Gary Lineker has the support of the people (Picture:Getty)
Celebrities including Piers Morgan, Dan Walker, Jeremy Clarkson, and Richard Osman have rushed to the defence of Gary Lineker following the news of him stepping back from Match Of The Day.
The sports pundit, 62, made headlines after he blasted the government’s newly-announced controversial policy to stop illegal boats carrying migrants from reaching the UK.
He had responded to a video by Home Secretary Suella Braverman on Twitter, in which she called to ‘stop the boats’ with a new Illegal Migration Bill, calling it an ‘immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s.’
Lineker later insisted that he stood by his tweet, and said he would be returning to host Match Of The Day on Saturday, but it has since been announced by the BBC that he will not, in fact, appear on the show until there is an ‘agreement reached on social media use’.
Understandably, the whole thing has sparked great debate, with a flurry of stars making it very clear where they stand.
Controversial broadcaster Morgan was left in disbelief, branding the BBC’s decision ‘pathetically spineless’.
The football pundit made headlines after he criticised the Government’s new immigration policy (Picture: BBC/Pete Dadds)
‘I now demand the BBC suspend every presenter who has made public comment about news or current affairs – starting with Sir David Attenborough and Lord Sugar’, he tweeted.
Ex-BBC Breakfast and Football Focus presenter Dan Walker tweeted: ‘I used to sit in for @GaryLineker on MOTD… not sure I’d fancy it this weekend. What a mess!’
The newsreader also shared that he’s in touch with Lineker, speaking about the situation on Channel 5 News.
Walker said: ‘It’s one of those strange situations where I’m actually texting the man himself (Lineker) at the moment.
Controversial broadcaster Piers Morgan is firmly on Lineker’s side (Picture: Vianney Le Caer/Piers Morgan Uncensored/REX/Shutterstock)
Dan Walker has been in contact with the star (Picture: PA)
‘And I have asked Gary Lineker the question about whether he is stepping back or whether the BBC have told him to step back and I’ve told him that if he responds to me that I will read out that text on air.
‘There’s one word in there I can’t use, but he has said, “No, they’ve told me I have to step back.”
‘So Gary Lineker wants to continue to present Match Of The Day and is not apologising for what he’s said, but he’s said it’s a BBC decision to force him to not present the programme at the moment.’
Elsewhere, former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson voiced his stance, tweeting in response to Ian Wright.
Wright has stood by his colleague and friend, posting: ‘Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.’
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‘Good on you mate’, Clarkson replied.
Former BBC Newsnight host Emily Maitlis, who was herself reprimanded by the BBC for sharing a tweet the corporation viewed as ‘controversial’, said her former employer could face a ‘much, much bigger battle’ after its decision.
‘I’m not sure when they suggested to Gary Lineker he step back from (Match Of The Day) the BBC realised it might be starting a much much bigger battle,’ she tweeted.
‘Ian Wright refusing to present on Saturday. In the name of solidarity.’
Soccer Saturday presenter Jeff Stelling also replied to Wright’s message with: ‘Well played Wrighty.’
Retired England goalkeeper Ben Foster added a message of support under the tweet, replying: ‘Heck yes Wrighty.’
Ian Wright will not present Match Of The Day out of solidarity with his friend and colleague (Picture: PA)
Various football stars have shown their support for Lineker, including Ben Foster (Picture: Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
Former Pointless presenter Osman echoed their thoughts, telling his followers that Lineker stepping back from presenting Match Of The Day ‘is pathetic for so many reasons’.
Ex-Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville, who commentates for Sky Sports, tweeted in response to a news story: ‘When you take on the Tories and the system! Awful people who we need gone. Off for a (wine glass emoji).’
Alastair Campbell has branded the BBC’s decision over Lineker’s remarks on Twitter ‘an act of political cowardice’ that threatens democracy.
The former journalist and Labour spin doctor described the move to announce Lineker was stepping back from Match Of The Day as ‘pathetic’ and ‘craven’ during an appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live.
Asked about his stance on the matter, he said: ‘I’ll be even more outspoken now because this is, I’m afraid, an act of complete political cowardice. If it was wrong in principle then they should have sacked him the other day.’
Alastair Campbell vows to be ‘even more outspoken’ himself now (Picture: PA)
Emily Maitlis is fighting Lineker’s corner after she too was reprimanded by the BBC (Picture: PA)
Campbell contrasted Lineker’s position with those of BBC chairman Richard Sharp and Sir Robbie Gibb, a BBC board member and former communications director for Theresa May.
He said Sir Robbie had ‘allowed the myth to develop that the BBC was somehow left wing’, before going on to work on the Brexit campaign and then returning to the corporation to sit on its board, but that ‘nobody has doorstepped’ him.
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Campbell added: ‘It is absolutely pathetic and craven and it’s happened because… a few Tory MPs and a couple of ministers and the right-wing rags have got themselves worked up into a lather, and as a result of that Gary Lineker has to go.’
He described the move as ‘Trumpian’ and ‘utterly obscene’ and accused the BBC of ‘pander(ing) to a right-wing agenda’, before adding: ‘What has happened today is about more than a football commentator. It is dangerous to who and what we are as a democracy.’
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Piers branded the BBC’s decision ‘pathetically spineless’.