A former BBC boss has said presenters like Gary Lineker who are “inextricably bound up with an important BBC programme” should have to abide by impartiality rules.
08.03.2023 - 22:15 / deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Senior BBC journalists are furious at Gary Lineker’s “egregious” breach of impartiality rules after he compared UK government asylum policy to 1930s Nazi Germany.
Deadline has spoken to a number of sources in the BBC newsroom who said that their mission to cover news objectively had been damaged by Lineker’s tweets on Tuesday. They urged Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, to take action against the Match of the Day host.
Lineker, the BBC’s highest-paid presenter, railed at “beyond awful” government plans to stop small boats carrying asylum seekers from arriving on British shores. He later added: “We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s.”
One BBC presenter said it was “such an egregious breach” of the broadcaster’s standards on impartiality, which were made a top priority by Davie when he took office in 2020. A second insider added: “It’s a massive problem for us. Tim needs to act decisively now. It’s unsustainable.”
Lineker’s colleagues acknowledged that he is unlikely to be fired, but said it was possible that he could be taken off air for a period of time. “Suspend til end of the [football] season? He might walk at that point which would not be a bad thing from Tim’s point of view,” said one person.
Two sources said the matter was complicated by the presence of Richard Sharp, the BBC’s chairman. Sharp remains in post despite explicit links to the Conservative Party, including recent revelations that he helped facilitate a loan guarantee for former prime minister Boris Johnson around the time he was applying for his BBC role. “They
A former BBC boss has said presenters like Gary Lineker who are “inextricably bound up with an important BBC programme” should have to abide by impartiality rules.
Gary Lineker has shared a picture of himself in a BBC studio ahead of returning to present live coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Burnley.The presenter, 62, was taken off air last week by the corporation for a tweet comparing the language used to launch a new Government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany in a row over impartiality. Taking to Twitter on Saturday (18 March), the broadcaster shared a photo of himself at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester ahead of the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Burnley.
Gary Lineker will return to our TV screens later following a row which left the BBC's sport coverage in disarray. The former England international had to 'step back' from off his Match of the Day presenting duties after taking to social media to hit out at Government plans to stop small boats making the journey to Britain.
All eyes have been trained on Gary Lineker’s Twitter account since the Match of the Day host struck a deal with BBC management to return to work this weekend, and he has not disappointed.
Gary Lineker’s son has spoken out after facing relentless abuse on Twitter following his father’s public fallout with BBC over small boat tweets. George Lineker shared a screenshot of someone telling him he should be “burned at the stake” for supporting his dad when the Match of the Day (MOTD) presenter was briefly suspended from the BBC. Commenting on the abuse, George wrote: “Social media’s mad isn’t it.
“Ambiguity” around social media guidelines was to blame for the BBC Gary Lineker scandal, according to Ofcom boss Melanie Dawes, who was challenged on the “creeping politicization” of UK TV news during a committee hearing this morning.
England footballing legend John Barnes says the conversation around the Home Office's controversial illegal migrant policy is being "side-tracked" by the Gary Lineker and BBC row. Speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the former Liverpool player said headlines over the weekend could result in the message that Lineker was trying to get across, and the reason he spoke out in the first place, being 'lost'.
Self Esteem showed her support for Gary Lineker last night (March 11) by wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the words “Free Gary” at her Eventim Apollo show in London.The singer-songwriter – real name is Rebecca Lucy Taylor – shared on Twitter an image of herself sporting the tee at the show, writing “Solidarity” and tagging the BBC Sport presenter.She has followed in the footsteps of Fatboy Slim, who on Friday (March 10) displayed Lineker’s face on a video screen behind him. The move was met by huge cheers from fans who were watching the DJ perform in Manchester.It comes amid a row between the BBC and Lineker after the latter on Tuesday (March 7) called the government’s controversial plan to ban people arriving in the UK illegally from ever claiming asylum an “immeasurably cruel”.
Gary Lineker. The corporation on Friday said it had “decided” the former England star would take a break from presenting the highlights programme until an “agreed and clear position” on his use of social media had been reached. The 62 year old became embroiled in a row over impartiality after using Twitter to compare the language used to launch a new Government asylum policy with 1930s Germany.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spoken out after Gary Lineker was dropped from his role on Match of the Day. The row broke out earlier this week after the former England striker took to social media to hit out at Government plans to stop small boats making the journey to Britain.
Piers Morgan has blasted the BBC's decision to pull Gary Lineker off Match of The Day. The corporation said the presenter's criticism of the government's Migration Bill was a "breach of our guidelines". The sports pundit will now be stepping back from his presenting duties until a "clear position" on his social media use is agreed upon.
Celebrities and cultural figures including a Nobel literature laureate and comedian have voiced their thoughts on the BBC’s impartiality row involving Gary Lineker.The corporation on Friday said it had “decided” the former England star would take a break from presenting the highlights programme until an “agreed and clear position” on his use of social media had been reached.The 62 year old became embroiled in a row over impartiality after using Twitter to compare the language used to launch a new Government asylum policy with 1930s Germany. Many have used the hashtags #StandWithGary, #IStandWithGaryLineker OR #IStandWithGary to voice their support for Lineker.
Football Focus and Final Score have been axed from today's BBC schedule as presenters are continuing to pull out in solidarity with Gary Lineker. BBC Radio 5 Live Sport has also suffered as contributors refused to go on the air.
The BBC’s Premier League output is in freefall as mutinous presenters and pundits stage a protest over the suspension of Gary Lineker.
Fatboy Slim has thrown his support behind Gary Lineker after the footballer turned pundit was asked to “step back” from his presenting duties at the BBC.Earlier this week, Home Secretary Suella Braverman outlined the government’s controversial plan to ban people arriving in the UK illegally from ever claiming asylum.Lineker responded, calling it an “immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s”. Braverman then hit out at Lineker, saying that his comments “diminished the unspeakable tragedy” of the Holocaust.There is no huge influx.
The BBC’s popular Premier League highlights show Match of the Day will air without a studio presenter or its regular roster of pundits after lead presenter Gary Lineker was asked to step back from coverage after breaking the broadcaster’s impartiality rules on Twitter.
Piers Morgan has joined a chorus of criticism against the BBC’s decision to suspend Gary Lineker after he compared British government rhetoric to Nazi Germany.
Gary Lineker has revealed that it was the BBC's decision for him to step back as presenter of Match of the Day.
Gary Lineker will “step back” from presenting Match Of The Day until he and the BBC have reached an “agreed and clear position” on his use of social media.The presenter has been embroiled in a row over impartiality after comparing the language used to launch a new Government asylum policy with 1930s Germany.The announcement prompted pundit and former Arsenal striker Ian Wright to tweet that he will not be appearing on the programme on Saturday in “solidarity” with Lineker. A BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days.
Match of the Day presenter Ian Wright has said he will not appear on tomorrow’s edition of the BBC’s Premier League highlights show in “solidarity” with lead presenter Gary Lineker who was asked to step back from coverage after breaking the broadcaster’s impartiality rules on Twitter.