Gary Lineker row: BBC broadcasting affected for second day

The scheduled Women's Super League (WSL) fixture between Chelsea and Manchester United on BBC 2 is set to go ahead but without presenters or pundits around for the coverage. 

According to Sky News, the match will use world feed commentary instead of the BBC's own presenters. 

At this stage BBC expecting the planned WSL match between Chelsea and Manchester United this afternoon to be on BBC2, but with no pre-match presentation.
Expecting MOTD2 to follow similar much-reduced format to MOTD last night. https://t.co/6NrwAcRnni

— Dan Roan (@danroan) March 12, 2023

On Twitter this morning, BBC sports editor, Dan Roan said: "At this stage BBC expecting the planned WSL match between Chelsea and Manchester United this afternoon to be on BBC2, but with no pre-match presentation."

He added Match of the Day 2 would also be altered.

Roan said: "Expecting MOTD2 to follow a similar much-reduced format to MOTD last night."

Former England striker Jermain Defoe said yesterday he was standing down from his slot on Sunday’s Match Of The Day 2 (MOTD 2).

It’s always such a privilege to work with BBC MOTD. But tomorrow I have taken the decision to stand down from my punditry duties. @GaryLineker

— Jermain Defoe OBE (@IAmJermainDefoe) March 11, 2023

Taking to Twitter, he said: "It’s always such a privilege to work with BBC MOTD.

"But tomorrow I have taken the decision to stand down from my punditry duties."

Match Of The Day (MOTD) was broadcast last night with no presenters, no pundits, just a highlights package from the day's action.

Lineker is a usual presenter on the MOTD show but was asked to step down from the role by the BBC after the broadcasting network said a social media post of his had breached guidelines.

Fellow MOTD presenters Alan Shearer and Ian Wright boycotted the show in support of Lineker, following the announcement from the BBC on Friday.

Alan Shearer was one of many BBC presenters to boycott their roles this weekend in support of Gary Lineker (Image: PA)

Despite the majorly different look of the show, which was stripped back to just 20 minutes with no commentary or pundit analysis, MOTD was watched by 2.6 million viewers last night according to BARB overnight figures reported by BBC News. 

These numbers are nearly half a million more than last Saturday’s show. 

Last night's Match of the Day was watched by 2.58m TV viewers on BBC One. Up nearly half a million on last Saturday's figure of 2.09 million according to BARB overnights

It's the show's biggest audience since 5th November 2022 when 2.63m watched #MOTD pic.twitter.com/eT8d0KEb4v

— lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) March 12, 2023

BBC entertainment correspondent Lizo Mzimba, on Twitter, added: "It's the show's biggest audience since 5th November 2022 when 2.63m watched."

MOTD was not the only show impacted yesterday.

BBC was forced to pull hours of Saturday sports television content as presenters walked out on their broadcasting roles in support of Lineker. 

Alex Scott, Kelly Somers and Jason Mohammad were among those presenters to walk out resulting in popular BBC shows Football Focus and Final Scores being pulled. 

I made a decision last night that even though I love doing football focus and we have had an incredible week winning an SJA award that it just doesn’t feel right going ahead with the show today. Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week…

— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) March 11, 2023

The BBC has also revealed the Radio 5 Live sports commentary podcast - Premier League Sunday has been dropped for today. 

Instead, Sports Strangest Crime will play in its place.

The Lineker/BBC row has captured the attention of the entire nation over the past three days, with even the likes of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition leader Sir Keir Stamer weighing in on the debate.

Lineker 'won't back down on his word' according to his son

Gary Lineker’s son has said he thinks the presenter will return to Match Of The Day – but that he would not “back down on his word”.

In an interview with The Sunday Mirror, the former England striker’s eldest son, George, claimed his father had been “a bit disappointed” by the BBC asking him to step back from hosting Saturday’s MOTD after he compared the language used to launch a new Government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany in a tweet.

However, he said Lineker had been “overwhelmed by the support” of fellow pundits who had withdrawn from various BBC sports shows in solidarity with him.

Gary Lineker's son George believes his dad will return to MOTD. (Image: PA)

Talking to The Sunday Mirror, George Lineker said: “Dad is a good man, a good human, and I’m proud of him for standing by his word.

"That’s why he was pulled off the show – because he wouldn’t apologise. But he will always speak up for people who don’t have a voice.

“He is passionate about helping refugee charities – he took in two refugees who he is still in touch with and trying to help.

“It means a lot to him to stand up for people whose only hope is to escape a country with only the clothes on their back. That’s why he’s been so firm.

“Will he go back to Match of the Day? I think so – he loves Match of the Day. But he won’t ever back down on his word.”