Gary Lineker has broken his silence on the BBC's decision to have step down from presenting Match of the Day following his recent tweet which criticised Government immigration policy.
The BBC released a statement on Friday announcing the decision, stating it considered Lineker's recent social media activity to be a "breach of our guidelines". It added he should "keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies".
The statement continued: "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”.
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Lineker has now indirectly responded to the BBC's decision to remove him from the show through fellow presenter Dan Walker. During a live news bulletin on Channel 5, Walker revealed he was in conversation in text message format with Lineker about the news.
"I'm actually texting the man himself at the moment," Walker said. "I've asked Gary Lineker the question about whether he is stepping back or whether the BBC have told him to step back. I've told him that if responds to me I will read out that text on air.
"There is one word in there I can't use, but he has said, 'no, they've told me I have to step back', so Gary Lineker wants to continue to present Match of the Day and is not apologising for what he said, he says its a BBC decision to force him to not present the programme at the moment."
Walker, who has filled in for Lineker before, confirmed he would not be replacing Lineker describing the whole situation as a "mess" on Twitter. One of the regular pundits on the show, Ian Wright, also revealed he would not be on this weekend's show in "solidarity" with Lineker.
Alan Shearer has since also confirmed on twitter that he has told the BBC he will not be appearing on the show.
The Mirror has launched a petition calling for Gary Lineker to be reinstated to Match of the Day by the BBC - we urge anyone who values liberty and free speech to sign it. #GaryLinekerhttps://t.co/o3216ygZye
— Mirror Politics (@MirrorPolitics)
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