Alan Shearer pulls out of MOTD after Gary Lineker steps back

This follows on from the decision of fellow pundit Ian Wright saying he wouldn’t appear on the programme in “solidarity” with Lineker.

The situation came about due to an impartiality row over comments Lineker made criticising the government’s new asylum policy.

The 62-year-old will step back from presenting the flagship BBC football show until an agreement is reached on his social media use.

The BBC said in a statement that they found Lineker’s “recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines”.

Shearer follows Ian Wright in saying they will not appear on MOTD tomorrow night (Image: PA)

It added he should “keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies”.

However, Sky Sports News have claimed that Lineker has been taken off air because he has refused to apologise for the comments he made.

In a tweet, they said: “Sky Sports understands that the BBC’s statement regarding Gary Lineker was incorrect. Lineker has, instead, been taken off air as he is unwilling to apologise for his social media comments on government policy.”

How did Alan Shearer respond to this?

Shearer is a regular pundit on Match of the Day, and in response to the BBC’s decision on Lineker has said he will not appear on it tomorrow.

In a tweet he said: “I have informed the BBC that I won’t be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night.”

What did Gary Lineker say?

On Tuesday (March 7) Lineker had commented on a Twitter video put out by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, in which she unveiled government plans to stop migrant boats crossing the Channel.

“Good heavens, this is beyond awful,” he wrote.

Responding to the sports broadcaster, another Twitter user described his comment as “out of order”, adding that it was “easy to pontificate when it doesn’t affect you”.

Lineker responded: “There is no huge influx. 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, and I’m out of order?”