According to recent reports, the BBC has confirmed that Match of the Day will still air tonight, albeit in a shorter format and without commentary. This is due to the fact that the show’s commentators have refused to work in support of show host Gary Lineker, who was suspended by the BBC over a tweet comparing the government’s language around its small boats crackdown to that of 1930s Germany.
The BBC has no rights to the commentaries supplied by Premier League Productions, which means that there will be no commentators describing the action during the highlights of the games. However, it is believed that the BBC’s contract is only for video highlights and therefore will have to supply its own commentary.
Last night, Match of the Day commentators released a statement saying they would be standing down from duty this weekend in support of Lineker. They suggested that the BBC would still be able to use the commentary from the tournaments world feed so viewers would still have some description of the games.
It is not yet known if the BBC have requested the Premier League provide commentary, but an insider told The Times that the BBC is sorry for the “limited sport programming this weekend”. The insider added that it was “working hard to resolve the situation and hopes to do so soon”.
Football Focus was also axed just hours before it was scheduled to go on air today as pundits also refused to work. Fans earlier put the boot into the BBC, with some claiming they will boycott Match of the Day after Lineker was taken off air.
Despite this controversy, Lineker himself has taken time today to go up to Leicester and watch his side face Chelsea at the King Power Stadium. It remains to be seen how this situation will play out and whether or not the BBC will be able to resolve it in time for future broadcasts.