The BBC cancelled Football Focus this morning, as the chaos over the decision to stand Gary Lineker down from his Match of the Day presenting duties intensifies.
Saturday night’s flagship highlights show is still slated to go ahead, albeit without a presenter, pundits and several regular commentators after Lineker was told to step back, with the likes of Ian Wright and Alan Shearer standing in ‘solidarity’ with the pundit.
Football Focus, meanwhile, had been scheduled to air at midday but the long-running preview show was plunged into chaos itself after lead presenter Alex Scott pulled out.
The former England international, who on Friday confirmed she would not be filling in for Lineker on Match of the Day, wrote on Twitter: ‘I made a decision last night that even though I love my show and we have had an incredible week winning an SJA for football focus that it doesn’t feel right for me to go ahead with the show today.
‘Hopefully I will be back in the chair next week.’
Scott’s fellow presenter Kelly Somers as well as guest pundits Glenn Murray and Anita Asante also informed the BBC they were not prepared to work on the show which was scrapped less than two hours before it was due to go on air.
Final Score, which is meant to air later this afternoon, has also been shelved, and it now looks to be replaced by The Repair Shop, according to the BBC TV guide.
Viewers have been left baffled by the choice in replacement, taking to social media to share their bemusement.
‘I don’t imagine the football focus audience will watch Bargain Hunt instead,’ one person wrote.
‘Football Focus has been cancelled at the last minute as Alex Scott and other presenters pulled out in support of @GaryLineker … but never fear footie fans… it’s been replaced with … checks notes… Bargain Hunt. … Lineker 4 – BBC 0.’ another penned.
‘Football Focus is being replaced by Bargain Hunt, presumably because the BBC tried to hunt for a bargaining tool and failed,’ another joked.
‘”Football Focus replaced by Bargain Hunt” somehow sums up the joke shop that is modern Britain,’ someone else wrote, with another commenting: ‘Football Focus being replaced by Bargain Hunt feels like quite the metaphor for the UK right now…’
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