Gary Lineker has returned to presenting BBC football coverage for the first time since last week's impartiality row, saying it is "great to be here".

 

Ednews reports Pundit Alan Shearer said it had been a "really difficult situation for everyone concerned" as he welcomed Lineker back.

 

"It's good to get back to some sort of normality," he added.

 

Lineker was taken off air following a critical tweet on the government's asylum policy.

 

Last Saturday's Match of the Day was broadcast without presenters or commentary and was only 20 minutes long after many of Lineker's BBC Sport colleagues, including Shearer, walked out in "solidarity".

 

On Monday the BBC said it would launch an independent review of its social media guidelines, particularly for freelancers like Lineker, 62 - but he could return in the meantime.

 

At the start of the BBC's live coverage of Manchester City v Burnley in the FA Cup on Saturday, Shearer said: "I just need to clear up and wanted to say how upset we were [to] all the audiences who missed out on last weekend.

 

"It was a really difficult situation for everyone concerned, and through no fault of their own some really great people in TV and in radio were put in an impossible situation.

 

"That wasn't fair. So it's good to get back to some sort of normality and be talking about football again."

 

Lineker added: "Absolutely echo those sentiments."

EurasiaDiary © Must be hyperlinked when used.

Follow us:
Twitter: @Eurasia_Eng
Facebook: EurasiaEng
Telegram: @eurasia_diary