The crisis that the BBC have brought upon themselves with their stance over Gary Lineker’s tweeting has deepened, his colleague on the broadcaster’s Match of the Day programme, Ian Wright, threatening to leave if Lineker is sacked.
It’s fair to speculate at this juncture that the corporation need to execute a damage limitation exercise, as they surely couldn’t have imagined that so many people were going to come out in support of consummate professional Lineker.
What appears at stake is the issue of free speech, given that Lineker has been tweeting his personal views from his personal Twitter account for some years.
As former BBC News and BBC Sport director, Roger Mosey, noted, Lineker’s tweets weren’t compliant with the corporations guidelines.
First, the tweets this week weren't compliant with editorial guidelines as they have developed over the decades. The BBC is right about that, and also that impartiality is vital. But… (2/5)
— Roger Mosey (@rogermosey) March 11, 2023
The question here of course is whether Lineker can be considered a BBC employee, rather than a contributor/freelancer, in any event.
Interestingly, Moser goes on to say that senior figures at the BBC must go.
So suggestions for now: Richard Sharp should go. He damages the BBC's credibility. Ideally, Lineker should stay within clear, agreed guidelines. And the BBC should send out its executives to be interviewed and explain how they intend to resolve this crisis. (5/5)
— Roger Mosey (@rogermosey) March 11, 2023
Of course, they may well not be the only ones to leave because of this fiasco. Talking on his Wrighty’s House podcast, former England international Wright made his position perfectly clear.
“I’ll tell you something, if they do, the BBC, get rid of Gary Lineker, I’m out, I’m gone, I’m not staying there.”
?? for Wrighty https://t.co/9vUO0BkMbu pic.twitter.com/0sY7oxCG3z
— Richard Johnson (@chichard41) March 11, 2023
It’s a situation that’s going from bad to worse for the BBC and who knows where it’s going to end up.
That’s real solidarity Ian, the BBCs attitude stinks to high heaven…! Comes to that, so does the misrepresented statement made by Suella Braverman, who, in her own words used the word Nazi, not Gary, it is her and the Tory brown-nosing BBC who are to blame…!