[Kojak]

I think the problem with that argument is that you could apply it to literally anyone who has ever appeared on the BBC. What next - is Mark Gatiss going to be banned because he once said he was 'ashamed to be English'? If so then bye bye Sherlock. What about Alan Sugar? He once compared Jeremy Corbyn to Adolf Hitler! Is he going to be removed from The Apprentice? I think not. And how did Andrew Neil last so long at the Beeb when he sounds off about politics on Twitter left, right and centre (but mostly right)?

The issue though is this isn't the first time Linekar expressing his political/personal opinions on Twitter has caused issues (whether real or perceived) for the BBC. If it was, we probably wouldn't be having this discussion because it would either be a kerfuffle (particularly in media outlets hostile to the BBC) or handled differently.

Do you not think, though, that these issues are deliberately blown up by... certain elements, who have a problem with the BBC anyway? I tend to think that if the BBC turned into GB News Mk II overnight, these people still wouldn't be satisfied, because many of them don't agree with the TV licence or the idea of a publicly funded broadcaster. Gary Lineker happens to have politics that these people don't share, so he is a very easy target for them.