No-talk sport proves a hit as MOTD viewing figures shoot up
Edited football highlights are popular with public, but weekend of disruption provokes lots of criticism ‘There’s a dichotomy between free speech for us and due impartiality at the BBC’ ‘The BBC should be upholding basic accessibility standards so everyon
IT WAS heralded as the BBC’S biggest humiliation in years, but when a dramatically altered version of Match of the Day aired on Saturday night, it proved an unlikely ratings hit.
Whether people were rubber-necking at the smouldering ruins of the flagship football show, or energised by its new format, an extra 500,000 viewers tuned in to watch, according to overnight figures. The programme – shorn of the traditional title music, presenter, pundits and commentators – had squashed six matches into 20 minutes and did not call itself Match of the Day.
Instead, “Premier League Highlights” was viewed on BBC One by 2.6 million people, compared with 2.1 million who tuned in for MOTD the week before. It was a strange twist in an increasingly surreal saga which yesterday saw the BBC’S schedule ripped up for a second day as hosts and presenters refused to show up for football programmes in a display of solidarity with Gary Lineker.
The BBC suspended Lineker as host of MOTD for criticising the Government’s policy on illegal immigration, although yesterday evening Lineker was poised to return to work next week.
Yesterday morning, former BBC executives urged Tim Davie to get back from visiting BBC offices in Washington and get a “grip” on the crisis.
Peter Salmon, former BBC One controller and director of sport, told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that Lineker may have “outgrown the job and the role at the BBC”.
He said the sport schedule was a “mess”, adding: “They must be wishing they could reel back 72 hours and start all over again. It’s Oscars day but there’s no awards for how this has been managed.
“Tim Davie is isolated in some ways, he needs to come home [from Washington] and grip this now. We need him back running the ship.”
Former director- general Mark
Thompson told the same programme Lineker’s comments were a “technical breach of the guidelines”. But, he added, the star’s role as a sports presenter meant the row was a “grey area” and said the corporation must “strike the balance” when enforcing the rules.
“I think what the BBC has walked into is the 21st century,” Mr Thompson said. “New behaviours, new public attitudes, new understandable attitudes from individuals – for example a freelancer like Gary Lineker – therefore there is a need to think carefully about where to strike the balance.”
The impasse was not broken in time for yesterday’s Premier League and Women’s Super League (WSL) fixtures, throwing plans into disarray on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Radio 5 Live. By all accounts, it was the crunch fixture of the season: Chelsea taking on the league leaders Manchester United, who were just a point ahead of them at the top of the WSL. But the BBC was unable to offer any pre-match coverage after its on-air talent refused to appear. Coverage of the match started 10 minutes late, with the familiar MOTD music in the opening sequence fading to a shot of Kingsmeadow stadium – and only the sound of the crowd. After an awkward pause, the voice of Nigel Adderley began to commentate. Mr Adderley is not a BBC commentator, but provided coverage for the WSL’S international feed which was bought as an emergency measure for BBC Two. The BBC’S TV schedule had said Reshmin Chowdhury was due to pre
sent the match, but she denied having ever been booked for the fixture.
Ms Chowdhury told Telegraph Sport: “I was never booked to present a WSL match today... I broadcasted for Talksport yesterday and we all expressed our wholehearted support and sympathies to BBC colleagues and friends.”
BBC Two got around their shortage of presenters by filling the 15-minute half-time break with highlights of last weekend’s League Cup final between Chelsea and Arsenal.
Radio listeners hoping to hear prematch coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live instead heard two hours of a podcast series called Sport’s Strangest Crimes.
Fortunately, by 2pm the BBC had managed to cobble together enough staff to provide coverage of its two scheduled Premier League games on 5 Live. Ahead of kick off, commentator Alistair Bruce-ball said: “I know you’ll all appreciate this is a difficult time for BBC Sport and for all those who work in the department, and we hope it all gets resolved as soon as possible.”
Before the 4.30pm game between Newcastle and Wolves, Pat Nevin, a 5 Live pundit, said he had told the BBC he would only agree to cover the game if he could address the row. He told listeners: “There’s a dichotomy between free speech for us and due impartiality at the BBC – we know that – it’s where you draw the lines. Those lines have been far too blurred for the staff and the public, we need clarification, contracts must be clear for everyone.
“It’s unfair from Gary Lineker to every match reporter, there must be debate and there must be consultation – not just edicts from on high.”
The problems for the station did not end there, however. The popular phone-in show 606 – hosted by Robbie Savage and Christ Sutton – was cancelled for a second day in a row, leaving a gap to be filled at 6.30pm.
The main problem facing BBC bosses was how they would fill the evening slot reserved for Match of the Day 2, showing yesterday’s Premier League games.
Although the ratings were good, the choice to proceed with the show on Saturday night was not without controversy. The only audio was the sound of the cheering and light music. The Royal National Institute of Blind People said the corporation “needs to do better”, tweeting: “The BBC should be upholding basic accessibility standards so that everyone can enjoy their output.”
As the day wore on, it became clear that the efforts to offer viewers anything more substantial for Match of the Day 2 would be in vain.
Commentators including Guy Mowbray, Mark Scott and Pien Meulensteen posted identical statements on social media, saying: “As yesterday, there will be no ‘normal’ MOTD(2) programme tonight. The scheduled commentary team are in full agreement with our BBC Sport colleagues. We hope that a resolution can be found ASAP.”
Match Of The Day 2 followed a similar stripped-back version to Saturday’s edition. The show was originally scheduled to last an hour and 15 minutes, but was reduced to 15 minutes. A continuity announcer introduced the programme, saying: “Now on BBC One, sorry we’re not able to show our normal Match Of The Day 2 i ncluding commentary tonight, but here’s the best action from today’s Premier League matches.”
Lineker tried to keep a low profile, refusing to comment to reporters outside his London home. But his two MOTD co-hosts, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright, appeared alongside each other on Premier League TV for yesterday’s games after choosing to boycott Saturday night’s programme on the BBC.
Their appearance would have been shown as part of the Premier League’s international broadcast coverage for countries which did not have their own studio panels.