
<p>Gary Lineker is set to soon return to host BBC’s <em>Match of the Day</em>. The former Leicester City, Barcelona, and Tottenham Hotspur star was previously <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bbc-match-of-the-day-crew-steps-away-in-support-of-lineker-20230310-WST-423035.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">removed from the show</a> for comments about the British government.</p>



<p>The presenter essentially criticized UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s views on the asylum policy. Lineker has also been vocal about his support for refugees on his personal Twitter account. However, BBC announced that they had suspended the host last week. The British news network also stated that they will talk to Lineker about his public political opinions as well.</p>



<p>Lineker’s colleagues also refused to do the show without their main presenter. Former Premier League superstars Alan Shearer and Ian Wright both informed BBC that they would also be taking the week off in solidarity with Lineker. Viewers and fans widely praised the two for their decision.</p>



<h2>Lineker return to Match of the Day met with mixed reactions</h2>



<p>Nevertheless, BBC has opted to bring Lineker back to the show. Sunak <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11854939/Rishi-Sunak-says-pleased-Gary-Lineker-screen-despite-migrant-rant.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">claimed</a> to be “pleased” upon hearing the news of Lineker’s return. The Prime Minister also  expressed relief that the two parties settled the ordeal.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">After a surreal few days, I’m delighted that we have navigated a way through this. I want to thank you all for the incredible support, particularly my colleagues at BBC Sport, for the remarkable show of solidarity. Football is a team game but their backing was overwhelming. 1/4</p>— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1635220356737937413?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>Other UK political figures, however, were not as thrilled with the move. Philip Davies, a Tory backbench MP, lambasted the decision to bring back Lineker so quickly. </p>



<p>“This pathetic capitulation by the BBC is the start of the end for the license fee,” <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11854939/Rishi-Sunak-says-pleased-Gary-Lineker-screen-despite-migrant-rant.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proclaimed</a> Davies. “‘The BBC can no longer credibly claim that it believes in political impartiality and, more importantly, it has proved that it doesn’t have the stomach to enforce it. It is now a free for all at the BBC.”</p>



<h5>Former striker currently a freelancer for BBC</h5>



<p>Lineker has hosted Match of the Day since 1999 and is the network’s highest-paid personality. Despite this, the network employs him as a freelancer. Officially, BBC expects impartiality from employees on political matters. However, there is debate on how employees outside of the news can conduct their political affairs.</p>



<p>Lineker’s return to the show is on Saturday, March 18. His first appearance back on the network will be for the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/fa-cup-tv-schedule/">FA Cup</a> match between <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/teams/manchester-city-tv-schedule/">Manchester City</a> and Burnley. Former City <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/guardiola-kompany-destiny-as-manager-is-written-in-the-stars-20230303-WST-422070.html">captain Vincent Kompany</a> is returning to Manchester as Burnley head coach.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / PA Images</em></p>


Gary Lineker is returning to BBC's Match of the Day after a short suspension. The host previously criticized the British government.

Lineker returns to Match of the Day after suspension


<p>On Friday, a number of pundits on BBC Match of the Day announced they would not partake on the weekend in support of Gary Lineker. BBC suspended the host of the show and former England striker for comments <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/mar/10/gary-lineker-step-back-match-of-the-day-bbc">breaching impartiality</a> against the British government. </p>



<p>Lineker criticized UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s take on the asylum policy. BBC said it would talk to Lineker about expressing his personal political opinions. Although, he kept this on social media, clearly expressing that <a href="https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1633479701523054592" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">they were his views</a>, not those of his employers at the BBC. Lineker stated his <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCRosAtkins/status/1634296186491359233" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">support for refugees</a> in the past and how he will continue to speak on the topic on his own accord.</p>



<p>In response to Lineker’s suspension, the other pundits on BBC MOTD voiced heavy support for the host. Alan Shearer and Ian Wright both informed the BBC that they will not be on the studio show this week. Wright even expressed how much the show means to him, perhaps accentuating the impact of his decision.</p>



<p>Both Wright and Shearer received praise for their decisions on Twitter.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.</p>— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) <a href="https://twitter.com/IanWright0/status/1634243318723821576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2023</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>For now, the changes to BBC Match of the Day are temporary, and Lineker could return to the show as soon as next week. However, some analysts think his commentary on Twitter could <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1634279045994106900" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cost him his job</a>. </p>



<h2>BBC Match of the Day to look different without Lineker, Wright, Shearer</h2>



<p>In response to the three pundits stepping away, BBC and Match of the Day announced there will be no studio conversation. Instead, the content for the show will be strictly game-driven.</p>



<p>Of course, for readers in the United States, BBC <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/see-how-bbcs-match-of-the-day-was-made-in-1974-20221226-WST-413408.html">Match of the Day</a> is somewhat hard to find, particularly without a VPN, or virtual private network. However, this is not the first occassion where pundits in other countries spoke out against policies they disagree with, while those in the United States remained silent.</p>



<p>Consider the 2022 World Cup. BBC, including Gary Lineker, opened their World Cup coverage by <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/bbc-qatar-world-cup-opening-in-stark-contrast-to-fox-20221120-WST-409177.html">clarifying the human rights abuses</a> in Qatar and the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community and migrant workers. In the United States coverage on FOX, there was no mention.</p>



<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / PA Images</em></p>


BBC Match of the Day, a program in the UK, will look different as the crew steps away after Gary Lineker made polarizing comments.

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