Gary Lineker – latest: BBC talks with presenter ‘moving in right direction’ as disruption continues

George Lineker posted a message of solidarity for his dad on Twitter on Sunday as he said he is “proud” of his “old man”.

He added: “Shouldn’t need to apologise for being a good person and standing by his word. The reaction of the public has been overwhelming. Thanks for the support”

Gary Lineker is reportedly set to return to Match Of The Day this coming weekend amid speculation he and the BBC are close to resolving their impartiality row.

There is “growing confidence” that the former England player will return to host the popular BBC show, according to reports, following a weekend which saw the broadcaster’s sports coverage suffer severe disruption.

Lineker did not appear on the football highlights programme after he was told to stand down from the role when he compared language used to launch a new Government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany in a Tweet.

The corporation is expected to announce it is reviewing its social media guidelines following the controversy and it is believed the sports broadcaster will agree to be more careful about what he tweets, the Telegraph said.

Talks between the BBC and Gary Lineker are “moving in the right direction” after the broadcaster’s sports coverage suffered disruption throughout the weekend, the corporation has reported.

There “are hopes of a resolution soon, but not all issues are ‘fully resolved’ at this stage”, BBC news said.

Football coverage on BBC TV and radio shows was hit across the weekend as pundits walked out in “solidarity” with Lineker after the former England player was told to stand down from presenting Match Of The Day when he compared language used to launch a new Government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany.

Match Of The Day aired for only 20 minutes on Saturday without accompanying commentary or analysis from presenters, and Sunday’s edition also ran for a reduced time but with commentary.

BBC chairman Richard Sharp is facing growing calls to resign amid the Gary Lineker impartiality row which has sparked an unprecedented crisis at the corporation.

Roger Bolton, a former senior executive at the BBC, joined calls from opposition parties and senior media figures for Mr Sharp to quit.

Mr Bolton said the chairman was compromised by the investigation into whether he failed to properly share details of his involvement in facilitating an £800,000 loan for Boris Johnson when he was at No 10.

“The BBC chairman now needs to resign,” he told GB News. “The very fact that he can’t speak out on the subject and defend the BBC and define impartiality, as the chairman of the BBC, means he can’t do his job. So, I’m afraid he should go.”

Adam Forrest reports:

The BBC was sent into meltdown this weekend after presenters and pundits staged a mutiny in solidarity with Gary Lineker, who has been forced off air over a tweet about the government’s asylum crackdown.

Mr Lineker, who has hosted Match of the Day for almost a quarter of a century, has been embroiled in a row over impartiality after comparing the language used to launch a new asylum policy with 1930s Germany.

The comparison saw Mr Lineker suspended from the helm of the popular BBC show – prompting several fellow pundits, including Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, and Alex Scott, to announce they would not be taking part in solidarity with the former England striker.

Emily Atkinson has more.

The BBC chairman under pressure to resign in light of the Gary Lineker row is a former banker with connections at the heart of the political establishment.

Richard Sharp became embroiled in a cronyism row earlier this year over helping former prime minister Boris Johnson secure an £800,000 loan facility.

His old friend Sam Blyth, a Canadian businessman, went to Mr Sharp with an offer to help Mr Johnson as the then-prime minister struggled financially in 2020.

The 67-year-old’s links with the political elite also include time as boss to a young Rishi Sunak during his Goldman Sachs career.

Read more here.

London Mayor has said it was “right and proper” for Gary Lineker to criticise the government’s small boats plan.

Sadiq Khan said: “It’s right and proper that Gary Lineker should be able to speak freely about his views on the government’s policies, particularly when their policies are unworkable and immoral.”

The BBC pulled Gary Lineker off the air after his tweet about the government’s small boats legislation led to an impartiality row.

Watch here.

Gary Lineker’s row with the BBC will be resolved to his satisfaction in the next 24 hours, Sky News reported, citing sources close to the presenter.

There is likely to be a statement issued on the issue this morning, according to the network.

Coverage of the Women’s Super League match between Chelsea and Manchester United aired without a pre-match presentation yesterday and Radio 5 Live replaced much of its usual live sports coverage over the weekend with pre-recorded content.

Mr Lineker has not publicly commented on the situation since he was taken off air on Friday, telling reporters that he “can’t say anything” as they questioned him on the future of his presenting career when he left his home in Barnes.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has declined to back BBC chair Richard Sharp’s character or integrity.

Asked if he is a man of integrity, Mr Sunak said: “Richard Sharp was appointed by a government before my time, before I was prime minister.

“That process is being reviewed again by someone who has been appointed independently. It’s right that process finishes its course. It wouldn’t be right for me to speculate before then.”

Asked if he could endorse Mr Sharp’s character, he added: “I’ve known him obviously for a long time. But with regards to his appointment, it’s right that that’s done independently and rigorously.”

The pair have known each other since Mr Sharp was Mr Sunak’s mentor at Goldman Sachs.

Former Tory chancellor George Osborne has backed Gary Lineker in the controversy over his comments about Rishi Sunak’s new immigration plan in a major blow to the prime minister.

Mr Osborne backed Mr Lineker, criticising the rhetoric around asylum policy by some in his party.

“Personally I think some of the language used on immigration by some Conservatives - not all - is not acceptable,” he told Channel 4.

Martha McHardy reports.