Gary Lineker BBC row latest as Saturday's Match of The Day set to look very different

Tonight's Match Of The Day will go ahead without a presenter, pundits and several regular commentators, following the fallout over Gary Lineker’s removal from the BBC show. Former England footballers and MOTD regulars including Alan Shearer and Ian Wright previously announced they would be boycotting the show, in solidarity with Lineker.

Late on Friday evening several of the show’s commentators shared a joint statement online, announcing they would also be stepping down from Saturday’s broadcast. “As commentators on MOTD, we have decided to step down from tomorrow night’s broadcast,” the statement read.

“We are comforted that football fans who want to watch their teams should still be able to do so, as management can use World Feed commentary if they wish. “However, in the circumstances, we do not feel it would be appropriate to take part in the programme.”

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The statement was shared by MOTD commentators including Steve Wilson, Conor McNamara, Robyn Rowen and Steven Wyeth. In a previous statement the BBC said the show would “focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry” saying it understood the position of its presenters.

It comes after Lineker, 62, became embroiled in a row over impartiality after comparing the language used to launch a new Government asylum seeker policy with 1930s Germany on Twitter. The broadcaster said it had “decided” Lineker would take a break from presenting the highlights programme until an “agreed and clear position” on his use of social media had been reached.

Earlier, BBC director-general Tim Davie – who warned staff about their use of social media when he took on the role at the