The BBC has been accused of breaking one of its own rules following the latest episode of Match of the Day, which showed just 20 minutes of Premier League highlights, but with no commentary or analysis.
The broadcasting giant were left scrambling for a last-minute replacement due to the show’s regular presenter Gary Lineker being suspended for his political tweets.
Match of the Day regulars Ian Wright and Alan Shearer then stood in solidarity with their colleague and friend and did not participate in presenting the show, while other presenters such as Alex Scott and Micah Richards also stated they did not want to take part.
Match of the Day without Gary Lineker
Before the opening titles aired, a BBC announcer said: “Now on BBC One, we’re sorry we’re not able to show our normal Match of the Day including commentary tonight, but here’s the best action from today’s Premier League matches.”
The popular TV show started by going straight into showing the highlights from Saturday’s match between Bournemouth and Liverpool, rather than an introduction by a presenter as well the iconic theme song.
With the show scheduled to last an hour, the 20-minute episode filled the rest of the show with the sounds of fans cheering, which was an unusual sight for many regular viewers.
However, this idea to fill empty space in the show has now broken their own TV guidelines.
Did BBC break their own rules with Match of the Day?
According to the BBC’s official website, the accessibility guidelines outline a range of ‘alternative formats’ for audio and visual content.
The website page reads: “Alternative formats, such as subtitles, sign language, audio description, and transcripts, must be provided with embedded media when available.”
For people who are visually or audibly impaired may need an ‘alternative delivery’ to aid watching or listening to media as it “supports comprehension.”
The whole situation with the BBC versus Lineker has sparked outrage and heated debates across social media, with most siding with Lineker on his views.
But we will have to wait to see how BBC bosses decide their next steps to ease tensions with fans, presenters, and Lineker himself.
Although, they may not get a say in the matter, with ITV reportedly offering the presenter a chance to triple his wages should be switch channels!
