Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker was asked to step back from his hosting duties on the BBC show on Saturday after becoming embroiled in a row over impartiality. After the move, fellow hosts, pundits, journalists and players all said they would not take part in Match of the Day - or in other BBC sports TV and radio coverage over the weekend.
On Monday, after a weekend of having to scrap its shows and air much-reduced coverage, the BBC said it had reached an agreement with Lineker and that he would be back hosting again.
The weekend without sport came after Lineker, 62, became embroiled in a row over impartiality after comparing the language used to launch a new Government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany on Twitter.
The broadcaster said it had “decided” Lineker would take a break from presenting the highlights programme until an “agreed and clear position” on his use of social media had been reached.
Saturday and Sunday football shows on the BBC were scrapped when stars refused to take part.
What do BBC guidelines state?
The BBC says that it is “committed” to achieving due impartiality in all its output, describing it as “fundamental to our reputation, our values and the trust of audiences”.
The corporation’s guidelines state that the impartiality must be “adequate and appropriate to the output, taking account of the subject and nature of the content, the likely audience expectation and any signposting that may influence that expectation”.
It adds that BBC output must always “scrutinise arguments, question consensus and hold power to account” with both consistency and due impartiality.
Richard Sambrook, former director of news at the BBC and director of BBC Global News and the BBC World Service, told the PA news agency that “impartiality is crucial” for the BBC and staff in “everything they do”.
What is the BBC policy on social media?
The BBC’s guidelines note that social media is “now part of everyday life” and that all of its staff are free to “engage in social media activities if they wish”.
However they state that similar to official platforms, all activity “whether it is in a ‘professional’ or ‘personal’ capacity” should be informed by the Editorial Guidelines.
A “clear distinction” should be made between BBC spaces which are run by the BBC for BBC purposes and personal spaces which are run by staff or BBC talent for their personal purposes, the guidance states.
What did Lineker do?
Lineker has been reprimanded by the BBC after responding on Twitter to a Home Office video in which Home Secretary Suella Braverman unveiled the Government’s plans to stop migrants crossing the Channel on small boats.
The ex-England striker wrote: “There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries.
“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.”
The BBC said it had decided that Lineker would be stepping back from hosting duties on MOTD until they had “an agreed and clear position on his use of social media”.
Do the BBC guidelines apply to Lineker?
Lineker is a freelance broadcaster for the BBC, not a permanent member of staff, and is not responsible for news or political content, so does not need to adhere to the same rules on impartiality.
His Twitter remarks were made on his personal account, which does not include an official link to the BBC or MOTD in his bio.
However, BBC guidelines also note that figures that are “clearly identified with the BBC” are expected to behave appropriately and “in ways that are consistent with the BBC’s editorial values and policies.”
Mr Sambrook told PA: “For a sports presenter in their personal life to express views that aren’t impartial, is not as serious as if it was a news journalist.”
What happens next?
Tim Davie said the BBC did the “right thing” as the corporation asked Gary Lineker to return to Match Of The Day after the weekend saw the broadcaster’s sports coverage suffer severe disruption due to a row over impartiality.
The director-general of the corporation has faced pressure after a host of sports presenters and pundits pulled out of BBC shows due to Lineker being asked to step away from his programme.
The former England striker, 62, had been taken off air for a tweet comparing the language used to launch a new government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany.
Shortly after the announcement that Lineker would return, Mr Davie told BBC News: “I’ve always said we need to take proportionate action, and for some people…we’ve taken too severe action, others think we’re being too lenient.
“There’s never been an easy solution but asking Gary to step back off air, I think, was a significant thing and now we look forward with this agreement, moving forward, to resolve things and get back to business as usual.”
On whether he had reached an agreement on social media with Lineker after the presenter was announced to be coming back on air, Mr Davie said the presenter will “abide by the editorial guidelines” until a review has taken place.
He added: “I think it was a very big moment in terms of us saying we have to take stock here, we have to take action, we did take action which we thought was proportionate and as the BBC we did the right thing, I did the right thing.”
Mr Davie was also asked if he was out of touch after reduced sports programming at the weekend, and said he “respects the views” of staff, pundits and commentators at BBC Sport who walked away from scheduled shows.
He added: “(Staff) were obviously put in a very difficult situation.
“I think people across the BBC… are all very passionate about our standing as an impartial broadcaster, so important in this world, and this affair tells you how polarised debate has become.
“I want to fight for a BBC where we can have proper calm debate (and) facilitate free speech.”
When asked about Conservative Party pressure on the BBC, Mr Davie said it is “not how we work” at the corporation and the impartiality guidelines are “equally applied” to those who express left and right-wing views.
He added: “The issue is getting involved in party political matters and we apply that independently.
“The audience numbers in terms of trust in the BBC… is in good order.”
A number of ministers were critical of Lineker last week including Home Secretary Suella Braverman who said she was “very disappointed” by his comments.
When Davie took on the role in 2020, he warned staff about their use of social media and guidelines around social media use have since been updated.
Staff were told they need to follow editorial guidelines and editorial oversight on social media in the same way as when doing BBC content.
Lineker is a freelance broadcaster for the BBC, not a permanent member of staff, and is not responsible for news or political content so does not need to adhere to the same rules on impartiality.
The presenter wrote on Twitter on Monday he was “delighted” to have “navigated a way through this” with the BBC and thanked his colleagues for their support.
Lineker also thanked Mr Davie for his “understanding during this difficult period” and said he had an “almost impossible job”.
BBC chairman Richard Sharp is also facing growing pressure to resign as the corporation’s policy on impartiality has been called into question.
Mr Sharp, who was appointed chairman in February 2021, has been embroiled in a cronyism row over helping former prime minister Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan facility in recent months.
An investigation is being undertaken into his appointment but he now faces renewed scrutiny.
Mr Davie was also asked about Mr Sharp, and said the BBC does not appoint the chairman.
