BBC hit by further chaos as 5 Live schedule ahead of Man Utd and Arsenal clashes is changed at last-minute
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THE BBC have been hit with further chaos as Radio 5 Live's Premier League schedule has been changed at the last-minute.
Pre-recorded episodes of the Spygate: Sport's Strangest Crimes podcast aired instead of the regular 12-2pm slot for Premier League games.
It comes amid Match of The Day presenter Gary Lineker's row with the BBC following inflammatory tweets regarding the government's new illegal migrants policy.
Lineker was taken off the air, which led to a number of his colleagues striking in solidarity.
As of now, Radio 5 Live's schedule is due to resume at 2pm for commentary of Fulham's game with Arsenal but no 606 phone-in show will air.
Manchester United's match with Southampton is also set to be broadcast this afternoon.
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BBC staff refused to work on Saturday's games, deciding to back Lineker following his criticism of the government's new Illegal Migration Bill.
Saturday's TV and radio timetables were changed at the last minute - resulting in Football Focus and Final Score being scrapped from the BBC One schedule.
MOTD, which Lineker has hosted for almost 25 years, was cut to just 20 minutes, with no commentary, analysis or interviews.
It also went out without its famous theme tune - instead broadcasting only short highlight clips of the day's matches.
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It did, however, see its viewing figures soar by 500,000 to 2.6million - the highest number since November last year.
The Beeb do not have the rights required to use world feed commentary, an issue that saw last night's 20 minute broadcast go without.
But their own commentators will return for Sunday night's MOTD2, which will air highlights of Manchester United vs Southampton, West Ham vs Aston Villa and Fulham vs Arsenal without a studio host.
There will also be no pre-game chat before this afternoon's Women’s Super League clash between Chelsea and Manchester United, it is understood.
MOT2 is expected to take a similar "reduced" format at 10.30pm, albeit with commentary, after host Mark Chapman decided not to present for BBC Radio 5 Live Sport on Saturdayand pundit Jermain Defoe announced he would not appear on the Sunday highlights programme.
