It ain't nothin' but a family thing, a once-applauded soccer player became a Presenter for the BBC's Saturday
evening's soccer programme 'Match Of The Day'. Beginning in 1962, this long-running favourite of the viewing
public (so we're told!) offers highlights and punditry of several football/soccer matches played around the country
on that very day.
Many Presenters of Match Of The Day have come and gone, they were there solely for the function of delivering
a well-honed professional show that attractive millions of viewers in the days before the powers of the internet.
Today, those viewer-numbers have dwindled and maybe... maybe something is required to draw attention back
to a publicly-funded programme.
The latest Presenter is Gary Linekar, an English and international former footballer who held a unique down-to-earth
manner of steering the show and offering a perception that the general public can understand about the technical side
of the traditional game.
In November 2017, Lineker was named in the Paradise Papers in connection with a tax avoidance scheme relating to
property owned in Barbados and a company set up in the British Virgin Islands. This was partially hidden by the lazy
media and the BBC never took it as a slight. Appearing in commercials, he gained a status of being part of the TV
world and if he'd been born without fingers, many could see no end to where his well-paid career could go.
However, Gary likes to go on Twitter and when the British Government announced their new policies to stop people
from coming across the English Channel illegally on rubber boats, Mr Linekar tappity-tapped and the balloon went up!
He tweeted: "This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people
in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the '30s, and I'm out of order?"
Those who need to bitch about anything pounced on his words and sent messages to the BBC about Gary Linekar's
unwillingness to adhere to the broadcaster's policy of impartiality. Within a day, co-pundits of Match Of The Day came
out in solidarity with Gary and the BBC had no option but to suspend him from presenting the sports show.
On Saturday 11th March, they broadcast a voiceless twenty-minute offering of highlights of that day's matches and
guess what...?
The things some people will do to distract!
evening's soccer programme 'Match Of The Day'. Beginning in 1962, this long-running favourite of the viewing
public (so we're told!) offers highlights and punditry of several football/soccer matches played around the country
on that very day.
Many Presenters of Match Of The Day have come and gone, they were there solely for the function of delivering
a well-honed professional show that attractive millions of viewers in the days before the powers of the internet.
Today, those viewer-numbers have dwindled and maybe... maybe something is required to draw attention back
to a publicly-funded programme.
The latest Presenter is Gary Linekar, an English and international former footballer who held a unique down-to-earth
manner of steering the show and offering a perception that the general public can understand about the technical side
of the traditional game.
In November 2017, Lineker was named in the Paradise Papers in connection with a tax avoidance scheme relating to
property owned in Barbados and a company set up in the British Virgin Islands. This was partially hidden by the lazy
media and the BBC never took it as a slight. Appearing in commercials, he gained a status of being part of the TV
world and if he'd been born without fingers, many could see no end to where his well-paid career could go.
However, Gary likes to go on Twitter and when the British Government announced their new policies to stop people
from coming across the English Channel illegally on rubber boats, Mr Linekar tappity-tapped and the balloon went up!
He tweeted: "This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people
in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the '30s, and I'm out of order?"
Those who need to bitch about anything pounced on his words and sent messages to the BBC about Gary Linekar's
unwillingness to adhere to the broadcaster's policy of impartiality. Within a day, co-pundits of Match Of The Day came
out in solidarity with Gary and the BBC had no option but to suspend him from presenting the sports show.
On Saturday 11th March, they broadcast a voiceless twenty-minute offering of highlights of that day's matches and
guess what...?
Quote:MET ITS MATCHThe Sun:
Match of the Day viewing figures soar by 500,000 with 2.5MILLION tuning in for bizarre episode after
Gary Lineker axing
'Match of the Da last night received its largest audience since November. The programme was watched by 2.58 million
people - up nearly 500,000 from last week's 2.09m viewership. The BBC aired a shortened 20 minute highlights package
at 10:20pm last night.
The £1.35 million-per-year Tweeter Gary Linekar.
Following the mutiny sparked by Gary Lineker's suspension after his tweet likening the language used in introducing the
government's controversial Illegal Migration Bill to that of 1930s Germany, the bizarre version of the show featured no studio
punditry. Regular analysts and presenters Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Jermaine Jenas, Alex Scott, Mark Chapman and Micah
Richards refused to fill in, plunging the show into crisis.
The broadcast didn't feature a host or even commentary, instead moving from game to game showing just the highlights.
No interviews with players or managers were included, with stars not asked to give interviews to Match of the Day.
Despite the large viewership, many fans were left unimpressed by the stripped-back version of the show.
One fan wrote: "Even the Match of the day intro is protesting!" Another asked: "Why am I sat commentating on Match of
the Day myself?" "Match of the Day with no commentary - what a farce," declared another.
A fellow viewer wrote: "Surreal watching a silent match of the day." While another said: "Match Of The Day on BBC One
with zero commentary is...different." One added: "Bit speechless watching Match of the day."
Some, however, didn't mind the unusual show.
One fan wrote: "Fantastic match of the day instead of listing to all the b******s!"
Another said: "Honestly. This match of the day without presenters and over the top commentary is f***ing miles better !!!"
The 2.58m viewership was the largest since 2.63m tuned in on November 5.
On that day, fans watched Manchester City's 2-1 win over Fulham, Leicester 2-0 triumph at Everton and Leeds' thrilling 4-3
victory over Bournemouth, among other games.
Sun columnist Piers Morgan was not impressed by last night's reduced offering.
He wrote: "BBC should now adjust the licence fee so that everyone on Twitter pretending to prefer Match of the Day in the
new format can pay £1 less a month but only ever watch it that way in future. "Spoiler alert: nobody would take that deal.
It’s s***." Match of the Day 2 is now in the balance this evening, with regular host Mark Chapman backing Lineker.
Pundit Jermain Defoe has also announced he will not be appearing on the show...'
![[Image: gary-lineker-arrives-suns-cares-801930139.jpg?w=620]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/gary-lineker-arrives-suns-cares-801930139.jpg?w=620)
The things some people will do to distract!
Read The TV Guide, yer' don't need a TV.