Tim Davie’s programs took a hit after sports pundits and presenters, including Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Jason Mohammad, and Alex Scott, announced they would not work in support of suspended footballer Gary Lineker who tweeted his displeasure with the government’s new asylum seeker policy.
Mr. Davie said to a BBC reporter: “I’m sorry. As a die-hard sports fan, I understand how disappointing it is to miss programming. To get output on air and to fix this problem, we are working incredibly hard.”
BBC and Lineker
According to a recent YouGov poll, 53% of British people think the BBC made a mistake by suspending the veteran broadcaster and former football player. While 20% were unsure, 27% claimed that the BBC was correct.
The BBC and Lineker controversy is “a problem for them, not the government,” prime minister Rishi Sunak said when asked about it. Nevertheless, he did acknowledge that “not everyone would always agree” with the new asylum seeker policy.
- Gary Lineker tweeted his displeasure with the government’s new asylum-seeker policy.
- To get output on air and to fix this problem, we are working incredibly hard – BBC Journalist.
- There is a question regarding the BBC’s sports coverage today.
While Lineker has received criticism for his anti-government tweets, the controversy has also highlighted connections in favor of the administration at the public broadcaster.
After accusations that he assisted in securing an £800,000 loan for Boris Johnson, BBC chairman Richard Sharp is receiving increasing calls for his resignation.
There is a question regarding the BBC’s sports coverage today, with many presenters and pundits still in doubt. Match Of The Day 2, pundit Jermain Defoe has announced he won’t be watching, and the show’s host Mark Chapman skipped Saturday’s BBC Radio 5 Live Sports presentation.
At Murrayfield for the Six Nations Rugby, Gabby Logan is scheduled to anchor live coverage beginning at 2.15 p.m. She has not yet publicly stated whether or not she will do so.
The BBC’s decision to only screen “limited sports content” this weekend may also have an impact on the Women‘s Football Show, which is set to begin airing at 11.45 p.m.
