MOTD felt so ‘flat’ …Could Gary Lineker be back for Saturday?
MOTD #MOTD
Gary Lineker took his dog for a walk and insisted he ‘can’t say anything’ – amid a growing crisis at the BBC over his outspoken social media comments.
The suspended Match Of The Day host faced reporters hours after the flagship football show went out without him, its pundits, any commentary and even its iconic theme tune.
However, the 20-minute version scored 2.58million viewers – up half a million on the previous Saturday. Ex-England striker Lineker, 62, has not tweeted or commented since Thursday as talks with BBC chiefs go on.
He had at first defended his tweet, which called the government’s new illegal migration bill ‘immeasurably cruel’ with ‘language not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s’.
Critics say Lineker – its best-paid star on £1.35million despite being a freelance – has undermined the publicly funded corporation’s crucial commitment to impartiality. Supporters claim that his comments were accurate and did not break rules because he was not involved in political or news coverage.
The audience was its best since November when 2.63million watched on the eve of the winter World Cup, according to provisional BARB ratings.
BBC insiders said the figures represented only an average across the whole programme – usually around 90 minutes long. So compared with the first 20 minutes of last week’s MOTD, viewers only rose from 2.5million to 2.6million, internal BBC stats show.
Many confessed they tuned in out of curiosity. Other said they were boycotting the show in solidarity.
LBC broadcaster Sangita Myska tweeted: ‘Everyone who never watches MOTD is tuning in to see what it’s like when everyone who is supposed to be watching MOTD isn’t.’
Tory MP Scott Benton was among those praising the format. He called it the ‘best episode in years’, adding: ‘Had all the goals in. No “expert” analysis. And finished quicker than usual so I could make the pub for last orders. What’s not to like?’
But actress Jo Caulfield called the show strange and ‘completely flat’, adding: ‘Definitely an own goal by BBC.’ And TV presenter Piers Morgan’s review said simply: ‘It’s s***.’
The Royal National Institute of Blind People called the lack of commentary unacceptable, suggesting it broke its commitment to the equality act. ‘The BBC should be upholding basic accessibility standards so everyone can enjoy their output,’ it said.
Yesterday’s Match of the Day 2 and other sports shows were hit in a strike by Lineker’s colleagues in support.
BBC director general Tim Davie has apologised but insisted the corporation had not bowed to political pressure and he would not resign.
Last night – as Mr Davie returned from the US – there were reports talks were ‘moving quickly’ and Lineker could return for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter finals coverage. Former director general Mark Thompson said that he believed Lineker’s tweet was a ‘technical breach’ of BBC guidelines.
A snap poll by YouGov found 53 per cent believed the BBC was wrong to suspend Lineker, with 27 per cent agreeing with the move.
Critics accused it of inconsistency, with other BBC stars not reprimanded for political activities, such as The Apprentice’s business gurus Lord Sugar, who urged people to vote Conservative, and Baroness Karren Brady – a Tory peer in the House of Lords.
It is also under pressure over claims BBC Board chairman Richard Sharp helped former Conservative PM Boris Johnson find a guarantor for an £800,000 loan before being appointed to the role by the government.
The BBC has previously stood by Lineker, including when he tweeted support for a second referendum in 2018 as Brexit was ‘going very wrong indeed’.In 2020, he was ruled to have broken guidelines in a tweet about Liz Truss.
Yesterday, his son George tweeted: ‘Proud of the old man after a busy few days.’ And a neighbour left chocolates and a card on his doorstep thanking him for his stance on refugees.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Get your need-to-know latest news, feel-good stories, analysis and more by signing up to Metro’s News Updates newsletter