“I look forward to him presenting our coverage this coming weekend,” he said.
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After the BBC’s decision to pull Lineker off the air, presenters of the BBC’s lunchtime Football Focus and early evening Final Score said they would not appear on the programs in solidarity with Lineker.
The BBC pulled Football Focus from its schedule on Saturday, replacing it with an episode of antiques show Bargain Hunt. One of the network’s radio stations, 5 Live, did not air one of its lunchtime shows after a presenter withdrew from hosting. It was replaced with pre-recorded content.
After a slew of Lineker’s colleagues announced they wouldn’t appear on the show without him, the BBC said Match of the Day would be aired on Saturday without presenters or pundits.
There will not be any post-match player interviews, either. The Professional Footballers’ Association said some players wanted to boycott the show as a gesture of support, and as a result “players involved in today’s games will not be asked to participate in interviews with Match of The Day”.
Reuters with AP
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