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There's no-one left to present Match of the Day after stars pulled out in solidarity

There's no-one left to present Match of the Day after stars pulled out in solidarity
Tory minister says Gary Lineker needs to study 'history books more carefully' …
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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.

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