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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Rose Hill

Nigel Farage mocked by stars for saying Gary Lineker 'should apologise for spreading hate'

Nigel Farage has been mercilessly mocked by Piers Morgan and other stars after suggesting that Gary Lineker "has been spreading hate and should apologise".

The BBC announced on Friday evening that it had pulled Lineker off air from Saturday's Match Of The Day after he appeared to draw comparisons between the government's new Illegal Migration Bill and Nazi Germany in a tweet.

Lineker, 62, described the controversial bill - unveiled by home secretary Suella Braverman on Tuesday to a wave of backlash - as "beyond awful", later adding: "This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s."

A number of celebrities have since spoken up about the situation after the legendary footballer refused to delete his tweet, with the issue turning into a freedom of speech debate.

Nigel Farage has been mercilessly mocked over the video (Nigel Farage)

Throwing his own opinion into the mix, Farage shared a three and a half minute-long YouTube clip in which he declared that he would talk about the "truth about Gary Lineker".

Sharing the video on Twitter, the GB News presenter wrote: "Gary Lineker has been spreading hate and should apologise."

Astounded, Twitter users flocked to the comments, with forner LBC presenter Matthew Stadlen writing: "Can you really not see the irony in this tweet, Nigel?"

While Piers Morgan - who has become involved in a number of clashes in recent years with Farage over Trump - quote tweeted Farage with seven crying laughing emojis.

He wrote: "Irony just got murdered."

Former GMB host Morgan, who has been vocal about his support for free speech and has condemned the BBC for its reaction to the dispute, earlier today suggested that all Match Of The Day crew might as well "walk out right now".

It came after the BBC's decision to air Match Of The Day without any presenters.

Morgan also criticised the BBC's decision to not broadcast an episode of a David Attenborough programme over fears its content - which has themes of the destruction of nature - would spark a backlash from Tory politicians and the rightwing press.

He tweeted in response: "What the hell is going on at the BBC?"

The Mirror has launched a petition to have Gary Lineker reinstated at the BBC and as the host of Match of the Day. Sign it here.

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