Following an impartiality controversy over his criticism of the government’s asylum policy that sent Britain’s public broadcaster into scheduling upheaval over the weekend, Gary Lineker will resume his responsibilities on the BBC’s premier soccer show.
Tim Davie, the director general of the BBC, said in a statement on Monday that he understood it had been a “tough period for staff,” but he was looking forward to Lineker’s reinstatement.
A review of the BBC’s social media guidelines would be conducted by an impartial expert, he added, recognizing that the current guidelines had “perhaps confused” some.
In response to reports that the BBC will have a “frank conversation” with the former England striker after Home Secretary Suella Braverman branded the TV presenter’s comments that he compared the language used to launch the Government’s new asylum policy to 1930s Germany as “irresponsible,”
The BBC has been subject to a boycott from analysts, presenters, and even players of its flagship soccer show since the suspension was announced. Additionally, other soccer programs, such as “Football Focus” and “Final Score,” as well as some radio programming, were taken off the air over the weekend as a result of the controversy.
Lineker, 62, expressed his happiness after being reinstated on Twitter and remarked that the previous few days had been “surreal.”
“I want to thank you all for the tremendous support, especially my BBC Sport colleagues for the impressive display of unity. Although football is a team sport, their support was amazing, Lineker wrote.
