BBC in meltdown ahead of two live games next weekend

The BBC are in a complete meltdown after a series of employees joined the boycott in solidarity with Gary Lineker after he was told to step back over his social media activity.

Immediately after the BBC said Lineker would not be hosting Match of the Day until an agreement regarding his use of social media was reached, pundits Ian Wright and Alan Shearer both said they would not be appearing on the Saturday night programme.

Jermaine Jenas and Micah Richards both said they would have done the same had they been scheduled to feature.

And the boycotts continued to come in. Alex Scott pulled out of hosting Football Focus before the show was axed, with Final Score also nixed after Jason Mohammad said he was out.

It then emerged that Mark Chapman, who presents Match of the Day 2, would not be fulfilling his duties on BBC 5 Live, who also took Colin Murray's Fighting Talk off the air.

Others who joined in on the boycott include Dion Dublin, Leon Osman and a plethora of regular BBC commentators.

Match of the Day will go ahead without any pundits, studio presentation or post-match interviews in an unprecedented episode but there remains huge uncertainty for next weekend.

The BBC are scheduled to show two live FA Cup quarter-finals. Vincent Kompany's return to the Etihad Stadium with Burnley is being broadcasted at 5:45pm on Saturday, with Brighton's visit of League Two side Grimsby Town also scheduled to be on BBC One at 14:15 the day after.

Lineker, who has hosted Match of the Day since 1999, would normally be on presenter duties, or alternatively Gabby Logan or Chapman - and so it remains to be seen how the BBC will iron things out.

The organisation must act fast and Wright has said he will walk out if Lineker is given the boot.