BREAKING: Premier League players will not be asked to do interviews for the BBC's Match of the Day today | live updates
Football Focus host Alex Scott has now allegedly pulled out of today's programme in yet another show of support for Gary Lineker.It was initially reported that Kelly Somers would step in, but she has since tweeted:"Just to confirm I won't be on BBC television today."
"During those conversations we made clear that, as their union, we would support all members who might face consequences for choosing not to complete their broadcast commitments.Could this be the end of Lineker on MOTD? An ex-BBC boss thinks so...He said he suspects this impartiality row may be"the end of Gary Lineker as a BBC presenter as we've known him - and I suspect it will have a long-term effect on Match of the Day".
"There is a long-established precedent in the BBC that is that if you're an entertainment presenter or you're a football presenter, then you are not bound by those same rules," Mr Dyke said. She said:"The BBC's cowardly decision to take Gary Lineker off air is an assault on free speech in the face of political pressure from Tory politicians. They should rethink."
The BBC has since confirmed that MOTD will go ahead without hosts and pundits, and will instead focus on"match action".The retired striker is a regular on Match of the Day, often joining Linekar to present highlights of the day's matches from the Premier League."I have informed the BBC that I won't be appearing on MOTD", he said.However, he too announced he has backed out of tonight's programme.
"However, in the circumstances, we do not feel it would be appropriate to take part in the programme." But, he said, the precedent at the corporation is that"news and current affairs employees are expected to be impartial and not the rest". It must also"scrutinise arguments, question consensus and hold power to account", the guidelines say.The BBC guidelines acknowledge that social media is"now a part of everyday life".But there must be a"clear distinction" between BBC accounts run by the BBC for BBC purposes and personal accounts run by employees for personal purposes, the guidelines say.Lineker is a freelance broadcaster at the BBC - not a permanent member of staff.
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