want to reiterate what we said ahead of our football coverage yesterday. i know you ll all appreciate this is a difficult time for bbc sport and for all those that work in the department, and we hope it all gets resolved as soon as possible. it s been a very difficult decision to make personally. i can assure you it has not been taken lightly. but i m a bbc staff member. i m a radio commentator for this station. and just like yesterday, we are here to provide our football service to you, our audience. paul armstrong is a former editor of the bbc s match of the day programme. this was his reflection on this week s news. i think it s just the lack of consistency and the lack of clear guidelines. i always understood it that, if you didn t work in news, nobody wants huw edwards giving his political opinions, obviously, we all understand that. however, there is much more latitude, i m pretty sure that s written in the guidelines, if you work. i think one example cited is in sport or nature.
thing. on sports programming how disruptive has this been? no hugely. probably the most important thing for millions across the uk who expect to see match of the day, it is a centrepiece of bbc sports coverage, it has been on the schedule since the 1960s. it is not ha enin: schedule since the 1960s. it is not happening in schedule since the 1960s. it is not happening in the schedule since the 1960s. it is not happening in the usual schedule since the 1960s. it is not happening in the usual format - schedule since the 1960s. it is not happening in the usual format on | schedule since the 1960s. it is not l happening in the usual format on it, reduce programme, down to 20 minutes. radio sport coverage as well, that was absolutely ripped to shreds. let s listen to one man who did go to work, ian dennis who works on 5live. it did go to work, ian dennis who works on 5live. , . on 5live. it is the difficult time for those on 5live. it is the difficult time for those who on 5live.
there is an ongoing inquiry into richard sharp s role into a loan made to borisjohnson, which has raised questions about his appointment and impartiality. so it was only a day or two ago that gary lineker said he thought all this was beginning to abate. events have rather gone in the opposite direction. david sillito, bbc news. as we mentioned, as well as the tv commentary, bbc radio s football commentary has also been impacted by the row here s how ian dennis, introduced this afternoon s football coverage on 5live: good afternoon. i am ian dennis and this is bbc radio 5 live. a very difficult time for bbc sport for those who work in the department and we all hope that that gets results. personally, ifound we all hope that that gets results. personally, i found today very difficult. but i am a bbc staff member, radio commentator and today, like every saturday afternoon, we provide a service to you, the audience. the impact of the gary lineker
had been a tough day. good afternoon. i am ian dennis. this is bbc five live. it is also a very difficult time for bbc sport for those who work here, the department. and we all hope that that gets results. personally, i have found today very difficult. i am a bbc staff member, and a radio commentatorfor bbc am a bbc staff member, and a radio commentator for bbc radio 5 live, and today like every saturday afternoon we provide a service to you, the audience. the opposition labour party leader sir keir starmer has criticised the bbc s decision. the bbc is not acting impartially by caving the bbc is not acting impartially by caving in the bbc is not acting impartially by caving in to tory mps who are complaining about gary lineker. they have got complaining about gary lineker. they have got this one badly wrong and now they have got this one badly wrong and now they are very, very exposed, as is the now they are very, very exposed, as is the government. because of the heart is t
this is bbc radio 5live. it s a very difficult time for bbc sport and for those who work in the department. and we all hope that gets resolved. personally i found today very difficult but i am a bbc staff member, radio commentator for bbc radio 5live in today, like every saturday afternoon, we provide a service to you, the audience. paul siegert is the national broadcasting organiser for the uk s national union ofjournalists. he says the sports presenters and commentators who have pulled out of other shows this weekend haven t done anything wrong. well, they are not protected legally because they are not taking strike action. they are standing up for a colleague. they re taking support for a colleague. they are withdrawing their labour for a colleague and it is up to the bbc, not the law, and how they deal with that but they re not doing anything illegal because this is not organised action. and not on behalf of the trade