BBC seeks to quell furore by putting Gary Lineker back on air

Britain’s BBC reinstated its highest-paid presenter Gary Lineker on Monday after its suspension of the former England football captain for criticising state immigration policy brought a public backlash and near mutiny at the public broadcaster.

Embarrassingly for the BBC, it had to axe core weekend sports coverage after presenters, pundits and commentators refused to work in solidarity with Lineker.

Some staff, opposition politicians and commentators accused the corporation, which has a mandate to be neutral, of bowing to pressure from the government, prompting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to urge a swift resolution of the situation.