Lineker to return to BBC’s Match of the Day after Twitter row

The vastly common sports activities presenter had sparked a disaster on the public broadcaster after tweeting about UK asylum plans.

Former British soccer participant and BBC presenter Gary Lineker walks outdoors his dwelling in London, Britain, March 12, 2023 [Henry Nicholls/Reuters]

Gary Lineker will return as presenter of the flagship BBC soccer present, Match of the Day, the broadcaster has mentioned, ending a disaster sparked by his criticism of the UK authorities’s new asylum coverage.

“Gary is a valued a part of the BBC and I understand how a lot the BBC means to Gary, and I sit up for him presenting our protection this coming weekend,” mentioned BBC director-general Tim Davie on Monday.

He added that the sports activities presenter had agreed to abide by the broadcaster’s editorial pointers till a assessment of its social media guidelines had been accomplished.

The previous England footballer was eliminated after utilizing Twitter to match the language used to launch the brand new coverage with the rhetoric of Nazi-era Germany.

Fellow presenters, pundits and commentators then refused to work over the weekend in help, throwing the broadcaster’s sports activities protection into disarray.

Lineker tweeted on Monday: “I can't wait to get again within the MOTD chair on Saturday.

“Nonetheless tough the previous few days have been, it merely doesn’t examine to having to flee your house from persecution or warfare to hunt refuge in a land distant.”

This 3 minute clip from 2021 remains to be being extensively shared. It is useful if you wish to perceive how Gary Lineker feels concerning the problem of refugees, about his relationship with the BBC – and concerning the concept of the BBC telling him what he can and may't tweet. pic.twitter.com/f5EWdx68tQ

— Ros Atkins (@BBCRosAtkins) March 12, 2023

Davie apologised for the disruption to the service, saying he recognised the “potential confusion brought on by the gray areas of the BBC’s social media steering”.

“Impartiality is necessary to the BBC. That may be a tough balancing act to get proper the place individuals are topic to totally different contracts and on air positions, and with totally different viewers and social media profiles,” he mentioned.

An impartial assessment of the steering can be carried out, together with the way it applies to freelancers equivalent to Lineker, he added.