Talks with Lineker moving in right direction, says BBC

admin April 21, 2023

The BBC has reported that talks to resolve a row between football presenter Gary Lineker and the broadcaster are “moving in the right direction”.

It said this evening that there “are hopes of a resolution soon, but not all issues are ‘fully resolved’ at this stage”.

The row has led to a boycott by sports presenters and disruption to football coverage across BBC television and radio.

Mr Lineker was suspended from the station’s flagship football programme Match of the Day after he criticised the British government’s asylum policy on Twitter.

In the tweet, Mr Lineker compared the language used to launch a new government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany.

The BBC Director General apologised for the disruption caused to the broadcaster’s sports programming, but confirmed he will not resign over the incident.

Speaking to BBC News yesterday, Tim Davie praised Mr Lineker as “the best in the business” and that he feels everyone wants to see a “reasonable solution” to the impartiality row.

The broadcaster previously said it had “decided” the former England player would take a break from presenting the football highlights show until an “agreed and clear position” on his use of social media had been reached.

Speaking to BBC News in Washington, Mr Davie said: “I’m very sorry for the disruption today. It’s been a difficult day and I’m sorry that audiences have been affected and they haven’t got the programming.

“As a keen sports fan, I know like everyone that to miss programming is a real blow and I am sorry about that.

“We are working very hard to resolve the situation and make sure that we get output back on air.”

Asked whether he thinks he should resign, he added: “Absolutely not, I think my job is to serve licence fee payers and deliver a BBC that is really focused on world-class, impartial landmark output – and I look forward to resolving this situation and looking forward to delivering that.”

Mr Lineker said “I can’t say anything” to questions from reporters when he left his home in south-west London to walk his dog this morning.

The BBC said on Friday that England’s fourth highest goalscorer of all-time had breached guidelines on impartiality and was removed from the programme.

However, the decision caused chaos to scheduled sports programming across the BBC’s television and radio output.

Former England strikers Ian Wright and Alan Shearer were among the pundits who refused to take up their usual roles on Match of the Day, followed by the programme’s commentators.

As a result, the longest-running football television programme in the world was aired for the first time without a presenter, pundits or even commentary in a shortened 20-minute highlights package of six matches from the English top flight.

Weekend preview show Football Focus and results programme Final Score were also pulled from the schedule, while BBC Radio 5Live’s coverage was disrupted.

Davie urged to get a ‘grip’

Former BBC executive Peter Salmon, who was previously controller of BBC One and director of sport, told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg the situation was “complex” and Mr Lineker is a “major figure”.

He added: “Twenty-five years in Match Of The Day – he’s more than just a TV presenter, he’s a national figure.

“He’s got views, he’s got passions, he’s been involved in looking after Ukrainian refugees. It may be that Gary’s outgrown the job and the role in the BBC.

“Twenty-five years in, before that Des Lynam, Gary took over, he’s been brilliant. Sometimes there’s a point at which you cross the line.”

Reflecting on the disruption to the BBC’s sports schedule, he added: “It’s a mess, isn’t it?

“They must be wishing they could reel back 72 hours and start all over again. It’s Oscars day but there’s no awards for how this has been managed.

“I think they’ve got to take action pretty quickly. It doesn’t help the chairman of the BBC himself is slacked to one side in this process and there’s a bit of an issue.

“Tim Davie is isolated in some ways, he needs to come home and grip this now. We need him back running the ship.”

Gary Lineker suspension: What are the BBC’s rules on impartiality?

The row dominated the political television programmes in the UK this morning.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said he feels the main focus on the row should be for the BBC to maintain its “reputation for independence and impartiality”.

The Conservative MP noted he is one of the figures that is scrutinised by the broadcaster on the behalf of the public and so thinks “obviously it isn’t for me to say how the BBC does that, but it’s very important it does”.

Appearing on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Hunt said: “I don’t want to say anything other than making sure the BBC maintains its reputation for independence and impartiality is the outcome that matters most.

“Now, I can disagree with Gary Lineker on small boats, as I do profoundly. But what really matters in all of this is that when you’re interviewing me, people know that you’re doing it on behalf of the public, and not with a political motive … that is the thing that needs to be protected.”

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves questioned the BBC’s decision to take Mr Lineker off air, saying: “Whether you agree with Gary Lineker’s tweets or not, and I wouldn’t have used that language, I think that it is perfectly reasonable that you can present the football commentary on the BBC at a weekend.”

She also referenced the investigation into the BBC’s chairman Richard Sharp, who has faced growing calls to resign his position over the cronyism row caused by him helping Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan facility.

She said: “He is still in his job. Gary Lineker isn’t able to present the football commentary? I think there is a sense of proportionality here.

“The Tories obviously put a huge amount of pressure on the Government to get rid of Gary Lineker, I don’t remember those same Tory MPs crying about impartiality when those revelations about Richard Sharp came out.”

Former BBC director general Mark Thompson said he “absolutely hopes” and “believes” Mr Davie will survive the impartiality row.

Speaking on the same programme, Mr Thompson, who served in the role between 2004 and 2012, said that “on the face of it” Lineker’s tweet was a “technical breach” of BBC guidelines, which state those working for the BBC outside of its news and factual departments still have an “additional responsibility” given their profile.

He added: “I think we have also got our old friend the grey area here. In other words, no-one thinks this is the same as you or Huw Edwards doing it.

This is not like a news presenter basically tearing up the impartiality principles inside the news machine.”

Pressed on whether Mr Sharp should temporarily step aside until the issue is resolved, Mr Thompson said: “Gary Lineker is an active broadcaster for the BBC.

“Richard Sharp is part of the governing body which doesn’t take decisions in real time about actual editorial matters.”

Meanwhile, Mr Lineker’s former England team-mate John Barnes said the BBC wants to “pick and choose” when its presenters can be impartial.

Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Mr Barnes said: “I don’t know when the BBC has ever been impartial but BBC reporting on the World Cup was anything but impartial.

“So, it seems that they want to pick and choose when they want to be partial, criticising others or criticising other countries or other political parties or other religions seems to be okay.

“But, of course, if you then criticise what goes on in this country, then it seems that they will then come up with the impartiality rule.”

Additional reporting AFP, Reuters



Talks with Lineker moving in right direction, says BBC
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