Match of the Day latest — Gary Lineker pulled by BBC as show to air with NO presenters while Football Focus is CANCELLED | The Sun

THE fallout from Gary Lineker's sacking from BBC continues as former Arsenal player Alex Scott pulls out of presenting Football Focus which was supposed to air at 12pm today.

She took to Twitter saying: "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…"

Meanwhile, Kelly Sommers confirmed that she will not be stepping in to host as she tweeted: "Just to confirm I won’t be on BBC television today."

Football Focus has been cancelled while reports suggest that Final Score, which normally airs at 4.30pm on Saturday will not go through either.

BBC confirmed that tonight's Match of the Day will be aired with no commentators or hosts while no player or manager from the Premier League will be giving any interview to the show.

Follow our Match of the Day blog for news and updates…

  • Catherine Micallef

    PFA Comments

    The Professional Footballers' Association issued a statement on Premier League players not speaking to Match of the Day today.

    It said: "We have been informed that players involved in today's games will not be asked to participate in interviews with Match Of The Day.

    "The PFA have been speaking to members who wanted to take a collective position and to be able to show their support for those who have chosen not to be part of tonight's programme.

    "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.

    "This is a common sense decision that ensures players won't now be put in that position."

  • Catherine Micallef

    Final Score will not be aired

    The BBC also air Final Score at 4.30pm on Saturdays.

    The will now not go ahead.

  • Catherine Micallef

    Kelly Somers confirms absence from BBC

    The Football Focus reporter also took to Twitter to let fans know that she'll be missing out on the programme today.

  • Catherine Micallef

    Alex Scott speaks out on her decision

    The former Arsenal player took to Twitter to comment on her decision to pull out of Football Focus.

    She said: "I made a decision last night that even though I love my show and we have had an incredible week winning an SJA for football focus that it doesn’t feel right for me to go ahead with the show today.. Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week…."

  • Catherine Micallef

    BREAKING: Alex Scott pulls out of Football Focus

    The BBC reported that Alex Scott and other pundits have pulled out of Football Focus.

    The ex-Arsenal player pulled out of the show just hours before it goes live on Saturday.

    She’s hosted Football Focus since 2021.

  • Catherine Micallef

    No interviews from Premier League clubs

    It's been confirmed that no interview requests from Match of the Day will be given to Premier League clubs.

    The 12 clubs playing today have been told that their players and managers will receive no requests and it has also been communicated to the League Managers' Association and the Professional Footballers' Association.

  • Catherine Micallef

    Commentators step down from MOTD

    Tonight's show of Match of the Day will be hosted with no "studio presentation or punditry" after commentators Steve Wilson, Simon Brotherton, Conor McNamara and Robyn Cowen followed suit with Ian Wright and Alan Shearer.

    Steve Wilson took to Twitter last night, saying: "As commentators on MOTD, we have decided to step down from tomorrow night’s broadcast.

    "We are comforted that football fans who want to watch their teams should still be able to do so, as management can use World Feed commentary if they wish.

    "However, in the circumstances, we do not feel it would be appropriate to take part in the programme."

  • Catherine Micallef

    Matt Le Tissier hits out at Ian Wright

    Former Southampton midfielder Matt Le Tissier has hit out at Arsenal legend Ian Wright for stepping down from tonight's episode of Match of The Day.

    While appearing on GBN, Southampton's second-highest ever scorer compared how Wright responded when Le Tissier was booted out of his punditry role at Soccer Saturday.

    He said: "What's really interesting about it is, if you go back three years and have a look at the reaction Ian Wright had to the sacking of myself, Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas.

    "And you will see that reaction is completely contradictory to the way he reacted to this. So it's all very well taking this stance but let's show a bit of consistency in this, Wrighty. You know what I'm talking about. If you're watching, you know what I'm on about…"

  • Catherine Micallef

    Players might boycott Match of the Day

    It's being reported that players from Premier League clubs might choose to boycott interviews with Match of the Day after Gary Lineker was sacked for his comments.

    Journalist Dan Roan tweeted: "Players from various clubs have contacted PFA tonight saying they may want to show solidarity with GL & MOTD pundits over the impartiality row by boycotting BBC post-match interviews tmrw. PFA believed to be supportive of any players who choose to do so."

    Later on, Football writer Miguel Delaney said that it's being understood that "a number of clubs have major concerns about allowing their managers and players be interviewed for Match of the Day tomorrow as fallout continues.

  • Mollie Mansfield

    To 'focus on match action'

    A BBC spokesperson said: “Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary.

    “We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”

  • Mollie Mansfield

    Show will go on

    BBC has confirmed that Match of the Day will still air tonight.

    However, there will be NO hosts.

    The BBC told The Sun the exodus of pundits following Gary Linker's suspension means they will show only football.

  • Mollie Mansfield

    Full statement from BBC

    The full statement read: "The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days.

    "We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines.

    "The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.

    "When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none.

    "We have never said that Gary should be an opinion free zone, or that he can't have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies."

  • Mollie Mansfield

    Alex Scott posts cryptic tweet

    Footie pundit Alex Scott says she won't step in to host Match of the Day in place of Gary Lineker after his suspension from the show.

    In a cryptic tweet the ex-Lioness shared a meme of US politician Bernie Sanders saying: "Nah… not for me."

    The BBC has since revealed that the show will go ahead, but with no hosts.

  • Mollie Mansfield

    Ian Wright and Alan Shearer speak out

    Lineker's co-hosts on Match of The Day, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer have also stepped back from the show in a sign of solidarity to Lineker.

    Wright tweeted: "Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity."

    This was shortly followed by co-star Alan Shearer who said: "I have informed the BBC that I won’t be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night."

  • Mollie Mansfield

    What did Gary Lineker tweet?

    Lineker took to Twitter to hit out at the Illegal Migration Bill, which bans migrants who arrive on small boats from settling in Britain.

    He tweeted: "This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the '30s, and I'm out of order?"

  • Mollie Mansfield

    The legislation that's being discussed

    The criticism of Mr Lineker came after he responded to a video on Twitter of Home Secretary Suella Braverman as she presented the Government's plan.

    The legislation will see migrants swiftly detained and removed to either their country of origin or a safe third state within 28 days.

    Sharing the clip, Mr Lineker said: "Good heavens, this is beyond awful."

  • Mollie Mansfield

    'Breach of our guidelines'

    The corporation said Mr Lineker's criticism of the Government's Illegal Migration Bill on Twitter was a "breach of our guidelines".

    The pundit will now step back from presenting duties on the flagship football show – that he's presented since 1999 – until a "clear position" on his social media use is agreed.

    Mr Lineker sparked a free speech row when he compared the Governments plans to ban migrants arriving on small boats from settling in Britain with "1930's Germany".

  • Mollie Mansfield

    Disagrees with Lineker

    Clarkson continued: All that being said, I disagree with him.

    All of the people arriving in Kent have come from France which, last time I looked, is not a war zone.

    And many are economic migrants who see the UK as a soft touch.

    So there you are. Two differing views.

    One from a former footballer and crisp enthusiast and another from a motoring journalist turned farmer. Take your pick.

    But remember, whatever you decide, you have to accept that in a free country, you can’t really go around sacking people for expressing an opinion.

  • Mollie Mansfield

    Jeremy Clarkson reacts

    In a comment piece for The Sun, Clarkson wrote the following.

    People have been calling for Gary Lineker to be sacked because he says Britain’s new policy of slamming the door on anyone who arrives in Kent on a small boat reminds him of policies used in 1930s Germany.

    Well now look. Gary’s bright and likeable. And he’s entitled to air his views on the matter.

    I know the BBC gets its impartiality knickers in a twist every time he says something controversial but he’s a football pundit. Not Huw Edwards.

  • Mollie Mansfield

    Mark Chapman ruled out

    Mark Chapman has reportedly ruled himself out as the Match of the Day host after fellow pundits pulled out in "solidarity" with Gary Lineker.

    Now, football pundit Mark Chapman is thought to have ruled himself out of the race to be the new host.

    Chief Sports Reporter at the Daily Mail Matt Hughes said in a tweet: "BBC desperately scrambling to secure a new presenter for Match of the Day, with Alex Scott and Mark Chapman both ruling themselves out following withdrawal of Alan Shearer and Ian Wright as pundits."

    The BBC has since revealed that the show will go ahead, but with no hosts.

  • Mollie Mansfield

    MOTD plunged into meltdown

    Match of the Day hosts staged a mutiny tonight after the BBC yanked Gary Lineker off air over the Nazi tweet row — plunging the flagship show into chaos.

    Ian Wright and Alan Shearer walked out in “solidarity” with Lineker, 62, who had compared the Government’s language around its small boats crackdown to that of 1930s Germany.

    The BBC was left scrambling to find a panel for the show, as other stars ruled themselves out.

  • Matthew Aquino

    Inside Gary Lineker's reaction to suspension

    Friends said Lineker had been blindsided by the statement and was being benched against his will. 

    It left Match of the Day 2 presenter Mark Chapman as favourite to step in.

    The Beeb could not say when ex-England ace Lineker will return.

    Tonight it appeared there was no way back for the star at the BBC.

    He was ordered to issue a “humiliating apology” by execs or face being “rested” from the show. 

  • Mollie Mansfield

    Jermaine Jenas says he WON’T host

    Jermaine Jenas has become the SIXTH pundit to rule himself out of presenting Match of the Day following Gary Lineker's suspension.

    Following an exodus of pundits from Saturday night's show, Jenas tweeted: "Been on air with the one show.

    "I wasn’t down to be doing match of the day tomorrow, but if I was I would of said no and stood with my fellow pundits and
    @GaryLineker."

  • Matthew Aquino

    Actor and comedian sends support to Lineker

    Famous actor and comedian Julian Clary took to Twitter to add to the support of Gary Lineker after he was suspended for a controversial tweet.

    Clary wrote: "Before they ask, no, I won’t go on #MOTD I stand with Gary Lineker. Hit them where it hurts."

    Although Clary would most likely not appear on the show that didn't stop the comedian from having some fun and showing support.

  • Matthew Aquino

    Former footballer shares his opinion

    Former Welsh footballer David Cotterill is not exactly thrilled to see all the support suddenly for Gary Lineker after his controversial tweet.

    He wrote: "Everyone now sticking up for Gary Lineker about free speech."

    Cotterill added: "Where was everyone when Matt Le Tissier got sacked from Sky Sports supporting him and his free speech? Might I add he’s been right about everything! I didn’t see no football pundits sticking up for him."

Source: Read Full Article