Why Gary Lineker will not appear on BBC Match of the Day tonight after furious tweet row
GARY LINEKER will NOT be returning to host Match of the Day later tonight.
However, the 62-year-old will make his first appearance on the BBC since he was told to step back from hosting Match Of The Day after his Nazi tweet storm.
Lineker came under fire from MPs as a weekend of chaos saw schedules changed last-minute and a different format for Match Of The Day.
The BBC’s star presenter had been suspended from his duties and faced a backlash following a tweet criticising Suella Braverman's migrant boats plan.
The mayhem erupted after Lineker criticised Home Secretary Suella Braverman's small boats plan which will see migrants swiftly detained and removed to either their country of origin or a safe third state within 28 days.
Lineker faced fury after he likened the language used to launch a new Government asylum seeker policy to 1930s Germany.
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He was accused by the BBC of breaking their strict impartiality rules that state staff must "avoid taking sides on political controversies" and "take care when addressing public policy matters".
Last Friday, the broadcaster revealed he had been suspended and would not host Saturday's Match of the Day - sparking a mutiny among his co-stars.
Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Jermaine Jenas, Alex Scott, Mark Chapman and Micah Richards refused to fill in with the football analysis show plunged into crisis.
Saturday's night episode later aired with a stripped-back, 20 minute version that did not even feature the iconic theme tune or commentary.
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Lineker faced a wave of fury over the crisis after he failed to apologise himself for his tweet.
BBC director-general Tim Davie, who made the call to suspend Lineker, faced an embarrassing climbdown just 72 hours later when he decided to reverse the decision.
Mr Davie said in a statement the corporation has commissioned an independent review of its social media guidelines, particularly for freelancers.
He also apologised for the impartiality row and said a review of the BBC’s social media guidelines would take place.
Mr Davie described the BBC's commitment to freedom of expression and impartiality as a "difficult balancing act".
Lineker then tweeted that he was "delighted" to have navigated a way through the row after a "surreal few days" ahead of his return.
But he will not be in the famous chair tonight for the iconic Saturday night footy show.
Instead, he will front the BBC's FA Cup coverage of Man City vs Burnley today.
Mark Chapman is due to host the Match Of The Day highlights show later.