[Jon]

In fairness some of your posts have given your high horse vertigo even it didn't know what your opinion on the situation was or what point you were trying to make. So in all seriousness thank you for spelling it out clearly.

I'm sure everyone welcomes a different take and different opinions but there's really no need to be so aggressive.

I always strive to remain polite on here even when I completely disagree with others' points of view so I'm disappointed to note you feel I have been aggressive. That really is never the intention and I am sorry if anything I've said has come across as such.

I often come on here and see a lot of hubbub about an issue and I think 'wait a minute, take a step back - is it really that serious? - is it really like that? - will the average viewer really perceive it in that way?'

I think the majority of people (here) don’t think the initial Tweet was that serious and those at the top of corporation have made a much bigger issue out of it, hence, it’s resulted in some of the most important weekend programming being affected. Something that won’t have just affected the BBC’s relationship with its audience but with that of sporting bodies it has contacts with. 

Had they just put out a statement, saying that Lineker’s views are his own and is entitled to air his personal opinion on other platforms it would have died down by the start of the week, at least until the next time the powerful tabloid press decide he’s stepped over the line.

In terms of what viewers think I imagine the majority of viewers don’t care what Lineker’s opinion is either way on political issues. To be honest if aggregators in the right wing press hadn’t put a target on his back the vast majority of viewers wouldn’t have been exposed to his Tweet. If how the viewers think is important in this situation, many of them may not realise Neil Oliver is no longer making Coast for the BBC, so may have seen his monologues on GB News and be surprised that he’s still allowed to be a face of the corporation. 

But the other thing about public perception is, people should be seen to be treated fairly. I don’t think anyone thinks had he remained at the BBC this would have happened to Andrew Neil and Lord Sugar has made similar or arguably worse comparisons to Lineker about UK politicians in past Tweets with no press campaigns get him ‘cancelled’. 

You’re not the only one who can look at this critically and objectively so don’t just assume everyone who disagrees with you hasn’t done the same yet come to different conclusions. Because that’s how some of your posts come across.