British actor Lucien Laviscount had a clear message for the Conservative government as he appeared at the 2023 Oscars last night.
Good Morning Britain’s North American correspondent Noel Phillips was on the champagne-coloured red carpet for the annual awards ceremony, and asked a number of British stars for their opinions on the much-talked about row between the BBC and Gary Lineker.
Giving GMB hosts Ed Balls and Susanna Reid a rundown of the night, Phillips: “The Oscars might have been a slightly quieter affair with no punches thrown, but it was still a historic night.”
He continued: “It’s worth saying this year’s ceremony wasn’t the most memorable or eventful, which will be a huge relief to the Academy, especially after the last 12 months they have had.
“Nonetheless it was an historic night. We saw Everything Everywhere All At Once winning seven of its 11 nominations.
“Here on the red carpet, one storyline which got a lot of guests talking about as they walked down this champagne-coloured carpet was the row between the BBC and Gary Lineker.”
On Friday, Lineker was asked to step back from his role as host of Match of the Day because of a tweet he published about the current government immigration policy.
At the Oscars, Phillips asked Emily in Paris star Lucien Laviscount for his take on the row, and his message was pretty clear.
Turning to the camera, he simply said “F**k the Tories” before flipping his middle finger to the camera.
Phillips also asked legendary musician Nile Rodgers for his views on the controversy.
He responded: “If somehow caring about people offends somebody, you know what I say to that? It’s not good for television.”
The BBC has been engulfed in controversy following their decision to remove Gary Lineker from his role hosting MOTD.
The former England striker compared the policy to “Germany in the 30s,” which the BBC believed breached impartiality guidelines.
After he refused to make an apologetic statement on the show regarding his comments, the BBC made the decision to leave him off the show.
Following the announcement, a slew of Match of the Day pundits and football journalists across the BBC pulled out of their duties on Saturday.
As a result, the BBC’s football coverage over the weekend was severely disrupted.
But the saga has also sparked debate around the level of influence the Tory government has over the corporation.
The BBC’s chair Richard Sharp is currently under investigation for his role in helping Boris Johnson secure a huge loan while he was Prime Minister.
Some have also questioned why Lineker has been pulled up for his comments when the same treatment was seemingly never applied to the likes of Alan Sugar and Andrew Neil.
Related: Gary Lineker makes heartwarming point as he breaks his silence
