BBC in Turmoil as Revolt Over Gary Lineker’s ‘Match of the Day’ Suspension Spreads

NYT WORLD: BBC in Turmoil as Revolt Over Gary Lineker’s ‘Match of the Day’ Suspension Spreads
By Andrew Das, Michael Levenson and Tariq Panja
Section: World
Source: New York Times
Published Date: March 10, 2023 at 02:00AM

One of England’s best-known sports personalities, he was taken off the air after criticizing a British government immigration proposal on social media. His ouster set off a staff boycott.

LONDON — The BBC scrambled to rearrange hours of programming in real time on Saturday after the suspension of the popular host of its cornerstone soccer program set off a revolt by on-air talent, forcing the broadcaster to curtail major portions of its weekend sports coverage and leaving it to face accusations that Britain’s culture wars had bled into its decision-making.
The crisis began on Friday with the announcement that the BBC had suspended Gary Lineker, the former English soccer star and longtime host of the soccer program “Match of the Day,” over comments that he made criticizing the Conservative government’s immigration plans.
By Saturday, the decision to remove Mr. Lineker from “Match of the Day” — a fixture on British television since the 1960s that is watched by millions every weekend — had led not only his co-hosts but also their potential replacements, related play-by-play commentators, and even players and coaches from the Premier League to join a spreading boycott.

Read More at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/10/world/europe/gary-lineker-tweet-match-of-the-day.html

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Tomorrow's front pages BBC faces revolt over Gary Lineker