LETTERS SPECIAL: BBC IN CRISIS OVER LINEKERGATE
Humiliating climbdown
GaRY liNEKER will be returning to presenting match Of The Day next weekend, but without giving an unequivocal commitment that he will desist from making any more political comments on Twitter pending the outcome of a review of social media guidelines.
This is a humiliating climbdown by the BBC.
Director-general Tim Davie referred to ‘grey areas’ in the Beeb’s guidelines — what utter codswallop! Surely lineker’s freelance status is a red herring.
The bottom line is that the BBC is a public service broadcaster funded by licence fee-payers and under its charter it is required to show political impartiality. and that is what every person broadcasting on the BBC should abide by.
i wish lineker would stick to football. The great sports presenters of the past — Peter Dimmock, Kenneth Wolstenholme, Jimmy Hill, Brian moore, Des lynam, Barry Davies and John motson — never attempted to use their position to influence viewers on controversial political topics.
in a democracy, freedom of thought, expression and speech is something that we all hold dear, but if you work for the national broadcaster, then this has to be consistent with the rules on political impartiality.
if Gary lineker parts company with the BBC, he can say whatever he likes on Twitter.
PETER HENRICK, Birmingham.
Respect the viewers
FOR some people, the lineker saga shows how seriously the BBC management takes impartiality.
But for me, the way in which the events of the past week have played out just reinforces how ingrained is its biased lib-left culture.
Sports presenters showed they had no loyalty to the BBC or respect for the viewers who pay their inflated wages. if i had behaved as they did at the weekend, i’d be looking for a new job.
mr lineker has shown who has the real power at the BBC.
JILL DOBBS, London SE16. iT SEEmS the tail is wagging the dog at the BBC.
H. WOODS, Chilton, Co. Durham.
Abusing his position
EVERYONE has a right to express an opinion, whether others agree or disagree, like it or are offended.
However, people in the public eye should consider the consequences of their comments and the impact it may have on others.
Gary lineker and a lot of other wealthy celebrities may think the Government’s policy is wrong on migrants. But have they considered the cost borne by taxpayers who may feel there are other more justified causes that need funding?
Hopefully, mr lineker will be donating a substantial portion of his salary to support migrants.
P. HOWARD, Gloucester.
NO maTTER who you are and how good you may be at your role, no one is irreplaceable. Sports presenters should bear that in mind.
Mrs H. BLUNDEN, London E4.
No big deal
CaN we look at the lineker fiasco for what it is: a complete farce. This is sport, not a national emergency.
if mr lineker leaves the BBC, he would fall into another lucrative position and carry on spouting his opinions. He will make his millions and the world will move on.
CHRIS SHARP, Leeds.
Off-screen comments
i am not a fan of Gary lineker, nor do i agree with his political outbursts. However, i don’t believe his comments have any connection to the BBC or its impartiality.
He made his views known in his private capacity. He enjoys freedom of speech irrespective of where he works. if he had made his comments on air at the BBC, then the issue of bias and impartiality would apply.
PHILLIP JAMES, Fleet Hargate, Lincs.
Bungling Beeb
aS a licence payer, i don’t agree with the BBC’s clumsy and arrogant style of management. We don’t live in Russia, where free speech is suppressed, and we don’t wish to.
i don’t agree with Gary lineker, but i do feel very strongly that he has the same right as anyone else to express himself in whatever way he chooses.
The concept of impartiality should not be achieved by the suppression of free speech. PATRICK NAUGHTON,
Doncaster, S. Yorks.
Game speaks for itself
i USED to attend Chelsea matches at home and away. There weren’t running commentaries, or graphics, or action replays. Oddly enough, i still enjoyed the football.
The BBC could save a lot of money by getting rid of all of the pundits and simply showing Premier league match highlights. That said, as a believer in free speech, i don’t believe mr lineker should be sanctioned for expressing his views.
if the BBC allowed all of its staff to express their political opinions, we could see more clearly how biased and woke they are.
STEVE EDWARDS, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts.
Huge distraction
WaR in Ukraine, food prices increasing daily and energy bills that people can’t afford, but what is the main news story? a fuss about an overpaid, overrated sports pundit.
DAVE BEASLEY, Ashford, Kent.
Cancelled out
aN iRONY of the furore is that the liberal-left consensus accused the BBC of cancelling lineker. This is rich coming from the wokes who have been cancelling anyone who disagrees with their views. . ROBERT WILLIAMS, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. i TRUST that the advocates of free speech backing Gary lineker are equally supportive of J. K. Rowling. GORDON FOSTER, Haddenham, Cambs.