Gary Lineker will return to hosting sport for the BBC this weekend after receiving an apology from the corporation; Lineker withdrew from his presenting duties on Friday, which led several pundits and commentators to also step away from BBC Sports programmes.
Gary Lineker will return as Match of the Day host after he was taken off air over his tweets criticising the UK government’s migration policy.
BBC director general Tim Davie apologised and announced an independent review of its social media usage guidelines.
In a statement, Mr Davie said: “Everyone recognises this has been a difficult period for staff, contributors, presenters and, most importantly, our audiences.
“I apologise for this.”
Lineker has also received a direct private apology, which was not included in the BBC’s statement.
Lineker’s first assignment back on the BBC will be to present live coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Burnley on Saturday.
In a tweet, Lineker said he was “delighted that we have steered a way through this” and paid tribute to “the remarkable show of solidarity”.
The BBC was forced to cancel some sports shows and offer reduced coverage of its flagship Match of the Day programmes when pundits and commentators refused to work.
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