Richard Sharp‘s departure and the government’s role in selecting the BBC chairman have both been addressed by Gary Lineker.
The 62-year-old Match Of The Day host, who was fired by the network last month after sending out a tweet that prompted an argument about objectivity, has commented on Sharp’s dismissal.
He wrote on Twitter: “The current government should not choose the BBC chairman. Not now and never.
Following the row over the football pundit’s tweet, the BBC to launched an independent review of its social media guidance for freelancers.
Meanwhile, Lineker later returned to his Match Of The Day presenting role following a boycott in his defence by top on-air talent.
Sharp announced his resignation to ‘prioritise the interests’ of the BBC, while the former Goldman Sachs banker had faced accusations of arranging a loan of up to £800,000 for Boris Johnson before the then-prime minister backed him as the broadcaster’s boss.
He was announced as the government’s choice for the role in January 2021.
This morning, Adam Heppinstall KC’s 25-page report into the appointment of Mr Sharp as BBC Chairman found he ‘failed to disclose potential perceived conflicts of interest’.
In response, Mr Sharp said he will remain in the role until the end of June while the search for a successor takes place.
He said: ‘Mr Heppinstall’s view is that while I did breach the governance code for public appointments, he states that a breach does not necessarily invalidate an appointment.
‘Indeed, I have always maintained the breach was inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate. The Secretary of State has consulted with the BBC Board who support that view.
‘Nevertheless, I have decided that it is right to prioritise the interests of the BBC.’
A committee previously found that Sharp had made ‘significant errors of judgement’ and had not given the ‘full facts’ when applying for the job.
In a grilling by MPs, he had insisted his only role was as a ‘sort of introduction agency’ between his friend Sam Blyth – a Canadian businessman who is a distant cousin of Johnson – and the cabinet secretary Simon Case.
Labour had called for an investigation into Mr Sharp after allegations surfaced in The Sunday Times which claimed a dinner was held at Chequers before the loan was finalised.