Tonight’s Match Of The Day will air without presenters, pundits or commentators after Gary Lineker was removed from hosting the programme.
The BBC took to Twitter to confirm the show will air without “studio presentation or punditry” after Ian Wright and Alan Shearer said they will not appear on the programme in solidarity with Lineker.
Lineker was forced to step back from hosting the programme following a row regarding impartiality after he compared the government’s new asylum policy to 1930s Nazi Germany. The BBC said his role is under review until there’s an “agreed and clear position on his use of social media.”
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.”
It has also been announced today’s Final Score and Football Focus will not go ahead today as presenters Jason Mohammad and Alex Scott, as well as other pundits, have pulled out.
Scott tweeted: “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.”
More to follow…