Tim Davie: Last News

An unprecedented Match of the Day without presenters, pundits or commentators was watched by 500,000 more people last night than the previous week.

Chris Sutton hopes the BBC find a resolution to the “messy” situation after the Match of the Day mutiny that also had an impact on his 606 radio phone-in alongside Robbie Savage.

Naman Ramachandran BBC director general Tim Davie has apologized over the ongoing fracas around star soccer player turned sports pundit Gary Lineker, but will not resign. Last Tuesday, Lineker, commenting on the U.K. government’s controversial Illegal Migration Bill, tweeted, describing it as an “immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s.” Lineker is a star presenter on the BBC’s “Match of the Day” soccer program. Lineker’s tweet raised government hackles and on Friday, the BBC suspended him, saying: “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.”

BBC Director General Tim Davie has apologized to audiences for the disruption caused to the organization’s sports programming but said he won’t resign following the unprecedented talent walkout over the Gary Lineker row.

The BBC comms department must be reeling this morning after a nightmare 48 hours which saw it firefighting battles on several fronts. 

Gary Lineker has suggested he will avoid suspension by the BBC for his comments about the Government’s asylum policy, as the Home Secretary accused him of “diminishing the unspeakable tragedy” of the Holocaust.The Match Of The Day presenter’s row with the Government deepened on Thursday as he hit back at Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt on Twitter and accused her of using a “clumsy analogy”. Lineker is facing criticism from members of the Conservative Party after comparing the language used to launch the new policy with 1930s Germany.The BBC has said it is taking the matter “seriously” and expects to have a “frank conversation” with Lineker, and on Thursday the BBC pundit confirmed he had spoken to director-general Tim Davie. He tweeted: “Well, it’s been an interesting couple of days.

Ben Shephard was forced to jump in to end a debate on Good Morning Britain as they spoke about Gary Linekar's fresh row with the BBC. The Match of the Day host has been hitting the headlines after facing criticism from members of the Tory party after comparing the language used to launch the Government’s immigration policy with 1930s Germany.

EXCLUSIVE: Senior BBC journalists are furious at Gary Lineker’s “egregious” breach of impartiality rules after he compared UK government asylum policy to 1930s Nazi Germany.

BBC, Motson died today (February 23) aged 77. In a statement his family said: “It is with great sadness we announce that John Motson OBE died peacefully in his sleep today.”After a successful footballing career, Motson began commentating for the BBC in 1971, going on to become the voice of the game for half a decade before retiring in 2018.In that time he commentated on 10 World Cups, nearly 30 FA Cup finals and 2,500 matches in total and became known as ‘the voice of football’.The corporation’s director general, Tim Davie, said: “John Motson was the voice of a footballing generation – steering us through the twists and turns of FA Cup runs, the highs and lows of World Cups and, of course, Saturday nights on Match of the Day.“Like all the greats behind the mic, John had the right words, at the right time, for all the big moments.”Others to pay tribute included football teams and stars from across the world, with former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher saying: “So many of us grew up listening to this man describe the action & goals on MOTD & cup finals.

The director-general of the BBC has reportedly remarked on how UK households are “happy” paying a forced licence fee saying it's “truly amazing”. According to The Daily Telegraph, Tim Davie told fellow staff members that the broadcaster had “better budgets than some commercial operators”, which he then described as “glorious”.

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC has defended its decision to produce glossy adverts for Huawei and Chinese state media, saying the contracts are important to funding its international journalism.

There was a moment last November when Channel 4’s senior executives breathed a sigh of relief.

Doctor Who’s latest regeneration represents “excellent commercial value,” according to BBC Studios boss Tom Fussell.

BBC News’ journalists failure to understand “basic economics” is bringing a “high risk to impartiality,” according to a BBC-commissioned report.

The BBC is “not proactively putting a date on a digital switchover or anything stupid like that,” Director General Tim Davie has said, but rather sparking a “broader conversation across the UK for when we do move across.”

All3Media To Begin Shopping ‘The Kardashians: A Billion Dollar Dynasty’

EXCLUSIVE: Senior BBC journalists have called on their bosses to rethink the UK broadcaster’s new-found enthusiasm for TikTok after the Chinese social media giant spied on reporters.

Good afternoon Insiders and a happy holiday to you all, Max Goldbart here seeing out the year. We’re inching slowly towards the holiday and have just got a quick summary of the week’s headlines and some Essentials for you this week. We’ll be taking a well-earned (we hope!) break next week but back all systems go on Friday January 6. Until then, our heartfelt thanks go out to all you Insider readers. We are nothing without you. Merry Xmas, Happy Chanukah and a Happy New Year.

EXCLUSIVE: A British lawmaker and member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China has urged the BBC to rethink its commercial decision to produce ads for organs of Chinese state media.

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC’s decision to include two transgender activists on a list celebrating successful women has proved divisive among journalists at the UK broadcaster.

Former Fox Television Chair and CEO Gary Newman has joined the BBC Commercial Board along with UK TV vet Claire Hungate, while Damon Buffini has been upped to Deputy Chair of the BBC Board.