[interestednovice]

Any freelancer has primary clients, and it is not unreasonable to by bound by employee-style agreements in favour of the interests of that primary client.

I doubt courts would have much issue with the principle, it would be more whether the precise wording in Lineker’s contract (and associated documents plus BBC guidance) actually restricted what he should say, if so how much, and did what he said cross that line. Something we can only speculate on now because we clearly haven’t seen his contract.

Anyway, if things get ugly I doubt we will end up with a court case - Lineker will probably just go to a rival broadcaster who would no-doubt offer him a decent package to sign up with them.