlessly. But who ever it is, please not another ex Spurs supporting clone like Jermaine Jenas.

 

[amexer]

i don't expect any BBC presenter be giving there personal opinions on government policy whatever political party

 

[Is it PotG?]

Cancel culture.

If that means getting rid of golf buddy smug dinosaurs then yes, you're spot on.

 

[The Clamp]

The Beeb just missed a great opportunity to stand up to Tory racism.

Great shame.

 

[Stat Brother]

The sadest thing about it is that the government has decided we will buck the Christian idea of asylum, the humanitarian idea of refuge and generally contributing in any way to helping those in need of a place of safety - and the only person to publicly stand up is a TV sports host.

And he's instantly censured for doing so.

 

[doogie004]

What a sad world we live in

 

[portslade seagull]

Oh well, no doubt he will be back b4 long

 

[worthingseagull123]

Micah Richards please to replace.

 

[Gazwag]

Hopefully Alan sportswasher Shearer will go as well