Gary Lineker jokes he’s had a ‘quiet week’ as he pays tribute to friends and colleagues at the BBC in his first TV appearance since a ‘disproportionate’ fight with the broadcaster ahead of his return to host Match of The Day.
- Gary Lineker to return to Match of the Day after BBC suspension last week
- The 62-year-old says he’s had an ‘interesting’ and also hugely ‘rewarding’ week
- Lineker also described the support from BBC colleagues and friends as “beautiful”.
Gary Lineker has described the past week as ‘interesting’ and ‘rewarding’ after settling his row with the BBC.
Lineker will rehost Match of the Day on Saturday after initially being suspended in an impartiality row after anti-conservative tweets equating the government’s crackdown on small-boat migrants to Germany in the 1930s.
The suspension resulted in commentators and pundits walking out on the famous show, which lasted just 20 minutes without discussion.
Managing Director Tim Davie, who is facing calls to resign, has apologized to BBC staff and presenters and to BBC viewers and listeners, whose sports coverage was decimated this weekend.
Lineker has paid tribute to his colleagues and friends at the BBC for their support before describing the dispute with the BBC as “disproportionate”.
Gary Lineker says he’s had an ‘interesting’ and also a very ‘rewarding’ week after the BBC spat
The match of the day lasted just 20 minutes with no pundits or commentary last Saturday.
“Very calm, not much going on,” Lineker joked when asked how his week had been. viaplay.
‘Yes, you could say it’s been an interesting week, but I’m still here, I’m still hitting.
‘It was interesting and also very rewarding. I received an incredible amount of support from my friends and colleagues, which was really beautiful.
“It was totally blown out of proportion to the whole thing, but we’re good. It’s solved. I go back to work tomorrow and all is well with the world.
The BBC’s Davie insisted that there will be a review of the broadcaster’s impartiality policy after the dispute, and that Lineker will abide by guidance while this happens.
In a statement, the CEO said: ‘It is recognized by all that this has been a difficult period for staff, contributors, presenters and, most importantly, our audience.
I apologize for this. The possible confusion caused by the gray areas in the BBC social media guide which was introduced in 2020 is acknowledged. I want to resolve the issues and get our sports content back on the air.
“Impartiality is important to the BBC. It is also important to the public. The BBC has a commitment to impartiality in its Charter and a commitment to freedom of expression. That’s a tough balancing act to pull off where people are bound by different contracts and on-air positions, and with different audiences and social media profiles.
“The BBC Social Media Guide is designed to help manage these sometimes difficult challenges and I am aware that there is a need to ensure that the guide is up to the task. It must be clear, proportionate and appropriate.’
BBC Director General Tim Davie stepped out of line and asked Lineker to return to television.