Wright: ‘Heads must roll’ over handling of controversy
IAN WRIGHT has said that “heads have got to roll” at the top of the BBC over its handling of the Gary Lineker controversy.
The Match of the Day pundit said the corporation had made a “hot mess” of the situation by forcing Lineker to step down from the programme.
Wright was the first to boycott the show in solidarity, closely followed by fellow pundit Alan Shearer and the rest of the BBC Sport team. The former
Arsenal star said he did not blame BBC Sport bosses, including Phil Bernie, head of TV sport, but those right at the top.
It was Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, who made the decision to take Lineker off air.
Speaking on his Wrighty’s House podcast, Wright described the affair as “a perfect distraction from what really matters” and said: “Obviously it has been a bit intense”. He went on: “For me, they made a hot mess, I’m telling you. It’s all from high up. I can’t blame my man, Phil Bernie or the BBC Sport team.
“All of this is over a tweet. Gary Lineker riled them up over a tweet.
“[It was] happening above. At some stage, surely, heads have got to roll. They’re the ones. The mismanagement levels of this, I can’t even tell you.” Wright’s criticism is a sign that BBC
‘I work for the licence fee payer, not Gary Lineker or the BBC hierarchy – I feel very humble about that and never forget that’
stars feel emboldened to criticise Mr Davie after his climbdown.
Mark Lawrenson, former Match of the
Day pundit, also criticised the BBC’S mishandling of the affair.
He told GB News: “[Gary] certainly stuck to his guns and has not backed down. It would appear the BBC have certainly gone down on one knee to him.”
“I didn’t agree with what he originally said but I can’t believe the fuss. The actual topic that Gary was talking about doesn’t even get a mention any more.”