Ian Wright and Alan Shearer make major BBC Match of the Day decision after Gary Lineker requested to ‘stood down’

Ian Wright and Alan Shearer make major BBC Match of the Day decision after Gary Lineker requested to ‘stood down’

Ian Wright and Alan Shearer have taken a significant decision for BBC’s Match of the Day after Gary Lineker stepped down, according to a statement posted by Wright on Twitter.

Ian Wright, who used to play for Arsenal, has chosen to show support for Gary Lineker by refusing to feature on this Saturday’s episode of Match of the Day. The decision was made after the BBC revealed that Lineker would not be hosting the show as they work together to establish a clear and mutually acceptable stance on his social media activity. Lineker had recently posted a tweet criticizing the government’s immigration policy, prompting the need for this discussion.

 In a tweet, the presenter had compared the language used by the government over its plan to tackle Channel crossings to “that used by Germany in the 30s”.

#ImWithGary
This was the tweet people of twitter spread it far and wide.
GARY LINEKER speaks for the people. pic.twitter.com/p0hPz3J3yL

— Steve n Nature (@SpacesSteve) March 9, 2023

The BBC released a statement on Friday afternoon announcing the decision, stating it considered Lineker’s recent social media activity to be a “breach of our guidelines”, adding that he should “keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies”.

The decision caused a lot of discussion as it was uncertain what would happen to the show for the upcoming weekend.

Wright released his own statement on Twitter on the situation, saying: “Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.”

Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.

— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) March 10, 2023

I have informed the BBC that I won’t be appearing on MOTD tomorrow night.

— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) March 10, 2023

Since 2017, Wright has been a more frequent presence on Match of the Day, often appearing alongside Lineker, who has hosted the show since 1999. Despite their past as rivals in the north London derby, the two have demonstrated solidarity. Alan Shearer also expressed support, stating that he too will not be appearing on MOTD for the upcoming weekend. This has come as a surprise to many, who are now left wondering who will be replacing Lineker and the other absent pundits for the weekend’s matches.

Ian Wright and Alan Shearer make major BBC Match of the Day decision after Gary Lineker requested to ‘stood down’