UPDATE: Gary Lineker could be back to cover FA Cup matches for BBC next weekend as ‘talks continue’

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As talks continue, it is reported that Gary Lineker could be back on screen next weekend presenting the FA Cup matches for the BBC.

Sunday, March 12 at 7:20pm

According to The Telegraph today, Sunday, March 12, talks between senior management figures at the BBC and Gary Lineker are progressing and there is the possibility that he could be back on screen next weekend to cover the FA Cup quarter-final matches. A BBC source told the news outlet that talks were ‘moving quickly’.

“Tim Davie has been clear that he wants to resolve the situation and see the MOTD presenter back on air. Gary and his representatives have been in talks for a number of days and these are ongoing’, the source added. Both parties are believed to want to find a peaceful resolution to the recent carnage that has affected the BBC’s football coverage this weekend.

BBC director-general Tim Davie was in Washington when the problem started and he is believed to be flying back urgently tomorrow morning, Monday 13, to try and defuse the situation.

Saturday, March 11 at 8:45pm

Amid the ongoing fallout at the BBC over what has been dubbed ‘Linekergate’, the corporation’s Director-General Tim Davie has remained adamant and refused to resign. He apologised for the carnage caused to the schedules of both television and radio broadcasts by the BBC today, Saturday, March 11.

‘I’m sorry audiences have been affected and they haven’t got the programming. As a keen sports fan I know to miss programming is a real blow and I’m sorry about that. We are working very hard to resolve this situation and make sure we get output on air’, Davie told the BBC.

He made a point of adding: Everyone wants to calmly resolve the situation. Gary Lineker’s the best in the business – that’s not for debate’, as reported by dailymail.co.uk.

Saturday, March 11 at 8am

Footballers are reportedly planning to refuse to give interviews to the BBC after today’s matches over the row that saw Gary Lineker dropped from Match of the Day because of a tweet on Government immigration policy.

The footballers’ union, the PFA, was reported to be prepared to back any members who take the stand in support of Lineker, and regular Match of the Day pundits Ian Wright and Alan Shearer. BBC News sports editor Dan Roan said that players from ‘several clubs’ had contacted the PFA for advice.

Henry Winter, the chief football writer for The Times, also predicted boycotts of BBC post-match interviews. The BBC announced yesterday that Match of the Day tonight (Saturday, March 11) would not feature any pundits, and would focus just on match action.

Friday, March 10 at 8pm

Alan Shearer has announced his intention to join Ian Wright in boycotting Match Of The Day. Both football legends have apparently informed the BBC that they will not appear on this weekend’s show.

The former Arsenal and England Women’s star Alex Scott has made the same decision. She posted a gif on her Twitter profile showing Bernie Sanders saying ‘Nah! Not me’ with the caption ‘FYI’.

Friday, March 10 at 6:45pm

After the BBC announced that Gary Linker would be ‘stepping back’ as presenter of Match Of The Day, Ian Wright has announced that he will stand in solidarity with him and is refusing to appear on this Saturday’s show.

Gary Neville tweeted: “When you take on the Tories and the system! Awful people who we need gone. Off for a wine”.

A tweet from Piers Morgan read: “How pathetically spineless.. I now demand the BBC suspend every presenter who has made public comments about news or current affairs – starting with Sir David Attenborough and Lord Sugar”.

Friday, March 10 at 6:08pm

In a statement released this afternoon, the BBC has confirmed that Gary Lineker will be temporarily ‘stepping down’ from his role presenting Match Of The Day. The 62-year-old former England footballer has found himself embroiled in controversy after he tweeted an opinion about Rishi Sunak’s new migrant bill on his Twitter account earlier this week.

“The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days. We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines. The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media”, read the statement from the Beeb.

It continued: “When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies”.

Lineker had earlier tweeted suggesting that he was not going to face any reprimand from BBC bosses over his comments. His original tweet caused fierce debates over whether he should be allowed to voice a personal opinion on his Twitter or not.

Posting yesterday, Thursday 9, he wrote: “Well, it’s been an interesting couple of days. Happy that this ridiculously out-of-proportion story seems to be abating and very much looking forward to presenting @BBCMOTD on Saturday. Thanks again for all your incredible support. It’s been overwhelming”.

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Written by

Chris King

Originally from Wales, Chris spent years on the Costa del Sol before moving to the Algarve where he is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com

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