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Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer apologize to viewers for last week’s football TV strike, saying colleagues have been put in an ‘impossible position’ by the Nazi tweet spat as Match of the Day frontman returns to BBC screens
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Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer apologized for the disruption viewers of Match of the Day experienced when they made their comeback today, a week after walking out amid an unbiased row.
The 62-year-old was told to take a step back as host of the BBC’s flagship football show via a tweet comparing the language used to launch a new government asylum policy to the Germany of the thirties.
On his return, Lineker was joined in the studio today by Alan Shearer and fellow ex-England footballer, now pundit Micah Richards.
At the start of tonight’s commentary, Shearer said, “I just had to clarify and wanted to say how upset we were. [for] all the audience that missed last weekend.
“It was a very difficult situation for everyone involved and through no fault of their own some great people on TV and radio got into an impossible situation, and it wasn’t fair.
“So it’s good to get back to normal and talk about football.”
Lineker said, “I absolutely recognize those feelings.”
The former England striker previously said it was “great to be here”.
Before Lineker came on the air, he posted a photo of himself at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester and told his Twitter followers: “Ah what a pleasure to be able to stay with football.”
He was also photographed greeting former journalist and Labor spin doctor Alastair Campbell, a Burnley supporter and presenter of The Rest Is Politics produced by Lineker’s company Goalhanger Podcasts.
broadcaster Mark Chapman will later host the MOTD highlights show – which aired for just 20 minutes last weekend with no accompanying commentary or analysis from presenters.
Sunday’s edition also had a similar format and was only 15 minutes long.
After the episodes aired, the BBC made a humiliating U-turn, even apologizing to the former footballer and vowing to review its social media guidelines.
On Monday, BBC director-general Tim Davie said in a statement that the company has commissioned an independent review of its social media guidelines, particularly for freelancers.
Mr Davie apologized for what he acknowledged had been ‘a difficult period for the staff, employees, presenters and most importantly our audience’ and described the BBC’s commitment to freedom of expression and impartiality as a ‘tough balancing act’.
He added: ‘The potential confusion caused by the gray areas of the BBC’s social media guidelines introduced in 2020 is recognised. I want things resolved and our sports content back on the air.”
Lineker was photographed this morning leaving his South London home dressed in a dark suit with a charcoal gray shirt, jacket and bag in hand, before getting into a car.
Asked by LaLiga Sports TV last night how his week was, the former England striker said: ‘Really quiet. Not much going on. You could say it’s been an interesting week, but I’m still here, still boxing.
“It was interesting and also hugely satisfying, I had incredible support from my friends and colleagues, which was actually really nice.
“It was totally disproportionate, but we’re fine. It’s solved, I’m relieved, I’m going back to work tomorrow and all is well with the world.’
Many of Lineker’s BBC Sport colleagues walked out in ‘solidarity’ last weekend, with highlights that were considerably shorter than usual and broadcast without presentation or commentary.
After the official BBC statement was published, Lineker tweeted that he was “delighted” to have navigated his way through the queue after a “surreal few days”.
He added: ‘I’ve been presenting sport on the BBC for almost three decades and am immensely proud to be working with the best and fairest broadcaster in the world. I can’t wait to get back into the MOTD chair on Saturday.”
It comes as protesters wore masks of Lineker’s face at a pro-refugee march in Glasgow this morning.
Crowds descended on the Scottish town with signs reading ‘refugees welcome’ and ‘stop Rwanda’, a reference to Suella Braverman’s policy of deporting people who arrive in the UK illegally to the African country in small boats.
The interior minister doubled down on controversial policies today by making her first visit to Rwanda since taking up the cabinet role.
Ms Braverman said the plan “will act as a powerful deterrent to dangerous and illegal travel”.
The minister also hit back at critics of the deal, saying Rwanda could hold “many thousands” of migrants, though none have yet been relocated.
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