Description
Fans shed light on the situation by confirming that everyone from Bend It Like Beckham's Keira Knightley to Lana Del Rey will not be hosting Saturday's show. Jurgen Klopp says he doesn't understand the BBC's decision to drop Gary Lineker Viewers of Match of the Day reacted to Saturday's "silent" format when the episode aired without pundits after Lineker's suspension and notable boycotts, including by fellow players Ian Wright and Alan Shearer.
Saturday's episode of Match of the Day lasted just 20 minutes, with no presenter, pundits, commentary or interviews following the ongoing dispute between the BBC and Gary Lineker over the terms of his contract.
The former England footballer was told to stop hosting the show after he compared the language used to launch a new government policy on asylum seekers to 1930s Germany in a tweet, with other commentators and former internationals England's Alan Shearer and Ian Wright announcing their boycott of this weekend's episode on Friday.
Gary Lineker (centre) reacts in the stands during the Premier League match at the King Power Stadium, Leicester. (Mike Egerton/PA)
Ahead of the show, a continuity announcer said: "Now on BBC One, we're sorry we can't show our normal Match of the Day, including commentary tonight.
"But now here's the best action from today's Premier League games," he continued, trading his opening credits for an apology amid awkward silence.
The coverage then cut straight to the highlights of Bournemouth's win over Liverpool, with viewers taking to Twitter to comment on the new modified format.
The comedic tweets didn't go awry, with fans shedding light on the situation by confirming that celebrities from Bend It Like Beckham's Keira Knightley to Lana Del Rey would not be hosting Saturday's show.
However, some viewers liked the changed format. One user noted that amid the backlash, the expert-less format served as a reminder that "all you need is the theme song."
Meanwhile, Mr Lineker's eldest son, George, confirmed that his father would return for the day's match, but added that he would "not go back on his word".
In an interview with The Sunday Mirror, George Lineker commented: "Dad is a good man, a good human being, and I'm proud of him for keeping his word. That's why he was written off the show, because he didn't apologize. But he will always speak for himself. people who have no voice.
"He is passionate about helping refugee charities – he has taken in two refugees with whom he is still in contact and tries to help. It means a lot to him to stand up for people whose only hope is to flee a country with only their clothes on their backs. That's why he was so firm.
“Will he return to Match Of The Day? I think so, he likes Match Of The Day. But he will never go back on his word.
The daughter of a Jewish refugee who came to the UK from Hungary in the 1930s delivered a letter to Gary Lineker's home on Saturday. Thanking him for his stance on immigration policy, Susie Courtalt, 75, applauded him for "speaking for all the people who can't express an opinion."
Elsewhere, BBC chief executive Tim Davie called Gary Lineker the world's "best" sportscaster and said people should "fight for" an impartial BBC.
"Let's be clear: we have the best sports broadcaster in the world. We want to make sure he can get back on the air, we're working together to make that happen and everyone wants to see a reasonable solution to that," he said. he told BBC News.
PA wire
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