Alex Scott Confirms She Won't Host Football Focus In Solidarity With Gary Lineker
Football Focus host Alex Scott has announced she will not be hosting the BBC Sport show this week, in solidarity with Gary Lineker.
After the announcement the previous evening that Match Of The Day would be going ahead without presenters or pundits, Scott tweeted on Saturday morning: “I made a decision last night that even though I love my show and we have had an incredible week winning an SJA [Sports Journalism Award] for Football Focus that it doesn’t feel right for me to go ahead with the show today.”
“Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week,” she added.
I made a decision last night that even though I love doing football focus and we have had an incredible week winning an SJA award that it just doesn’t feel right going ahead with the show today. Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week…
— Alex Scott MBE (@AlexScott) March 11, 2023
While reports claimed that sports presenter Kelly Somers was being drafted in as a replacement for the former Lioness, she later clarified on Twitter: “Just to confirm I won’t be on BBC television today.”
Just to confirm I won’t be on BBC television today. ????????
— Kelly Somers (@KellySomers) March 11, 2023
Following this, Sky News reported that Football Focus would not be airing at all on Saturday. HuffPost UK has contacted the BBC for comment on this.
Jason Mohammad has also revealed he will not be presenting this week’s edition of the Saturday afternoon sports show Final Score:
Morning all.
— Jason Mohammad (@jasonmohammad) March 11, 2023
As you know, Final Score is a TV show very close to my heart.
However - I have this morning informed the BBC that I will not be presenting the show this afternoon on BBC One.
A number of Gary Lineker’s colleagues have said they will not be appearing on Match Of The Day on Saturday, after the BBC confirmed the former striker would be “stepping back” as host.
Lineker became embroiled in a public row earlier this week, over his response to a Home Office video – in which home secretary Suella Braverman shared the government’s plans to stop migrants crossing the Channel on small boats – saying the language used was “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s”.
A BBC spokesperson said on Friday: “The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days. We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines.
“The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.
“When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none. We have never said that Gary should be an opinion free zone, or that he can’t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”
Following the BBC’s announcement, MOTD presenters including Ian Wright and Alan Shearer said they would also not be appearing on the show this week, in a show of support for their colleague.
It’s since been revealed the show will go ahead without any presenting team, guest pundits or, apparently, commentators.
The Professional Footballers’ Association has also said its members will not be required to speak to BBC Sport following their matches this weekend:
— Professional Footballers’ Association (@PFA) March 11, 2023