Lineker saw refugee tweets as ‘by the book’

Presenter thought he had a special agreement with BBC to comment about migration, says star’s agent

Gary Lineker believed he had a “special arrangement” with the BBC, allowing him to make comments about refugees, his agent has claimed.

Jon Holmes, who represents the Match of the Day presenter, has issued an insider’s account of the impartiality row, which he has described as descending into a “shambles” despite his best efforts to have “everyone calm down”. He has claimed that his client believed he had an understanding with Tim Davie, the director-general.

GARY LINEKER believed he had a “special arrangement” with the BBC, allowing him to make comments about refugees, his agent has claimed.

Jon Holmes, who represents the former England striker, has issued an insider’s account of the impartiality row, which he has described as descending into a “shambles” despite his best efforts to have “everyone calm down”. He has claimed that his client believed he had an understanding with Tim Davie, the director-general, that he could make public statements on certain issues.

Writing in The New Statesman, Mr Holmes said: “Gary takes a passionate interest in refugees and immigration and, as he saw it, had a special agreement with Tim Davie... to tweet about these issues.”

Mr Holmes stated that the BBC did not see it this way, and that he was “summoned” to Broadcasting House to try and resolve the row over Lineker’s comment on Twitter, which were ultimately deemed by the BBC to have breached impartiality guidelines.

Mr Holmes defended his client’s adherence to the rules, writing that he “believes in the independence and impartiality of the BBC” and supports the view that “those who work in news should not express political opinions on Twitter”.

He also revealed that Lineker is “constantly being asked to appear on political programmes – including by the BBC” but “assiduously avoids them”.

The agent has argued that despite seeking to follow the rules, the guidelines for freelance presenters are “a bit

‘Gary is constantly asked to go on political programmes, including by the BBC, but avoids them’

vague” and require review. Mr Holmes has said that he proposed a review in his first meeting with the BBC during the impartiality row, on the Friday before Match of the Day was to be broadcast, and “told them taking Gary off air would not be helpful”.

The presenter was nevertheless “taken off air”, an action his agent believes the BBC did not have to sign off, and the situation then “collapsed into a shambles”, with Match of the Day colleagues including Ian Wright and Alan Shearer pulling out of the planned programme.

Mr Holmes reveals that last Sunday he held talks with Mr Davie, and plans were made for a satisfactory solution involving an apology and a review of impartiality guidelines.

The agent, who also represents former England cricket stars Michael Atherton and David Gower, has suggested that Lineker has become a controversial figure at the BBC, in part because of the publication of his £1.3million annual earnings. He wrote: “The BBC describes Gary as an icon, a totemic figure.

One of the reasons he has this status (apart from the money the BBC pays him, the subject of endless controversy since it was made public) is his huge Twitter following.”

He added that the 62-year-old Linker’s tweeting has been a subject of “difficult” debate.

Debate may be limited in future, as the BBC has set out plans to review the impartiality guidelines for stars in Lineker’s freelance position, to make later what is expected of them on social media and in during their outside work commitments.