Lineker 'delighted' to return as BBC reviews social media rules

We'll be closing our live page shortly. Here's a summary of the main developments today:

• Gary Lineker will return to football coverage this weekend for the FA Cup quarter-final clash after a deal was struck with the BBC
• The BBC will launch an independent review of its social media guidelines, although who will lead this review is yet to be revealed
• It will place a particular focus on how the guidance applies to freelancers outside the corporation's news coverage, like Lineker
• BBC director general Tim Davie has denied he took the presenter off air last week due to political pressure
• Davie has apologised for a "difficult period" for staff, contributors, presenters and the audience, following mass-walkouts over the weekend disrupting most of the BBC's normal football coverage
• The head of the BBC has also acknowledged "grey areas" in the current guidelines - introduced in 2020
• Lineker has agreed to stick to the current guidelines while this review is carried out - but what this will mean in practice is not clear
• The Match of the Day host has taken to Twitter to say he is "immeasurably proud" to work for the BBC and thanked people for their support over the last few days
• The BBC's football coverage will resume as normal from this week, including tonight's Scottish Cup quarter-final between Falkirk and Ayr United
• There has also been discussion about the position of BBC chair Richard Sharp - Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said his position in the BBC is becoming "increasingly untenable", while Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has called on the PM to sack him

EPACopyright: EPA

The BBC must establish clear, consistent social media guidance or it will find it difficult to attract high-profile contributors, a company specialising in working with celebrities to shape their social media presence, has said.

Lauren Beeching, founder of public relations firm Honest London, tells BBC News she believes the explosion of social media usage has caused a dramatic shift in how celebrities present themselves online.

She says that while in the past her company would advise against being vocal about controversial political matters, this is less of an issue now and high-profile people are far more willing to take a "significant hit from those who disagree with them".

Quote Message: In today's world, we are much more open to it from a PR standpoint, as it is almost expected now from a public perspective for celebrities to voice their opinions. It can be damning to their reputation now to remain impartial."

In today's world, we are much more open to it from a PR standpoint, as it is almost expected now from a public perspective for celebrities to voice their opinions. It can be damning to their reputation now to remain impartial."

On the impact the Lineker row could have on the BBC's ability to attract famous contributors, she says if the planned review decides freelancers outside of news and current affairs must remain impartial, it will cause significant problems for the corporation.

Beeching says it will be incredibly difficult to find "headlining names" who are "willing to essentially be silenced on their platforms in order to feature on the BBC".

She adds that, without any solutions, her company would be be cautious before advising a client to work with the BBC - short of an "incredibly clear contract" on what the celebrity can and can't do while working for them.

Quote Message: The review needs to be straightforward and easy to understand for the freelancers and the public. Right now, there are contradictions within the BBC's approach; for example, why has Gary Lineker been dealt with this situation while Alan Sugar was allowed to express his political opinions?"

The review needs to be straightforward and easy to understand for the freelancers and the public. Right now, there are contradictions within the BBC's approach; for example, why has Gary Lineker been dealt with this situation while Alan Sugar was allowed to express his political opinions?"

Comedian Dara Ó Briain has also been speaking out about what's been happening - and suggested that public figures should be allowed to express political views.

He tweeted:

Quote Message: Well done Gary Lineker at enduring this ridiculous, contrived 'controversy'; and demonstrating that, as ever, people are perfectly capable of handling the idea that a grown-up can have a public job and also be separately, politically engaged in their own time. We're not babies."

Well done Gary Lineker at enduring this ridiculous, contrived 'controversy'; and demonstrating that, as ever, people are perfectly capable of handling the idea that a grown-up can have a public job and also be separately, politically engaged in their own time. We're not babies."

BBCCopyright: BBC

Writer and director Armando Iannucci says the row over impartiality at the BBC will continue until the corporation is kept separate from government.

The Thick Of It creator tweeted:

Quote Message: This week's story will keep happening unless the BBC is truly independent of the government of the day.

This week's story will keep happening unless the BBC is truly independent of the government of the day.

Quote Message: Appointments to its board, and of its director general, and determination of its funding, need to be visibly separate from Downing St. Or the public will lose trust in the BBC."

Appointments to its board, and of its director general, and determination of its funding, need to be visibly separate from Downing St. Or the public will lose trust in the BBC."

PACopyright: PA

BBC Scotland's output was also hit over the weekend, including radio coverage of Rangers' Scottish cup victory and Scotland's Six Nations clash against Ireland.

Meanwhile, Sportscene was broadcast on TV with an amended format, while some Sportsound coverage on Radio Scotland was replaced with pre-recorded material.

But now that an agreement has been reached between the BBC and Gary Lineker, BBC Scotland has confirmed there will be full coverage of Falkirk's Scottish Cup quarter-final against Ayr United on Monday.

It will be broadcast on the BBC Scotland channel from 19:30 GMT, and there is also coverage on radio and online.

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has weighed in now, describing the BBC's decision as the correct one - while also calling for a new chairman for the corporation.

Richard Sharp, who was appointed by the government to lead the BBC's board in 2021, has also faced controversy in recent weeks over past donations to the Conservative Party and his relationship with Boris Johnson.

Sharp's appointment is being investigated over allegations he failed to properly disclose details of his involvement in the facilitation of an £800,000 loan guarantee for the then PM. He has denied any involvement in the arrangement of a loan for Johnson.

Quote Message: The BBC has made the right decision on Gary Lineker - now it’s time for Rishi Sunak to do the right thing and sack Richard Sharp. The BBC needs a proper independent chair, not a Johnson acolyte." from Sir Ed Davey Leader of the Liberal Democrats

The BBC has made the right decision on Gary Lineker - now it’s time for Rishi Sunak to do the right thing and sack Richard Sharp. The BBC needs a proper independent chair, not a Johnson acolyte."

The deal to get Gary Lineker back on air is a "problem shelved for the time being" rather than a long-term solution, says Richard Ayre, who was once the controller of BBC editorial policy.

Ayre who was part of the former BBC Trust until 2016, tells BBC News that he's surprised by the agreement, adding that it looks like the corporation has backed down without Lineker "having apparently given any ground" other than welcoming the review into its social media guidelines.

Quote Message: So it's bound to look as though it's the BBC that's moved rather than both parties moving, which doesn't bode very well for a long term settlement."

So it's bound to look as though it's the BBC that's moved rather than both parties moving, which doesn't bode very well for a long term settlement."

Asked if the deal was a resolution or just kicking the can down the road, he says the situation is "not remotely a problem solved".

Quote Message: Gary will continue to hold his views. He says he will continue to abide by the BBC's guidelines until they're rewritten. But then, he was supposed to be abiding by the BBC guidelines last week when he tweeted what he tweeted. So watch this space, this story has a long way to run.

Gary will continue to hold his views. He says he will continue to abide by the BBC's guidelines until they're rewritten. But then, he was supposed to be abiding by the BBC guidelines last week when he tweeted what he tweeted. So watch this space, this story has a long way to run.

Former head of BBC Sport and BBC TV News Roger Mosey has spoken out, describing the Lineker row as having "backfired horribly" on the BBC's senior management.

Mosey tells Adrian Chiles on Radio 5 Live that he has sympathy for the corporation's leaders in trying to ensure impartiality, but asking the Match of the Day presenter to "step aside was a very big move" and "unwise".

He adds that while many current and former BBC executives shared the view that Lineker's Tweet comparing the government's asylum policies to 1930s Germany was "against the guidelines", his comment's "weren't something you would normally take someone off air for".

Mosey says the problem with the situation was that it "looked like the BBC was giving into the government and Tory MPs" and therefore making the situation worse - even if this wasn't why Lineker was taken off air.

Quote Message: The problem is that if you get every BBC presenter, whether they’re news or not tweeting anything that comes into their head, in that case, you can see why there might be a problem about impartiality. That’s why it’s better if presenters are not getting stuck into current political issues." from Roger Mosey Former head of BBC Sport

The problem is that if you get every BBC presenter, whether they’re news or not tweeting anything that comes into their head, in that case, you can see why there might be a problem about impartiality. That’s why it’s better if presenters are not getting stuck into current political issues."

If you're just joining us, Gary Lineker is returning to BBC screens this weekend after reaching a deal with the corporation - following an impartiality row in which he criticised the government's new asylum policy.

Watch what happened in the days that came before the resolution this morning.

Writer and presenter Richard Osman has provided his take on the day's events...

TwitterCopyright: Twitter

Former controller of editorial policy at the BBC, Richard Ayre, says he “pities” whoever will be tasked with reviewing the BBC’s editorial guidelines.

Speaking to Radio 5 Live’s Adrian Chiles, he says it’s “true” there are “grey areas” in the BBC’s guidelines, but that he’s sure they were there “deliberately to give the BBC a degree of discretion”.

“I pity the independent expert who is going to be asked to sort all of this out,” he says, “if he or she doesn’t result in a new set of guidelines which have some flexibility, then I think it will be even more difficult to hold the line of impartiality.”

When asked about freedom of expression, Ayre says: “Nobody says that freedom of expression is an inalienable right that should apply to somebody whatever job they choose to take and whatever contractual commitments they may enter into."

In response to a SPORTBible tweet announcing his dad's return to Match of the Day, George Lineker kept it short and sweet with a single goat emoji.

He's probably referring to G.O.A.T, meaning Greatest Of All Time.

Yesterday he tweeted that he was "proud of the old man" and that his dad "shouldn’t need to apologise for being a good person and standing by his word. The reaction of the public has been overwhelming."

TwitterCopyright: Twitter

EPACopyright: EPA

If you're just joining or or are in need of a catch-up, here's a quick summary of the deal BBC management and Gary Lineker struck to get the Match of the Day presenter back on the airwaves:

• Lineker will return to football coverage this weekend for the FA Cup quarter-final clash between Manchester City and Burnley
• The BBC will launch an independent review of its social media guideline, although who will lead this review is yet to be revealed
• It will place a particular focus on how the guidance applies to freelancers outside the corporation's news coverage, like Lineker
• BBC director general Tim Davie has denied he took the presenter off air last week due to political pressure
• He has apologised for a "difficult period" for staff, contributors, presenters and the audience, following mass-walkouts over the weekend disrupting most of the BBC's normal football coverage
• The head of the BBC has also acknowledged "grey areas" in the current guidelines - introduced in 2020
• Lineker has agreed to stick to the current guidelines while this review is carried out - but what this will mean in practice is not clear
• The broadcaster has taken to Twitter to say he is "immeasurably proud" to work for the BBC and thanked people for their support over the last few days

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

Sir Craig Oliver, a former news executive at the BBC says the resolution was a "capitulation" by the corporation as it shows it cannot handle crises like these.

"I think what's happened here is Gary Lineker 1 - BBC credibility nil." he said.

"I think it's a total mess," he added.

Oliver, who was later the Downing Street communications chief when David Cameron was prime minister, also told the BBC:

"The reality is the BBC today has announced it will have a review of its social media guidelines. In fact, it needs a review of how it handles crisis like these."

Oliver said the corporation has been in a position where it was "slow to react" and made the "wrong choice" when it asked Lineker to step back from his presenting role, which led to chaos when other BBC Sport staff refused to do their shows.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

BBC football commentator Steve Wilson says he's "delighted" that there has been a resolution.

In a tweet, he says he can now prepare for trips to Molineux, for Wolves vs Leeds United on Saturday, and Bramall Lane, for Sheffield United's FA Cup tie with Blackburn Rovers on Sunday.

Director general Tim Davie has been speaking to the BBC this morning, where he said that asking Gary Lineker to step aside last week was the "right thing" to do.

Now a Downing Street spokesperson has declined to say whether the prime minister has confidence in Davie, as he said that the choice of director general belongs to the BBC.

"I'm simply pointing to the fact that he's appointed by the BBC and it's a matter for them," the spokesman said when pressed by reporters.

A spokesperson for the prime minister said he was pleased the situation has been resolved and that Match of the Day will be back this weekend.

"We're pleased that this situation has been resolved, and that fans will be able to watch Match of the Day as normal this weekend," Rishi Sunak's spokesperson told reporters.

"We were disappointed to see that language being used, but ultimately it's a matter between him and the BBC."

Now the BBC has launched an independent review into its social media policies as part of the deal to get Gary Lineker back on air, here's a quick summary of what they currently say.

The corporation's editorial guidelines - which are publicly available online - says it is “committed to achieving due impartiality in all its output” and that “this commitment is fundamental to our reputation, our values and the trust of audiences”.

As for Twitter use, it says: “The external activities and public comments, for example on social media, of staff, presenters and others who contribute to our output can also affect perceptions of the BBC’s impartiality.”

The BBC also has specific rules over the use of social media for all employees, including freelancers, including behaving professionally and not bringing the BBC into disrepute.

They also include the following:

• If your work requires you to maintain your impartiality, don’t express a personal opinion on matters of public policy, politics, or ‘controversial subjects’ (as defined by Ofcom)

Before this latest row, guidelines for social media use had been tightened to acknowledge there are individuals who are not journalists or involved in factual programming who have an "additional responsibility" to the BBC because of their profile. Some had referred to this as a "Lineker clause".

"We expect these individuals to avoid taking sides on party political issues or political controversies and to take care when addressing public policy matters," those guidelines say.

As part of today's fresh agreement, the Match of the Day presenter has agreed to abide by the current rules while the review into them is carried out - although what that means in practice in terms of his public statements is as yet unclear.