UK

Final Score and Football Focus hosts pull out as Lineker row grows

Final Score presenter Jason Mohammad has become the latest to pull out of programmes on the BBC today as the row involving the broadcaster and Gary Lineker grows.

The programme is not going ahead this afternoon, and has been replaced by The Repair Shop.

It comes after the midday Football Focus programme was also scrapped after Alex Scott and other pundits pulled out, with Bargain Hunt being shown in its place.

Lineker did not answer reporter questions when he left his home in Barnes, west London, this morning, as he was getting into his chauffeured BMW.

BBC accused of ‘assault on free speech’ – Lineker row latest updates

Former England player Alex Scott tweeted: “I made a decision last night that even though I love doing football focus and we have had an incredible week winning an SJA award that it just doesn’t feel right going ahead with the show today. Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week…”

It’s understood Glenn Murray and Anita Asante were due to be the pundits on today’s show.

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Jason Mohammad also said he wouldn’t be on the BBC’s results programme on Saturday afternoon.

“As you know, Final Score is a TV show very close to my heart,” he tweeted.

“However – I have this morning informed the BBC that I will not be presenting the show this afternoon on BBC One.”

Radio host Mark Chapman has also pulled out of hosting BBC Radio 5 Live Sport this afternoon, Sky News understands.

Kelly Somers also said she would not be hosting Football Focus, tweeting: “Just to confirm I won’t be on BBC television today.”

Read more: The BBC’s guidelines on impartiality explained – and do they apply to Gary Lineker?

Other presenters, commentators and pundits who have pulled out of BBC football shows today include Marc Webber, Chris Wise, Alan Shearer, Conor McNamara, Ian Wright and Steve Wilson.

Match of the Day will go ahead tonight however – but without a presenter, pundits or BBC commentators after Lineker was removed from the programme over his tweets on the government’s new migrants policy.

The BBC said there would be no “studio presentation or punditry” and that the show would instead focus on “match action”.

Earlier, a former director-general of the corporation said the BBC had “undermined its own credibility” by taking Lineker off air.

Greg Dyke, also a former chairman of the FA, told BBC Radio 4’s Today that the broadcaster was “mistaken” in standing Lineker down.

The row started on Tuesday when Lineker tweeted his thoughts on the government’s policy to stem the flow of small boats crossing the Channel.

The BBC deemed the tweet had broken its editorial guidelines.

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