BBC
The suspension of sports programming continues into the second day as pressure mounts on BBC chairman Richard Sharp
Sunday 12 March 2023 at 11:26 GMT
The BBC was forced to reduce a second day of sports programming amid a deepening row over Gary Lineker’s suspension.
The company will air a shortened version of Match of the Day 2 without presenters or experts following a mass strike by BBC stars in support of Lineker.
Guy Mowbray, one of the BBC’s best-known commentators, said there would be “no normal” Match of the Day 2 on Sunday: “The proposed commentary team is entirely in line with our colleagues at BBC Sport. We hope that a solution can be found as soon as possible.”
It came after the BBC scaled back its coverage of the women’s Super League game between Manchester United and Chelsea and Radio 5 Live dropped a two-hour Premier League show on Sunday afternoon.
The channel is facing its worst crisis in years after a number of high-profile presenters, commentators and pundits refused to go on the air because Lineker was suspended for criticizing the government’s immigration policies.
The extraordinary strike forced the BBC to drastically cut most of its weekend football coverage for the first time in recent memory. It came as:
BBC leader Richard Sharp has been increasingly called upon to resign over his Conservative Party ties, as Labor and the Liberal Democrats say he is unable to oversee the channel amid a crisis of impartiality.
Lineker’s son George said his father would not apologize for his tweet comparing the language used to outline the government’s immigration plans to “that used by Germany in the 1930s”. He suggested his father could leave the BBC at the end of his contract in 2025.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the “swirling chaos” had heightened concern among BBC staff and caused “profound damage” to the channel.
Mark Thompson, former BBC director-general, said Lineker appeared to have committed a “technical” breach of impartiality rules, but the tweets fell into a “grey area” and “hijacked” the debate from immigration policy.
The mass strike by BBC stars forced the company to scrap most of its weekend prime-time football coverage. Football Focus and Final Score have been dropped, and Match of the Day has been reduced to a 20-minute compilation of highlights with no expert knowledge or analysis.
Sunday viewership showed that match-of-the-day viewership was relatively flat from last weekend at 2.6 million viewers. The BBC apologized for the cut broadcast.
As excitement continued on Sunday, Labor and the Lib Dems called on Sharp to step down from his role as BBC leader over his close ties to the Conservative government.
Sharp is at the center of two investigations after he admitted donating £400,000 to the Conservatives and helping to give Boris Johnson an £800,000 loan guarantee weeks before the then Prime Minister recommended him for the BBC’s role.
Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said it was “ironic” that Sharp was allowed to remain in office while Lineker was suspended for criticizing the government’s “stop the boats” immigration policy.
Reeves said the BBC had come under “intense pressure from Tory MPs and Tory ministers to get rid of Gary Lineker”. She told Times Radio that Sharp’s role was “pretty unsustainable.”
BBC chairman Richard Sharp should quit over Gary Lineker row, says Ed Davey – video
Asked on Sunday whether the BBC’s leadership was too close to the ruling party, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said it was not for him to “make those judgments”.
Hunt backtracked after telling Lineker to apologize for his tweets, telling Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “I don’t agree with his comments and personally I think it was wrong to say what.” he said, but I do not think how to solve the problem, I decide.
“If you believe in the independence of the BBC, then it is not for the Chancellor or any other minister to say how these issues will be resolved.”
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ’s general secretary, said the crisis had rocked the company and asked staff why Sharp had “run for cover” rather than “fight for the BBC and its reputation”.
She said the BBC created a “completely unnecessary crisis” in handling Lineker’s tweets. “This swirling chaos is seriously damaging the BBC’s reputation, leading to growing concern and frustration among journalists across the company. BBC freelance and staff journalists and presenters have been placed in a stressful and uncomfortable position this weekend with no sign of this crisis easing.”
Peter Salmon, a former BBC One controller and sporting director, said the row was a “mess” and urged Davie to get a handle on the situation.
He said: “It’s complex and he is [Lineker] a big figure. 25 years of Match of the Day – he’s more than just a TV presenter, he’s a national figure. He has views, he has passions, he has taken care of Ukrainian refugees. Gary may have outgrown the job and role at the BBC.
“25 years ago – before Des Lynam – Gary took over, he was brilliant. Sometimes there comes a point where you cross the line.”
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