BBC blasted for ‘virtue signalling’

VIEWERS accused the BBC of ‘hypocrisy’ and ‘virtue signalling’ yesterday as its pundits launched into monologues about controversies in Qatar.

Gary Lineker’s opening comments yesterday concentrated solely on the host nation’s human rights record.

The former England striker has been criticised, along with other commentators, for agreeing to cover the tournament in Qatar, given the country’s deeply conservative stance on issues such as gay rights.

BBC pundits Alan Shearer, Alex Scott and Ashley Williams also addressed the issues. But football fans reacted with anger and said they wanted to watch the matches, not a ‘political broadcast’.

One wrote of Lineker on social media: ‘Sitting there and taking the money. The hypocrisy of the guy knows no bounds!’

TV host Piers Morgan told his Twitter followers that the BBC presenters were ‘putting out more virtuesignalling guff’.

British broadcasters chose not to show yesterday’s opening ceremony, instead showing pre-packaged reports on Qatar’s human rights record and other controversies.