Gary Lineker wades into row over resignation of BBC chairman Richard Sharp and demands successor is not appointed by the Government
- BBC Chair Richard Sharp quit yesterday after it was found he had broken rules
- Gary Lineker said the role ‘should not be selected by the government of the day’
- Read more: BBC chaos as Richard Sharp QUITS as chairman to avoid ‘distraction’
Gary Lineker has waded into the row over how the BBC’s next chairman should be appointed following the resignation of former Tory donor Richard Sharp.
The Match of the Day presenter, who was recently embroiled in an impartiality row at the broadcaster, said on Twitter that the BBC’s boss ‘should not be selected by the government of the day. Not now, not ever.’
It comes after Mr Sharp, 67, was found to have broken the corporation’s rules by failing to disclose that he played a role in getting then-prime minister Boris Johnson an £800,000 loan guarantee.
The corporation chair said that he had made an ‘error’ in not telling the BBC interview panel in December 2020 about the offer of financial help made by Sam Blyth, a Canadian businessman and distant cousin of Mr Johnson.
The review by Adam Heppinstall KC also found that Mr Sharp, while acting as an adviser in No10, told Mr Johnson he wanted to be BBC chair before formally applying in November 2020.
The Match of the Day presenter, who was recently embroiled in an impartiality row at the broadcaster, said that the BBC’s boss ‘should not be selected by the government of the day’
Richard Sharp has quit as BBC chairman and will leave at the end of June
The report found that both matters amounted to a breach of the Governance Code, but did not challenge Mr Sharp’s insistence that mistakes were ‘inadvertent’.
There is now growing speculation over who will replace Mr Sharp at the BBC, with debate surrounding whether the successor will have a political background.
Among those tipped is Baroness Nicky Morgan, 50, who was culture secretary in Boris Johnson’s administration in 2019 before standing down the following year.
Lineker’s comments on the issue come after he sparked a row last month with a tweet criticising the government.
Responding to a Home Office video in which Home Secretary Suella Braverman revealed plans to stop migrants crossing the Channel, he said: ‘Good heavens, this is beyond awful.’
‘This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s…’
The BBC launched an independent review of its social media guidance for freelancers.
He later returned to his Match Of The Day presenting role following a boycott by top on-air talent.
The former England footballer was not the only BBC star to publicise his views on how a new chairman should be appointed.
The BBC’s World Affairs editor John Simpson also tweeted: ‘Following Richard Sharp’s resignation as BBC Chairman, it’s likely there’ll be more support for the proposal that the chairman should be nominated by an independent committee and not by the govt.
‘Polls always show that people want governments to keep their hands off the BBC.’
The review found two matters amounted to a breach of the Governance Code, but did not challenge Mr Sharp’s insistence that mistakes were ‘inadvertent’
Damian Green, the acting chair of the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said Mr Sharp’s successor must have ‘the integrity and impartiality needed for this role’.
Mr Green added that ‘we hope that lessons have been learnt’ so that future appointments are not ‘clouded in the same way’ and so that ‘people can have faith in those chosen for public positions’.
The report found Mr Sharp, who was acting as an adviser in No10, had told Mr Johnson (pictured) he wanted to be BBC chair before formally applying in November 2020
Meanwhile, shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell said Mr Sharp’s breach had caused ‘untold damage to the reputation of the BBC’.
She said: ‘It’s right that he resigned,’ later adding: ‘They should’ve sacked him weeks ago.’
On Friday, Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, said Mr Sharp had ‘lost the dressing room’ at the BBC over the long-running probe into his breach of appointment rules.
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