Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Branwen Jones

Jason Mohammad pulls out of BBC show Final Score as stars stage walkout in support of Gary Lineker

Welsh broadcaster Jason Mohammad has said he will not appear on BBC football programme Final Score on Saturday. The presenter, who is a familiar face on the BBC, said on Twitter that he had informed the public broadcaster that he would not be appearing on the football news and results programme, which was due to air at 4.30pm.

Although the Cardiff presenter did not explain his reasons for refusing to appear on the show in his initial tweet, it comes as a string of BBC presenters, pundits, reporters and commentators, including Match of the Day regulars Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, announced that they were pulling out of featuring on the programme this weekend in solidarity with Gary Lineker, who has been taken off air by the BBC in a row over impartiality.

On Saturday morning, Mohammad announced that he would also be stepping back from his presenting role on Saturday afternoon show Final Score, which he has presented since 2013. On his Twitter page, he said: "Morning all. As you know, Final Score is a TV show very close to my heart. However - I have this morning informed the BBC that I will not be presenting the show this afternoon on BBC One."

The 4.30pm slot on BBC One has since been filled by an episode of The Repair Shop.

READ NEXT: Gary Lineker's BBC salary, net worth and 'unusual' relationship with ex-wife

Earlier this week, Lineker posted on social media that he thought the UK Government's language relating to the cross-Channel migrants' issue was redolent of that used in 1930s Germany. Initially, the BBC had suggested that Lineker would be spoken to, with no further action being taken.

However, the decision sparked a furious backlash from Conservative MPs, who cited breaches of BBC impartiality rules. The BBC then issued a statement saying that Lineker had "stepped back" from presenting Match of the Day. The BBC was reportedly thrown into disarray as their efforts to replace the panel for the show were met with refusals from other footballing stars and pundits.

On Friday, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer announced their "solidarity" with 62-year-old Lineker by stating they would not be taking part in the highlights programme.

It has also been announced that former Lioness and Arsenal footballer turned presenter Alex Scott and fellow presenter Kelly Somers would not be taking part in popular Saturday lunchtime show Football Focus, which has since been replaced in the BBC One schedule by an episode of Bargain Hunt.

It was confirmed on Saturday morning that nobody from the Premier League would be asked to conduct post-match interviews for Match of the Day following reports that players were in discussions with The Professional Footballer's Association over a potential boycott.

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.