Gary Lineker row: Final Score and Football Focus hosts pull out - as Mark Chapman won't present BBC 5 Live

March 11, 2023

A number of BBC football shows across TV and radio have been taken off air as presenters, pundits and commentators walk out after Gary Lineker was suspended by the broadcaster.

Final Score and Football Focus were pulled from BBC One on Saturday after their respective hosts, Jason Mohammad and Alex Scott, said they would not host their shows.

Former England player 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…"

BBC accused of 'assault on free speech' - Lineker row latest updates

Gary Lineker did not answer questions from reporters when he left his home in Barnes, west London, this morning, as he headed to watch former team Leicester take on Chelsea in the King Power stadium.

Jason Mohammad also said he wouldn't be on the BBC's results programme on Saturday afternoon.

"As you know, Final Score is a TV show very close to my heart," he tweeted.

"However - I have this morning informed the BBC that I will not be presenting the show this afternoon on BBC One."

Radio host Mark Chapman has withdrawn from hosting BBC Radio 5 Live Sport this afternoon, Sky News understands, with the show also being taken off air.

His colleague Dion Dublin said he would also not be appearing on the station, while Jermain Defoe said he will not be in the studio for Match of the Day 2 on Sunday.

However, BBC Radio 5 Live will offer commentary of Leeds v Brighton on Saturday afternoon with Ian Dennis, as well as coverage of the Six Nations.

Read more: BBC guidelines explained - and do they apply to Lineker?

Match of the Day will go ahead tonight - but without a presenter, pundits or BBC commentators after Lineker was removed from the programme over his tweets criticising the government's migrants policy.

The BBC has said there will be no "studio presentation or punditry" on Saturday night's edition, which will instead focus on "match action".

A former BBC director-general said earlier on Saturday that the BBC had "undermined its own credibility".

Greg Dyke, also a former chairman of the FA, told Radio 4's Today programme that the broadcaster was "mistaken" in standing Lineker down.

The row began on Tuesday when Lineker, 62, tweeted his thoughts on the government's new policy to stem the flow of small boats crossing the Channel.

He compared the language used by the government to that used in 1930s Germany, when the Nazis came to power.

The BBC deemed the tweet had broken its editorial guidelines on impartiality and said Lineker had been removed from Match of the Day until an agreement can be reached on his social media use.

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