The BBC has asked Gary Lineker, the host of the flagship programme Match of the Day, to “step back” from presenting his football show on Friday following a dispute over impartiality.
The former England footballer had criticised the UK government’s new asylum policy on Twitter, comparing its language to that of Nazi Germany.
The BBC accused Lineker of breaching its guidelines and cautioned him against taking political stances. The row started when Lineker reacted to a video by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, in which she announced plans to prevent migrants from crossing the Channel on small boats.
Lineker has previously hosted refugees in his home and has been critical of the government’s handling of migrant crossings. Despite being a freelance broadcaster, he was previously found to have violated the BBC’s impartiality regulations in October.
