Former Match of the Day presenter, Gary Lineker, has criticized the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for its decision to drop a documentary about medics in Gaza. He stated that the corporation should "hold its head in shame" over this controversial move.
Lineker expressed his disappointment at a private viewing of the documentary titled 'Gaza: Doctors Under Attack' in London. He led a question and answer session with the producers after the showing and voiced his criticism towards people at “the very top of the BBC” who he believes have been failing over handling conflicts.
This is not Lineker's first controversy involving issues related to Gaza. His departure from BBC came after an apology for amplifying online material with antisemitic connotations when he reposted a video about Gaza containing Nazi-era imagery used to attack Jews.
Gary Lineker, Former BBC presenter, said:
“It needed to be seen, it really did need to be seen – I think everyone would agree with that. I think the BBC should hold its head in shame. As someone who’s worked for the corporation for 30 years, to see the way it’s declined in the last year or two has been devastating, really, because I’ve defended it and defended it against claims that it’s partial. It talks about impartiality all the time.
“The truth is at the moment, [there is a problem] at the very top of the BBC. Not [all] the BBC, because there are thousands and thousands of people that work at the BBC, that are good people, that understand what is going on here and can see it. We see it on our phones every day. The problem is they’re bowing to the pressure from the top. This is a worry and I think time’s coming where a lot of people are going to be answerable to this, and complicity is something that will come to many.”
Support for Lineker’s stance
BBC Radio 5 presenter Nihal Arthanayake supported Lineker’s comments, stating: “Gary Lineker is a good man. He is spot on about the BBC.” However, despite these remarks, The BBC did not wish to respond directly to Linekar’s comments. The corporation had previously mentioned attempts to use parts of this documentary material in news coverage but decided against it following unsuccessful talks with Basement Films, its producers.
The final decision not to use any material from 'Gaza: Doctors Under Attack' was reportedly due two incidents that risked creating "a perception of partiality". One involved an executive producer criticizing Tim Davie, director general at BBC while Ramita Navai, presenter of this documentary described Israel as “a rogue state committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing”.
However, there are disputes regarding this timeline and explanation provided by sources within BBC.
Internal unrest over broadcast decision
The decision to drop the documentary has led to significant internal unrest within the BBC. Over 100 staff members signed a letter criticizing this decision, and Davie faced questions about it at a recent virtual meeting with staff.
This controversy adds to an already challenging week for the BBC, which also faced backlash over its failure to cut the live feed of Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury performance. During this live stream, Bobby Vylan led chants against Israel Defense Forces. While Davie received support from the BBC board and its chair, Samir Shah, there are speculations that more junior figures may be held accountable for these incidents. Unconfirmed reports suggest Lorna Clarke, who oversees pop music commissioning at the BBC, has stepped back from her duties.
A spokesperson for BBC urged people not to speculate on individuals' roles in these controversies. However, insiders have pointed out that editorial cuts have aggravated issues around monitoring live streams. Lineker's criticism of his former employer highlights ongoing debates about impartiality in media coverage of conflicts such as those in Gaza. As sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts continue following personalities like Lineker off-field as well as on-field actions will undoubtedly impact their perceptions of these institutions.
