BBC will NOT use pundits for tomorrow’s Match of the Day

The BBC has said it will “focus on the match action” in tomorrow’s Match of the Day, rather than using pundits.

The decision came after a number of its presenters boycotted the show over its treatment of Gary Lineker.

Lineker, 62, has been embroiled in a row over impartiality after comparing the language used to launch a new Government asylum policy with 1930s Germany on Twitter.

Pundits Alan Shearer, Alex Scott and Ian Wright have now announced they are boycotting Match Of The Day this weekend over the move.

Responding to the mass walk-out, the Beeb said it would run Saturday’s episode of Match of the Day without any pundits.

A BBC spokesperson said: “Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we week to resolve the situation with Gary.

“We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.