BBC News became embroiled in the Gary Lineker row storm today as a reporter speaking on the subject was heckled by a passerby.
A journalist had been reporting on the situation live outside the broadcaster's London headquarters when a member of the public interrupted the segment.
He began: "[It's] snowballing in the political sphere too because we've had Labour stepping into this as well-"
However, the reporter was cut off by a heckler, prompting him to jab a thumb in their direction and say: "Someone walking past saying 'bring back Gary Lineker'!"
It comes amid a chaotic time for the BBC after a series of sports pundits boycotted their BBC programmes in protest of Lineker's suspension.
This afternoon, Alex Scott pulled out of hosting Football Focus, leading the show to be axed after they failed to find a replacement. It was replaced by Bargain Hunt.
There have also been reports that BBC Radio Five Live has been affected with Mark Chapman set to abstain from his usual role. Dion Dublin has also tweeted to confirm that he will not be contributing to the station on Saturday.
The BBC announced on Friday evening that it had pulled Lineker off air from Saturday's Match Of The Day after he appeared to draw comparisons between the government's new Illegal Migration Bill and Nazi Germany in a tweet.
Lineker, 62, described the controversial bill - unveiled by home secretary Suella Braverman on Tuesday to a wave of backlash - as "beyond awful", later adding: "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."
Speaking on Channel 5 about his suspension, Lineker said: "They've told me I have to step back."
Following the news on Friday evening that there would be no presenters for Match Of The Day on Saturday, Piers Morgan tweeted two crying laughing emojis and wrote: "WHAT? The BBC has lost its mind. The whole production crew should walk out now."
A BBC spokesperson had said: “Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary.
“We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”
The Mirror has launched a petition to have Gary Lineker reinstated at the BBC and as the host of Match of the Day. Sign it here.
