BBC director general Tim Davie is quizzed on Gary Lineker’s removal from Match of the Day
BBC CEO Tim Davie is knocked on the door and questioned about Gary Lineker’s removal from Match of the Day following ‘Nazi’ tweet… as company boss claims ‘action’ has been taken provided’
- BBC Director General Tim Davie was called to the door and questioned about Lineker
- Lineker was taken off the air by the BBC after a series of strongly worded tweets.
- Davie suggested the BBC had taken ‘proportionate action’ against him
BBC Director General Tim Davie was interviewed and questioned about the punishment handed down to sacked presenter Gary Lineker.
It was confirmed on Friday that Lineker will not host Match of the Day this weekend, after the BBC decided that his recent tweet comparing government migration plans to Nazi Germany violated impartiality rules.
After a series of Lineker co-experts announced their solidarity with the former England striker, the BBC confirmed that Match of the Day would take place without a presenter or pundits.
And, following the decision, CEO Tim Davie was questioned about the BBC’s decision to remove Lineker.
A video of Davie being called to the door and questioned, by a BBC journalist, has circulated on social media. In it, he suggested that “proportionate measures” had been taken.
BBC Director General Tim Davie (pictured) was questioned about the decision to take Gary Lineker off the air.
Gary Lineker will step down from presenting Match of the Day pending further discussions with his bosses, the BBC announced today.
“I think we always look to take proportionate measures and that’s what we’ve done,” Davie explained.
‘I don’t want to add to the statement. I think we have had very constructive discussions, the statement is very clear. That’s where we are.
The 55-year-old was then asked about the refusal of co-experts, such as Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, to appear on the show.
‘No, I absolutely respect the right of people to make that choice. BBC Sport had to watch the program they are going to produce at the weekend, as usual.
‘I’m not going to say more than I have said on this. It’s all in the statement.
Following the news of a Match of the Day without Lineker at the helm, a BBC spokesperson said: “The BBC have been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team over the past few days.
“We have said that we consider your recent activity on social media to be a violation of our guidelines.”
Ian Wright was one of the BBC co-experts who publicly announced that he would not appear on Match of the Day in support of Gary Lineker.
The BBC’s highest-paid star sparked a major political row this week after comparing the language used to launch a new government campaign against migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats to 1930s Germany.
The 62-year-old Match of the Day host shared a video online of Suella Braverman announcing the details of her new illegal immigration bill with the comment: “OMG this is beyond horrible.”
Accused by another user of being ‘out of character’, the former England footballer, who has previously been rebuked for other anti-Tory comments, replied: ‘Not a huge turnout. We accept far fewer refugees than other major European countries.
“This is just an immeasurably cruel policy aimed at the most vulnerable people in language not unlike that used by Germany in the 1930s, and am I out of line?”