Gary Lineker to return to Match Of The Day as BBC boss Tim Davie apologises

Gary Lineker has explained why he didn't present Match of the Day on Saturday night, despite being back on BBC screens following the controversy that saw him temporarily step back from his role.

Gary Lineker agreed it was "good to be back" on the BBC to present Manchester City's FA Cup tie against Burnley on Match of the Day Live after stepping back from presenting last weekend in a controversial row over broadcaster's impartiality rules. The former England and Leicester City footballer came under fire for comparing the language used by the government in their asylum plans to 'that used by Germany in the 30s' in a tweet.

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 admitted he was 'glad to be back' on the BBC to present Manchester City''s FA Cup tie against Burnley, after controversially being told to step back from presenting Match of the Day last weekend.

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.

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.

UPDATE: BBC employees will stage their biggest strike in 13 years on Wednesday after eleventh-hour talks with management failed. The walkout will force coverage of the UK government’s Budget off air and heap more embarrassment on Director-General Tim Davie, who has apologized for scheduling chaos over the Gary Lineker saga.

“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.

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC has scrambled to avoid further disruption to its schedules after a walkout over Gary Lineker’s suspension canceled Premier League output.

will return to his Match of the Day presenting duties after the BBC apologised for suspending him in an impartiality row that has rocked the corporation. Lineker got to keep his job but made no apology for his tweet comparing the language used to launch a small boats asylum policy with that used in 1930s Germany – and tweeted again about the plight of refugees within minutes of being reinstated.

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC failed to fully heed advice in 2020 that could have helped the broadcaster avoid a weekend of carnage over a single tweet from Gary Lineker, its highest-paid presenter.

Match Of The Day after reaching an agreement with the BBC.The broadcaster announced that the presenter will return to host the show this Saturday (March 18), with the corporation set to conduct a review into its social media guidance for freelancers outside news and current affairs.It comes after Lineker was taken off air for criticising the government’s proposed immigration policy. Following Lineker’s removal, his fellow pundits Alan Shearer and Ian Wright boycotted the show last weekend in solidarity.Tim Davie, director-general of the BBC, said: “Everyone recognises this has been a difficult period for staff, contributors, presenters and, most importantly, our audiences.

Gary Lineker is set to return to BBC Match of the Day this weekend following a row over impartiality.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Football commentator Gary Lineker is set to return to hosting duties on the BBC this weekend after being pulled off air due to comments about the U.K.’s refugee policy that were deemed to have breached the broadcaster’s impartiality policy. In a statement on Monday morning, the BBC revealed that it will conduct a review of its social media guidance “with a particular focus on how it applies to freelancers outside news and current affairs,” which is the category for star talent such as Lineker. The “Match of the Day” host said in a comment: “I am glad that we have found a way forward. I support this review and look forward to getting back on air.”

The BBC has recently descended into chaos after Gary Lineker was forced to step back from hosting Match of the Day following a row over impartiality. The footballer-turned-pundit, 62, was accused of breaching the BBC's impartiality rules after he posted a tweet comparing the language used to launch a new Government asylum policy with that of 1930s Germany.

Naman Ramachandran BBC director general Tim Davie has apologized over the ongoing fracas around star soccer player turned sports pundit Gary Lineker, but will not resign. Last Tuesday, Lineker, commenting on the U.K. government’s controversial Illegal Migration Bill, tweeted, describing it as an “immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s.” Lineker is a star presenter on the BBC’s “Match of the Day” soccer program. Lineker’s tweet raised government hackles and on Friday, the BBC suspended him, saying: “The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days.  We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines. The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting ‘Match of the Day’ until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media. When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none.  We have never said that Gary should be an opinion free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”

BBC Director General Tim Davie has apologized to audiences for the disruption caused to the organization’s sports programming but said he won’t resign following the unprecedented talent walkout over the Gary Lineker row.

READ MORE: BBC’s Lineker MOTD crisis live as stars mutiny in support and show to air with no presenterWayne added: "I'm gonna go with 'no comment on this one guys. "One angry fan wrote: "Ah Wayne, thought you were better than this. Be grateful you live comfortably and will never have to make a journey like this.

The BBC has apologised after it was forced to pull several sports programmes following a boycott by presenters and pundits in support of Gary Lineker.The broadcaster said it would air only “limited sport programming” over the weekend and was “working hard to resolve the situation”. It comes after Lineker was told to step back from hosting the Saturday edition of the football highlights programme in a row over impartiality.

The BBC has issued an update after its sporting schedule was thrown into disarray this weekend. Presenters, commentators, and pundits, pulled out of various shows in solidarity with Gary Lineker 'stepping away' from Match of the Day in a row over impartiality.