AN “upset” Alan Shearer broke his silence on Gary Lineker’s tweet row after pulling out of Match of The Day.
The teammate and co-host was back with Lineker, 62, last night on the BBC to bring viewers live coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Burnley.
3
3
Lineker opened the show saying how “it’s great to be here” after he was slammed for a tweet last week before being suspended.
And friend Shearer today expressed how “upset” he was to have missed out on the show after he stood by Lineker alongside Ian Wright.
He said: “I want to say how upset we were that all the audiences missed out on last weekend.
“It was a really difficult situation for all concerned.
“For no fault of their own some great people in TV and radio were put in an impossible situation.
“It’s good to get back to some sort of normality and talk about football.”
Lineker responded: “I echo those sentiments.”
The BBC’s highest-paid presenter, on £1.35million a year was blasted for his criticism of Suella Braverman’s migrant boats plan.
He hit out at the Illegal Migration Bill, which bans people who arrive on small boats from settling in Britain, on Twitter.
Lineker wrote: “This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the ’30s, and I’m out of order?”
The bill will see migrants detained and removed to their home country, or a safe third state within 28 days.
Tory MPs blasted the tweet as “foul, ill-conceived and disgraceful”, while Downing Street said his language was “not acceptable and disappointing to see”.
And fans piled in on the star, with some calling for Lineker to step down.
Energy secretary Grant Shapps earlier wrote on Twitter: “As a Jewish cabinet minister I need no lessons about 1930s Germany from Gary Lineker.
“Like Gary, I am hosting refugees in my own home, but unlike Gary, I do not believe it is either right or moral to tolerate criminal gangs trafficking vulnerable people across the channel.”
Home secretary Suella Braverman branded the TV presenter’s comments “irresponsible” and immigration minister Robert Jenrick said he was “out of step with the British public”.
But the BBC later confirmed Lineker WILL return to the channel in an embarrassing climbdown 72 hours later.
Director General Tim Davie apologised for the “difficult period” for staff, presenters and audiences after his embarrassing climbdown.
Lineker’s failure to say sorry himself also attracted criticism.
He today marked his return to BBC by tweeting a picture of him and teammates Shearer and Micah Richards.
The smiling pic of the trio comes minutes after Lineker posted a selfie with the caption: “Ah the joys of being allowed to stick to football,” slyly digging at the BBC.
Fans blasted the star after he failed to apologise, with one person saying: “Hypocrite. Please quit.”
Another added: “Will definitely not be watching.”
Someone else wrote: “Well stick to football then and leave the politics to the politicians.”
Another said: “You don’t just stick to football and that’s the problem.”
“Time for a change I feel. Bring in some new faces. Panel have had their day unfortunately in my eyes,” someone else said.
Fans also said the BBC’s embarrassing U-turn 72 hours after taking Lineker off air may spell trouble for the cooperation.
One viewer said: “Lineker hammered the final nail home in the BBC’s coffin.
“Well done Gary – the license fee is now toast.”
3
