Good evening. Gary Lineker issued a defiant statement without an apology, as it was confirmed the presenter will be back on the BBC. We have the latest reaction, as one former executive at the corporation said allowing the Match of the Day host to return was a "capitulation".
Evening briefing: Today's essential headlines
Swansea explosion | One person is missing and three have been taken to hospital following a suspected gas explosion in Swansea.
- Caroline Flack | Mother rejects Met Police apology
- Scotland | Support for independence falls to just 39pc, poll suggests
- Royals | King calls for Commonwealth to ‘be bold’
- Japan | World's 'longest-serving' death row inmate wins retrial
- Iran | Police hunt girls who launched viral Selena Gomez dance trend
Lineker thanks colleagues for 'overwhelming' backing
Match of the Day host Gary Lineker will continue as a BBC presenter after the corporation apologised for "potential confusion caused by the grey areas" of its social media guidelines. A host of sports presenters and pundits pulled out of BBC shows at the weekend after he was told to step back from hosting the football highlights programme in a row over his tweets about the Government's new asylum policy. Mr Lineker said the backing he had received from colleagues was "overwhelming" - read what the former England striker had to say about his return in full here.
Rees-Mogg says BBC licence fee is 'past its sell-by date'
Jacob Rees-Mogg led calls from Conservative MPs to abolish the BBC licence fee in the wake of the decision to reinstate Mr Lineker. Mr Rees-Mogg described the mandatory fee as being “past its sell-by date”. Sir Craig Oliver, a former news executive at the corporation, said allowing the host to return was a "capitulation". Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, acknowledged it had been a "difficult period". Ewan Somerville details other BBC stars who may have breached impartiality guidelines. Meanwhile, Labour said Richard Sharp’s position as BBC chairman is “increasingly untenable”, in the wake of the Lineker row.
BBC faces new impartiality row over Fiona Bruce comments on Stanley Johnson
The BBC is facing a new impartiality row after Question Time presenter Fiona Bruce claimed she was required to "legally contextualise" comments about Stanley Johnson and domestic violence. Ms Bruce said she was stepping back from her role as an ambassador for the charity, Refuge, following claims she had trivialised domestic violence on last week's show. The presenter faced a backlash on social media after intervening when the father of Boris Johnson was described as a “wife-beater”. You can read Ms Bruce's statement here.
Comment and analysis
- Andrew Orlowski | Civil service blob is quietly killing Britain’s vaccine legacy
- Ross Clark | Privatise the BBC and let Lineker say what he wants
- Tim Stanley | Pope Francis looks miserable – he should retire
- Brian Moore | No one wants wonders from this England team – but competence would be a start
- Alan Tyers | Duelling banjos try to fill BBC's Gary Lineker vacuum
World news: Partisans destroy railway used by Russia
Ukrainian partisans damaged a stretch of railway in occupied Kherson in a guerrilla attack on Russian logistics. The Atesh movement claimed responsibility for the explosive strike, which they said would hinder the supply of Russian troops.
Long read of the day
‘I was a millennial priest – and discovered the dark side of the CofE’
In an exclusive extract from his memoir, The Reverend Fergus Butler-Gallie discusses dating with a dog collar – and meeting abusive clerics
Sport news: Tuilagi, Farrell and Ford in contention
As Steve Borthwick surveys the wreckage from England’s defeat to France, Manu Tuilagi could be the latest addition to England’s revolving door of a midfield, with Ollie Lawrence ruled out of Saturday’s game against Ireland through injury. Ben Coles details who else could be in contention.
Editor's choice
Travel | The sad demise of the school ski trip
Health | The real reasons you’re not losing weight
Hollywood | How Oscar winners are getting older... but show no signs of slowing down
Business news: Silicon Valley Bank fallout spreads
Joe Biden said "Americans can have confidence that the banking system is safe", after small bank shares crashed as markets opened in the US. The President addressed the nation from the White House in an attempt to avoid a broader crisis triggered by the collapses of US lenders Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. Check out our business live blog to find out how much bank shares have fallen by.
Tonight starts now
How to visit the locations in David Attenborough's new Wild Isles series | Here's where and when to seek out the wild and wonderful cast of the BBC series.
Three things for you
- Music | Can Apple really start a classical-music revolution?
- Review | The Last of Us finale: a stunning ending
- Money | Why a record number of landlords are resorting to cash
And finally... for this evening's downtime
Ranked and rated: Britain’s 20 best and worst seaside towns | Our seaside gentrification index has sorted the reinvented hipster magnets from the faded resorts still stuck in decline.
If you want to receive twice-daily briefings like this by email, sign up to the Front Page newsletter here. For two-minute audio updates, try The Briefing - on podcasts and smart speakers.
