Gary Lineker will return to presenting on the BBC this weekend, the company has announced, bringing an end to the stand-off that plunged sports coverage into chaos for the weekend.
Lineker, who presents Match the day, was suspended on Friday for breaching the BBC’s impartiality guidelines. Commentators and pundits marched in solidarity, causing hours of disruption on television and radio programs.
The BBC said on Monday it would review the guidelines, led by an independent figure who has not yet been selected. In the meantime, Lineker has applied his interpretation of the company’s rules.
“The potential confusion caused by the gray areas of the BBC’s social media guidance introduced in 2020 is acknowledged,” said Tim Davie, director general of the BBC.
“I’m glad we’ve found a way forward,” Lineker said in a statement on Monday. “I support this review and hope to return.”