by The Gary Lineker TV posse has come to an abrupt and surprising end.
The previously suspended TV presenter of the football show “Match of the Day” is back at the BBC!
The English TV station had dropped the former national player as the face of the highlight show “MOTD” on Saturday after it had publicly criticized English refugee policy.
This was against the policy of the sender who had died BBC explained. A massive wave of protests by numerous prominent TV presenters and experts followed. Even Jürgen Klopp gets involved. (All Premier League news)
With Lineker’s return, the English media are now firing heavily at them BBC. SPORT1 has collected reactions from ex-colleagues, politicians and press comments on the Lineker Gate from England.
The problem of BBC “has not disappeared for a long time”
The sun: “BBC-Own goal! Pitiful surrender of BBC-Bosses in Falllineker”
The Tory MP Marco Longhi he said Sun: “This looks like a surrender of the BBC and that their royal charter and ethos of impartiality has been shattered.”
tom huntvice chairman of the conservative Common Sense Group, the said Sun: “There was no apology from Lineker for the grossly insulting remarks he made, which would have offended millions of people who are forced to contribute to his salary.”
And ex-cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “The problem is that the BBC IS the government sender and that it WILL be processed by a tax authority. If not, we would not have to worry about his impartiality.”
An anonymous BBC-Source Said: “This is an impromptu solution to dampen the flames. Both sides agreed that things were getting out of hand. But the problem is far from gone. It’s just being swept under the rug right now.”
“The image of the warm, cuddly BBC Always war a lie”
The times: “1:0 for Lineker! BBC under criticism after ‘Match of the Day’ star is allowed to return. The BBC was accused of a ‘surrender’ in the Gary Lineker saga when she allowed her highest-paid TV host to return to ‘Match of the Day’ while she planned a review of her social media policies. Tim Davie, the general manager, apologized for the work stoppages that disrupted last weekend’s football programme.”
Jonathan Liew writes in an op-ed for The guard: “Gary Lineker’s treatment shows that the image of the warm, cozy BBC was always a lie.
For almost 50 years, the British secret service MI5 had agents at the BBC used to weed out the job applicants with the aim of screened, left-leaning employees. The process was known as the “Christmas Tree,” after the discreet symbol on a personnel file that alerted executives that a specific person should be blacklisted. This practice continued into the 1980s and until an exposure of the observer denied at all levels by 1985.
Perhaps this contradicts the warm and cozy image of the BBCthat has been passed down to us through generations. Shaped by the sacred mission of its founder Lord Reith, this endearing national treasure is a buzzing hotbed of family entertainment and artistic monuments and the signature tune of Sports Report and David Attenborough cuddling gorillas, a place that expresses the best of us brings and represent us all. And it seems to me that many of the strong feelings evoked by last week’s treatment of Gary Lineker spring from this ideal: a honeyed, romanticized one BBCthat only existed in the imagination.”
“Lineker won the battle – but maybe not the war”
The Telegraph: “Gary Lineker has his BBC-Battle won – but maybe not the war. A victory for freedom of expression over stamp culture, we are told. This is how Fatboy Slim framed Gary Lineker’s fight with the BBCThe Brighton DJ put the face of the Match of the Day presenter on the screen to the thunderous applause of the concertgoers as if he were the leader of a popular revolutionary front.”
The Independent: “Lineker 3 – BBC 0! The Match of the Day Host’s hat trick: 1. He got his job back. 2. He didn’t apologize. 3. He promptly tweets about refugee boats again while the BBC ‘Excuse me’ says.”
Daily Mail: “BBC Sport at WAR: Huge rift at Lineker-Gate as boss is confronted by angry employees and management in confidential poll conducted by Daily Mail was seen being attacked for excessive leadership in handling the whole debacle.”
Shearer praises Lineker’s services to the BBC a
alan scissorsr, former England international, says: “The BBC-Bosses need to better understand the importance of Match of the Day and what Gary Lineker entails. At a time when teams are more tactically sophisticated, the insight Lineker and the Experts provide is even more important. They spend hours watching games and then sending analysis.”
Gary Lineker himself stated: “After a few unreal days, I am very glad that we found a way to overcome this situation. I want to thank you all for the incredible support, especially my colleagues at BBC Sport for the remarkable show of solidarity. Football is a team game but their support has been overwhelming.”
