Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Micah Richards, Alex Scott, and others boycott BBC show after Gary Lineker’s suspension.
A wave of solidarity for Gary Lineker has led to several high-profile pundits, including Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, and Alex Scott, boycotting this weekend’s Match of the Day. Their actions follow the BBC’s decision to remove Lineker from his hosting role over his recent social media activity. Shearer and Wright, who were both scheduled to appear, publicly declared their withdrawal, with Wright tweeting his decision as a gesture of “solidarity.”
The BBC confirmed that, in light of the boycott, the weekend’s Match of the Day would proceed without any presenters or pundits. A spokesperson stated: “Some pundits have made it clear that they do not wish to appear on the programme while we work through the situation with Gary. As a result, the show will focus solely on match footage, without any studio analysis or commentary.”
Lineker’s suspension came after he criticised the government’s asylum policy, which he likened to the language used by Nazi Germany in the 1930s. His comments sparked a debate over BBC impartiality, with the broadcaster stating that Lineker’s views violated their guidelines. While the BBC has emphasised its respect for Lineker’s right to express his opinions, it has made it clear that such statements should not align with party politics or controversial political matters.
Several other pundits, including Micah Richards and Jermaine Jenas, have also expressed their support for the boycott. Richards, while not scheduled to appear on the show, affirmed he would have taken the same stance as Wright and Shearer. Jenas echoed these sentiments, adding that had he been scheduled, he too would have declined to appear in solidarity with his colleagues.
Gary Neville, former Manchester United captain, voiced his backing for Wright’s decision, remarking on Twitter that he expected nothing less from the pundit. Steve Wilson, the lead commentator for Match of the Day, expressed sadness over how the story had shifted from football to political controversy. He noted Lineker’s own history of supporting refugees and suggested that he had earned the right to voice his opinions.
Former Match of the Day host, Dan Walker, also weighed in, commenting that it would be interesting to see how the BBC’s production team handled the absence of key figures from the show.
The BBC has confirmed that Lineker is expected to remain sidelined until the broadcaster reaches a resolution regarding his social media conduct.
