What is happening with Match of the Day today after stars pulled out for Gary Lineker?

This Saturday's Match of the Day will have NO presenters in the studio after an all-star walk out in solidarity with Gary Lineker.

Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Jermaine Jenas, and Alex Scott were among the stars who said they'd stay away, after the broadcasting corporation asked Lineker to "step back from presenting duties over his social media comments about the government.

He's been at the centre of a storm over impartiality for criticising the government’s asylum policy on small boats. The former England striker compared the government’s language in launching the policy with 1930s Germany.

Some members of the Conservative Party took issue with that, although maybe politicians should mute their opinions on what ex-footballers can say.

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Ian Wright was scheduled to be a pundit alongside Lineker but quickly tweeted to say he will not be doing so after the BBC’s statement.

Former Arsenal and England striker Wright said: “Everybody knows what Match of the Day means to me, but I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. Solidarity.”

Shortly after he ruled himself out, regular pundit Alan Shearer also joined the boycott.

He tweeted:

Some speculated early that the show could end up looking like this - turns out they were right.

But at least it's not this:

Or even this:

It is also unclear whether Lineker was pulled off air or asked to step back - with conflicting reports circulating about the circumstances of the move.

Later in the evening, the BBC confirmed the show would go ahead despite pundits not appearing on it.

A BBC spokesperson said: "

"Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek 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."

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