TThe BBC and presenters, the broadcaster, had previously planned to run the Game of the Day as normal until Friday lunchtime. Gary Lineker accepting a solution deemed unacceptable by the flagship host. Rejected by a number of industry figures, the company began scrambling to find an alternative team by Friday evening.
Independent The BBC hierarchy above BBC Sport is said to have asked Lineker to accept a press release that would essentially amount to an apology and a statement that he would be more careful on social media. rightly seen as a “self-humiliation” of the presenter.
Ultimately it was the BBC’s decision. to get him out of the Match of the Day. Lineker was already in touch. Ian Wrightwhen the former Arsenal forward told the host that if anything changes he will fully support him and is ready to leave the show.
Gary Lineker to ‘step back’ from Match Of The Day amid asylum disclosure controversy
The show crew nevertheless continued their regular pre-meetings on Friday afternoon, with the only provision for discussion being that the presenters would arrive at alternate studio entrances on Saturday due to the anticipated presence of photographers. The situation changed drastically at 4:15 p.m. as Lineker spoke to figures of the BBC hierarchy at the top of the sport until then.
After that, Lineker began to inform others that he had been told that he would not be presenting the show. Figures for Match of the Day were still trying to salvage the program at this point, reflecting the positional gap between BBC Sport and the wider organisation.
Naturally, Wright had already made up his mind. he won’t be availableand informed Alan Shearer, similarly feeling that they have no other choice. Two sources talk about how the whole situation is – It could have much bigger repercussions for the BBC and Match of the Day. – “changed in minutes”.
While there is great uncertainty about what will happen to the currently established team and whether this will continue for another week, a more pressing issue was what to do with the Saturday night schedule.
As of 6:30 p.m. Friday evening, the Match of the Day was fighting for a presenting team. rejected by a series of digits in industry. One broadcast figure’s view was that “anyone who goes on will be seen as a jerk and rightfully beaten on social media.”
It led to the BBC confirming that the show would resume around 9:30 PM, but there is an unprecedented scenario. no servers or experts. The question then came to Game of the Day commentators as well as stadium reporters and the wider production team and their position.
There will be six Premier League games shown on Saturday night’s Game of the Day, but in another dramatic move, all six commentators are scheduled to work on the games. announced that he would participate in the boycott.. A statement from the group, including prominent BBC commentator Steve Wilson, who tweeted support for Lineker that afternoon, said it would “not be appropriate to be on the show”.
Games can still be shown with comments if the Game of the Day makers choose to use the Premier League’s ‘World Stream’ – but then the situation has changed between whether players and managers have joined the boycott and refused to speak to the BBC in solidarity with Lineker. Independent understands that some Premier League clubs have major concerns about allowing their employers to take part in Game of the Day, and if doing so would constitute a “political action”.
It has been learned that many football players want to join with former professionals such as Lineker, Wright and Shearer, and discussions were held with the Professional Footballers’ Association about the possibility of participating in the boycott. Players may be fined if they do not fulfill their broadcast duties, but members of the PFA appear to support such a stance.
The prevailing sentiment amid Friday’s chaos was that the BBC “necessarily cornered themselves” by threatening a potentially decades-old football brand.
Independent Contacted the BBC for comment.