BBC still using Gary Lineker to advertise 20-minute Match of the Day despite axe
Gary Lineker is still being used to advertise the 20-minute long Match of the Day on the BBC iPlayer despite his axing.
The Beeb aired a shortened version of their flagship football programme on Saturday (March 11) night with no pundits, commentators, or Lineker after he was taken off hosting duties and his colleagues boycotted the show in solidarity.
Nevertheless, Lineker's image can be seen on iPlayer when viewers go to watch the episode back on their catch-up service. A description reads: "The world's most famous football show. Gary Lineker with the big names and the big games from the Premier League."
READ MORE: GB News launches 'alternative Match of the Day' but viewers 'die from cringe' in seconds
England legend Lineker remains in a stand-off with his employers, who suspended him for not apologising over a tweet he posted comparing the language used in the government's new asylum policy to that of Nazi Germany.
In an interview aired yesterday, BBC director general Tim Davie said their priority was to get their sports coverage, which has been decimated this weekend, back up and running as soon as possible.
Do you think Lineker will return to MOTD? Let us know in the comments section.
Davie issued an apology to TV licence payers and made it clear he wanted Lineker to return. He said: "I’m sorry audiences have been affected and they haven’t got the programming.
"As a keen sports fan I know to miss programming is a real blow and I’m sorry about that. We are working very hard to resolve this situation and make sure we get output on air.
"Everyone wants to calmly resolve [the] situation. Gary Lineker’s the best in the business – that’s not for debate."
World feed commentary was used on the BBC's coverage of the Women's Super League clash between Chelsea and Manchester United this afternoon, which may be the case for next weekend's FA Cup quarter-finals too if the situation isn't resolved by then.
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