Thomas Mackintosh
Live reporter

The BBC’s remit says it is “committed to achieving due impartiality in all its output” and that “this commitment is fundamental to our reputation, our values and the trust of audiences”.

As for Twitter use, it says: “The external activities and public comments, for example on social media, of staff, presenters and others who contribute to our output can also affect perceptions of the BBC’s impartiality.”

The BBC also has specific rules over the use of social media for all employees, including freelancers.

These are:

• Always behave professionally, treating others with respect and courtesy at all times: follow the BBC’s values
• Don’t bring the BBC into disrepute
• If your work requires you to maintain your impartiality, don’t express a personal opinion on matters of public policy, politics, or ‘controversial subjects’ (as defined by Ofcom)
• Don’t criticise your colleagues in public. Respect the privacy of the workplace and the confidentiality of internal announcements

Gary Lineker has previously argued that he is a freelance sports presenter and added that the BBC rules "only apply to people in news and current affairs".

Image source, Getty Images

Gary Lineker has discussed his social media usage in the past, as well as his support for refugee issues.

In 2021, he told The Media Show, external: "I'm very supportive of refugee issues. I do find it very difficult to understand how we can't have a degree of empathy for people's positions when they have to flee a country for war, conflict...for all sorts of different reasons."

On his social media policy, he said: "I have three rules: I don't tweet when I've had a few drinks - any drinks, I don't tweet when I'm angry - but I'm never angry.

A Labour Party source has condemned the decision for Gary Lineker to "step back" from Match of the Day.

“The BBC’s cowardly decision to take Gary Lineker off air is an assault on free speech in the face of political pressure," a source said.

“Tory politicians lobbying to get people sacked for disagreeing with govt policies should be laughed at, not pandered to.”

Tory MP Simon Clarke, who formerly served as Levelling Up secretary, has also commented on the "Lineker debate", without mentioning the BBC's decision directly.

Quoting the chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, he tweeted, external: "When it comes to the Lineker debate, Karen Pollock of Holocaust UK has it right.

"There simply aren’t excuses for deeply tasteless and inaccurate comparisons of our country’s policies to protect our borders to the appalling horrors of the Holocaust."

Former BBC presenter Dan Walker has read out a text live on air from Gary Lineker as he presents 5News

According to Walker, he says Lineker sent a message saying "they [the BBC] have told me I have to step back".

Walker carries on: "Gary Lineker wants to continue to present Match of the Day and is not apologising.

"It's a BBC decision to force him not to present the programme at the moment."

We haven't had a response from Gary Lineker after the BBC said he would be stepping back from presenting Match of the Day while they come to an agreement on his social media use.

But yesterday he tweeted: "Well, it’s been an interesting couple of days. Happy that this ridiculously out of proportion story seems to be abating."

He said he was looking forward to presenting Match of the Day on Saturday and thanked people for "all your incredible support" which he said had been "overwhelming".

Reporters waiting to speak to Lineker in the street asked if he regretted the post, and he answered: "No".

Pressed on whether he had spoken to the BBC director general, he said he had and that they "chat often". Asked if he stood by the tweet, he said: "Course".

Lineker also tweeted on Wednesday: "I'll continue to try and speak up for those poor souls that have no choice."

Gary Lineker's frequent outspoken online posts have been viewed by some as a test of the BBC's ability to balance its impartiality duty with its ability to attract top talent in the era of social media.

The presenter has in the past been vocal about migrants' rights and has taken refugees into his home. He has also been critical of successive Conservative governments over issues including Brexit.

In October, the BBC's complaints unit found Lineker had broken impartiality rules in a tweet asking whether the Conservative Party planned to "hand back their donations from Russian donors".

The comment came after the then foreign secretary Liz Truss urged Premier League teams to boycott the Champions League final in Russia over the invasion of Ukraine.

In 2018 Lineker was criticised by cricket host Jonathan Agnew for expressing his political views on Twitter as the Conservatives held a no-confidence vote in Theresa May.

Lineker responded by saying he could "tweet what he likes" and would continue to do so.

In 2016, he was criticised for some tweets about child migrants, external. The BBC responded by saying: "Gary is a freelance broadcaster and this is a personal Twitter account."

This row started on Twitter so it's no surprise there's plenty of reaction there.

Gary Lineker, MOTD and The BBC are trending as people wade in with their views.

The hashtag #ImWithGary is also trending in the UK with thousands of tweets.

Following the news that Gary Lineker will not present Match Of The Day on Saturday, former BBC Breakfast and Football Focus presenter Dan Walker tweeted, external: "I used to sit in for Gary Lineker on MOTD... not sure I'd fancy it this weekend. What a mess!"

Not everyone is against the BBC's decision.

Conservative campaigner and local chairman of the Tory Hornsey and Wood Green Conservatives, Ben Obese-Jecty, writes: "Nobody watches MOTD because Gary Lineker presents it.

"The BBC has a plethora of presenters more than capable of doing the job for a fraction of his exorbitant salary and without the accompanying social media baggage."

On the other side of the spectrum, Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron says he won't be watching Match of the Day until the BBC "grows a backbone".

Green MP Caroline Lucas has also decried the announcement.

"*Please* BBC, stop capitulating to this cynical, divisive, populist Tory Government - stop letting yourselves be used to stoke these culture wars".

Match of the Day pundit Ian Wright has said in the last few minutes he won't be appearing on the show tomorrow night.

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

Gary Lineker's name has been trending high on Twitter over the last few days, and that doesn't appear to be changing with the news that he will not be presenting Match of the Day on Saturday, according to a statement released by the BBC.

Comedian, BBC television presenter and writer Richard Osman says of the decision: "This is pathetic for so many reasons."

We'll bring you more reaction as it comes.

This impartiality row has been going on for a few days - here's how we got here:

Tuesday Gary Lineker tweeted "Good heavens, this is beyond awful.", external In response to government plans to ban illegal immigrants from arriving in the UK.

He went on to compare the language the government used to set out asylum plans to "that used by Germany in the 30s".

Wednesday The BBC said it had impartiality guidelines and was having a "frank conversation" with Lineker.

Thursday Lineker tweeted, external he was very much looking forward to presenting Match of the Day on Saturday.

Today The BBC said it considered Lineker's recent tweets to be a "breach of our guidelines" and announced that Lineker would be stepping back from presenting Match of the Day until they can agree on his use of social media.

On Tuesday, Gary Lineker reacted to a video posted by the Home Secretary Suella Braverman on Twitter outlining the UK government's plans to effectively ban anyone arriving in the UK via an illegal route from claiming asylum.

Responding to the video, Lineker wrote, external: "Good heavens, this is beyond awful."

Told by another user - in a tweet that has since been deleted - that he was "out of order" for expressing his view, he added, external: "We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries.

"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?"

Following the comments, Braverman told the BBC the following day: "I'm disappointed, obviously. I think it's unhelpful to compare our measures, which are lawful, proportionate and - indeed - compassionate, to 1930s Germany. I also think that we are on the side of the British people here."

Gary Lineker was approached by reporters near his home earlier, where he was asked how he was feeling and if he would be presenting Match of the Day on Saturday.

He didn't reply to any questions, and instead replied "I've got a train to catch" as he jogged away from the media pack.

It would appear that just yesterday Gary Lineker was under the impression that he would be presenting the BBC’s Match of the Day programme this Saturday evening.

Writing in a tweet, external on Thursday afternoon, Lineker said: “It’s been an interesting couple of days.

“Happy that this ridiculously out of proportion story seems to be abating and very much looking forward to presenting @BBCMOTD on Saturday.”

A few minutes ago, the BBC released a statement saying that Lineker would be stepping back from presenting the show until an “agreed and clear position on his use of social media” is reached with the BBC.

The BBC announced this afternoon that Gary Lineker will "step back" from presenting duties on Match of the Day.

Here's that statement in full:

Jeremy Gahagan
Live reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Gary Lineker will "step back" from presenting Match of the Day, the BBC has announced, following days of debate over his comments on social media.

The organisation says the former England footballer will be off air until it gets "an agreed and clear position on his use of social media".

It comes after Lineker tweeted about the government's new Illegal Migration Bill on Monday, comparing the language used to launch the policy with "that used by Germany in the 30s".

I'm here in New Broadcasting House with my colleagues Marita Moloney and Alys Davis, so stay with us as we bring you the latest reaction to this afternoon's announcement.