In full: BBC boss Tim Davie 'very sorry' for Gary Lineker row fallout

Speaking to the BBC, Tim Davie has said he is "really sorry" for the disruption caused by the row with Gary Lineker over impartiality.

This comes after BBC Presenters, pundits and commentators refused to appear on Saturday football shows after Lineker was told to "step back".

#football #bbc #unitedkingdom #skynews

[cprnxnt]

He apologises because it backfired, he is not sorry

[fjuvo]

The fact that the boss is a Tory party member speaks for itself… A person like that CANNOT be impartial

[Zakkhan]

He had no problem with BBCs impartial show of the world Cup slating Qatar but has a problem with this

[fjuvo]

In his words - would "Impartiality" also mean not being able to criticize Qatar or condemn the Russian invasion?

[JayGrofte]

Impartiality at the BBC is important says a former Tory party chairman and parliamentary candidate

[jamesarnold]

He's been sacked for "not being impartial" but if he came out and said he thought Suella was in fact an amazing home secretary, she never broke the ministerial code and the Tories are actually really good at governing he'd still be working there

[omster_]

Whoever's asking the questions is doing a great job tbh

[jameslight]

nothing says 1930's Germany like closing down dissenting views

[brunokagawa]

According to this guy, impartiality basically means not saying bad things about the government. And to think that BBC has the audacity to criticise other countries for freedom of speech.

[marcz]

I’m sorry but this man, Tim Davie isn’t fit to be the boss of the BBC.
He speaks about having a passion for what the bbc is and a balance between free speech and impartiality but all his actions have done is show that as far as he’s concerned the BBC stands by the British Government.

Lineker has spoken out before about regimes of foreign countries and spoken against foreign politics in the past - now that he has spoken out against the a British Government and he’s cut? That’s so wrong.

Davies, previous conservative party official and known right winger is saying that he’s striving for impartiality yet he has sided with the government???

Basically he’s telling other BBC presenters that side with the government that their comments are warranted - those against then Yourll get cut!!!

[pandemoniumgaming]

He likes to say Impartial a lot, but he just can't seem to say it with any actual conviction. It's alright though he's in 'Listening Mode' XD

[Spendarellaa]

I can’t see how Tim Davey can stay after this massive misjudgment.

[nalanageek]

Mr Davie keeps going on about the BBC being impartial, which it should be. So I assume his intention is for anyone voicing an opinion in favour of a government policy will also be suspended. I think not.

[johnhodgetts]

'I'm in listening mode' is typical management bs. It really means 'damn! We messed up. We didn't expect it to be like this'.

[garyblackler]

I'm not a Lineker fan, but, He has a legal right to free speech. If that is his opinion then so be it. Nobody should be silenced for their point of view. If the take his free speech, ours will be taken too

[Bdoc]

Makes decision because he's " the boss ", immediately distances himself from decision. Embarrassing but not at all surprising.

[roc]

meaning we sorry that people fought back against us. we believed gary will just bend over

[columbus]

He obviously doesn’t watch Question Time on a regular basis.

[karthikj]

1:41 : absolutely awesome question. This is the kind of journalism we desperately need . Well done .

[Tenortalker]

The BBC has placed itself in an impossible position. Gary Lineker hasn't broken contractual conditions as he is a freelancer and the impartiality rules for permanent staff don't apply. The BBC flagship sports commentary programmes have been reduced to mere highlights coverage and major presenters have refused to participate in support of Lineker and freedom of speech principles. Clearly someone should carry the blame for this total breakdown in communication and failure to deliver the programmation licence payers pay for, but it doesn't look as if that will happen does it?