Latest news with #CelebrityTraitorsUK
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gary Lineker Apologizes For Cartoon Rat Re-post After Being Criticized By BBC Director General
Gary Lineker has 'apologised unreservedly' for re-posting a video featuring an antisemitic trope after drawing veiled criticism from the BBC Director General. In a statement in the past few minutes to the BBC, Lineker, who is about to step down from Match of the Day, said: 'On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references. I very much regret these references.' More from Deadline BritBox Boards BBC's 'The Other Bennet Sister' As Exec Jane Tranter Says "Creative Solutions" Required To Overcome U.S. Co-Pro Slump BBC Will Only Work With Talent Who Sign Up To New Anti-Bullying Standards, Director General Reveals 'Celebrity Traitors UK': BBC Finally Unveils Lineup As Stephen Fry, Nick Mohammed, Paloma Faith & 16 Others Enter The Castle The video Lineker re-posted then deleted featured a cartoon rat, an antisemitic trope that harks back to 1930s Germany. The rat was overlaid on an explainer of the Israel-Gaza war presented by Canadian-Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu. Screenshots showed it being flagged up on X as hate speech. 'Whilst I strongly believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know that how we do so matters,' Lineker added. 'I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views. It was an error on my part for which I apologise unreservedly.' Notably, Lineker's spokesman did not apologize yesterday when contacted about the re-post, rather claiming that the presenter 'did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection.' Today's apology then came after Director General Tim Davie appeared to criticize Lineker for the re-post this morning. Delivering a speech in Salford and responding to a question on Lineker's re-post, Davie suggested the top-paid BBC presenter may have broken the corporation's social media rules. 'The BBC's reputation is helped by everyone and when someone makes a mistake it costs us,' Davie said. 'We need people to be exemplars of BBC values and to follow our social media policy. It's as simple as that.' The controversial re-post came more than two years after a tweet by Lineker criticizing the government's policy on small boats led to a mini BBC presenter strike and an eventual change in the guidelines around presenters and social media. Lineker's posts have since been the subject of intense scrutiny. He has also announced his exit from Match of the Day after 25 years and only has two more eps until the end of the who is the BBC's highest-paid presenter, will remain with the corporation next year hosting coverage of high-profile soccer tournaments. Last month, Lineker suggested in a tell-all interview that the BBC wanted him to leave Match of the Day. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Wicked: For Good' So Far Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gary Lineker Apologizes For Cartoon Rat Re-post After Being Criticized By BBC Director General
Gary Lineker has 'apologised unreservedly' for re-posting a video featuring an antisemitic trope after drawing veiled criticism from the BBC Director General. In a statement in the past few minutes to the BBC, Lineker, who is about to step down from Match of the Day, said: 'On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references. I very much regret these references.' More from Deadline BritBox Boards BBC's 'The Other Bennet Sister' As Exec Jane Tranter Says "Creative Solutions" Required To Overcome U.S. Co-Pro Slump BBC Will Only Work With Talent Who Sign Up To New Anti-Bullying Standards, Director General Reveals 'Celebrity Traitors UK': BBC Finally Unveils Lineup As Stephen Fry, Nick Mohammed, Paloma Faith & 16 Others Enter The Castle The video Lineker re-posted then deleted featured a cartoon rat, an antisemitic trope that harks back to 1930s Germany. The rat was overlaid on an explainer of the Israel-Gaza war presented by Canadian-Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu. Screenshots showed it being flagged up on X as hate speech. 'Whilst I strongly believe in the importance of speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza, I also know that how we do so matters,' Lineker added. 'I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views. It was an error on my part for which I apologise unreservedly.' Notably, Lineker's spokesman did not apologize yesterday when contacted about the re-post, rather claiming that the presenter 'did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection.' Today's apology then came after Director General Tim Davie appeared to criticize Lineker for the re-post this morning. Delivering a speech in Salford and responding to a question on Lineker's re-post, Davie suggested the top-paid BBC presenter may have broken the corporation's social media rules. 'The BBC's reputation is helped by everyone and when someone makes a mistake it costs us,' Davie said. 'We need people to be exemplars of BBC values and to follow our social media policy. It's as simple as that.' The controversial re-post came more than two years after a tweet by Lineker criticizing the government's policy on small boats led to a mini BBC presenter strike and an eventual change in the guidelines around presenters and social media. Lineker's posts have since been the subject of intense scrutiny. He has also announced his exit from Match of the Day after 25 years and only has two more eps until the end of the who is the BBC's highest-paid presenter, will remain with the corporation next year hosting coverage of high-profile soccer tournaments. Last month, Lineker suggested in a tell-all interview that the BBC wanted him to leave Match of the Day. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far Book-To-Movie Adaptations Coming Out In 2025
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
BBC Will Only Work With Talent Who Sign Up To New Anti-Bullying Standards, Director General Reveals
The BBC will only work with top talent who sign up to a new set of anti-bullying standards in film and TV, according to the Director General, as he said the public 'no longer believes the people in power are acting in their interests.' Delivering a set-piece speech in Salford this morning, Tim Davie said drastic action is required as the corporation 'can no longer work with people where there are risks' of abuse. More from Deadline 'Celebrity Traitors UK': BBC Finally Unveils Lineup As Stephen Fry, Nick Mohammed, Paloma Faith & 16 Others Enter The Castle Gary Lineker Criticized Once Again After Re-posting Video Featuring Antisemitic Trope 'Such Brave Girls': Exclusive Images From Returning BBC & Hulu Comedy His proclamation came two weeks after the release of a review that found a small number of individuals' behavior was 'disproportionately' affecting the BBC's culture, morale and reputation. This review was sparked by disgraced news anchor Huw Edwards' guilty plea. The BBC will therefore only contract talent who sign up to the new standards from the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA), which were unveiled several months back, Davie said. These standards focus on: 'Safe Working Environments', 'Inclusive Working Environments', 'Open and Accountable Reporting Mechanisms' and 'Responsive Learning Cultures'. Bullying and misconduct at the BBC had been under the microscope following a series of allegations made against top talent and senior figures including the likes of Russell Brand, Gregg Wallace and our own investigation into Breakfast boss Richard Frediani. The BBC is already giving funding to CIISA, which is yet to fully get off the ground, and Davie said its work is 'absolutely critical.' 'The acid test of a human being' Davie said the British public 'no longer believes the people in power are acting in their interests and in the worst cases that means an abuse of power.' 'The acid test of a human being is when they get power how they deploy it,' he added. 'In our industries you are particularly exposed to that dynamic in terms of people being seen as 'creative' or the presenter dynamic being a problem that has led to bad people being able to abuse power.' Davie stressed the corporation has 'made progress' and, 'although we are often weaponized,' he urged people to 'come in and see how we work, see the standards.' Those standards were put to the test yesterday when Match of the Day host Gary Lineker once again landed himself in hot water by re-posting an Instagram video featuring an antisemitic trope, which he then deleted. Questioned on Lineker's behavior today, Davie suggested the top-paid BBC presenter may have broken the corporation's social media rules. 'The BBC's reputation is helped by everyone and when someone makes a mistake it costs us,' he added. 'We need people to be exemplars of BBC values and to follow our social media policy. It's as simple as that.' Preserving British IP Meanwhile during the lengthy set-piece, Davie urged 'increased incentives' for UK TV production including tax credits to help resolve the funding crisis and 'preserve' intellectual property. The funding crisis has hit scripted TV especially this year due to the collapse of the American co-pro market but Davie went beyond scripted and said 'at-risk genres' need to be helped via government intervention, 'as well as incentivising public service media objectives like [shows made] out of London, telling local stories and preserving IP in the UK.' An improved high-end TV tax credit was recommended by a recent Culture, Media & Sport Committee report in order to help get more shows off the ground. Elsewhere, the BBC will work more closely with digital and social media creators, Davie said, as he promised to open up commercial arm BBC Studios to up-and-coming stars. 'We plan to open the doors of our studios to social media creators to be able to develop new work and know we have their best interests at heart,' he added. 'We want to champion work from bedroom to [Glastonbury's] Pyramid Stage.' With social in mind, the DG discussed wanting to 'go further against the culture wars' by 'dramatically increasing' BBC News' presence on YouTube and TikTok, 'to ensure we have a stronger position amid the noise.' While noting 'there is an obvious tension' between how much of its news the 100-year-old broadcaster should put on YouTube and TikTok, he said the answer is to 'incentivize people to say, 'There is more [of this] on [BBC] services'.' 'That prize of building BBC accounts and relationships is absolutely the main prize for us,' he added. Davie used his speech to inject plenty blue sky thinking into the future of TV. He called for a national plan for a switchover to internet-only TV in the next decade – an idea that he first floated in a set piece two and a half years back – and proposed a new streaming service with Freely aimed at helping audiences currently underserved by the digital revolution. Plans for the new streaming device are nascent, he told the Q&A session after the speech.'We want to draw on the full creative potential of every corner of the UK', and ensure that 'whoever you are and wherever you live, you have the chance to build your career in the UK with the BBC and others,' he said. Davie reaffirmed a commitment to working with the world's biggest tech companies on AI, as he posited 'the majority of BBC staff are using' the tech and it has become a big part of the process of 'getting content from camera to screen, mic to headphone.' Best of Deadline Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far Book-To-Movie Adaptations Coming Out In 2025
Extra.ie
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Irish actress leads the line-up for Celebrity Traitors UK
An Irish actress has joined the lineup for Celebrity Traitors UK. The BBC this week confirmed that the first season of Celebrity Traitors will be released in the autumn, followed by season 4 of The Traitors in early 2026, as part of their annual plan for 2025/26. Now, the line-up has been revealed, with one familiar face from the Emerald Isle making the cut. An Irish actress has joined the lineup for Celebrity Traitors UK. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman, the nine-part celebrity version will give contestants the chance to win a cash prize of up to £100,000 (€119,000) for a charity of their choice. Claudia said of the new series: 'We're incredibly lucky these brilliant people have said yes.' 'I'd love to say we'll take it easy on them and they'll just wander round the castle and eat toast for a couple of weeks, but that would be a lie.' Ruth Codd as Juno Usher in The Fall of the House of Usher. Pic: Ricardo Hubbs/Netflix/REX/Shutterstock Irish actress and The Midnight Club's Ruth Codd joins the star-studded line-up of 19 celebrities, vying for the top prize. The Wexford native put herself on the map just two years ago when she landed a role in the hit Netflix series, having since starred in The Fall of the House of Usher, horror series Creepshow and The Dry. She is also set to star in her debut movie role as Phlegma in the action fantasy film How to Train Your Dragon. Ruth Codd as Bibi in The Dry. Pic: Mark Sheen/REX/Shutterstock The Traitors originally debuted in 2022 and has since picked up a BAFTA TV Award for Best Reality & Constructed Factual programme. The third and most recent series of the show saw project manager Jake Brown and former soldier Leanne Quigley share the prize pot of £94,600. Check out the full line-up below: Alan Carr – Comedian Cat Burns – Singer/Songwriter Celia Imrie – Actor Charlotte Church – Singer/Activist Clare Balding – Broadcaster and Author David Olusoga – Historian and Filmmaker Joe Marler – Former England Rugby Player and Podcaster Joe Wilkinson – Comedian Jonathan Ross – Presenter Kate Garraway – Broadcaster Lucy Beaumont – Comedian Mark Bonnar – Actor Nick Mohammed – Actor and Comedian Niko Omilana – Content Creator Paloma Faith – Singer/Songwriter and Actor Ruth Codd – Actor Stephen Fry – Actor, Writer, Presenter Tameka Empson – Actor and Comedian Tom Daley – Olympian, Author, Broadcaster and Entrepreneur
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gary Lineker Criticized Once Again After Re-posting Video Featuring Antisemitic Trope
Gary Lineker is in hot water once again with less than a fortnight to go until he leaves the BBC's Match of the Day. Earlier today, Lineker shared a now-deleted Instagram video from the Palestine Lobby account that overlaid a cartoon rat emoji on top of an explainer about the Israel-Gaza war. More from Deadline 'Celebrity Traitors UK': BBC Finally Unveils Lineup As Stephen Fry, Nick Mohammed, Paloma Faith & 16 Others Enter The Castle Israeli Eurovision Singer Says She Has Been Rehearsing With Booing Sounds In Anticipation Of Backlash Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, David Cronenberg & Javier Bardem Join 380 Cinema Figures In Open Letter Condemning Silence Over Gaza - Cannes While Lineker has frequently shared content on social media that has fallen within the scope of the BBC's new social media guidelines, the image of the cartoon rat – an antisemitic trope that harks back to 1930s Nazi Germany – has been heavily criticized. Lineker has since deleted the post. The BBC declined comment. A spokesman for Lineker said: 'Whilst viewing and reposting a video, Gary did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection. The repost has been removed.' Screenshots posted by the Daily Mail of the video, which featured commentary from Canadian-Palestinian lawyer Diana Buttu, showed it being flagged up on X as hate speech. Danny Cohen, who used to run BBC TV but has in recent months been a vehement critic of the corporation, said: 'Gary Lineker appears to have shared content about the Jewish state which echoes 1930's Nazi propaganda. This is utterly grim. The BBC's Director General Tim Davie has a simple question to answer: 'Does he tolerate the BBC's flagship presenters sharing content that has historically been used as an anti-Semitic slur?'.' A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism added: 'We will be submitting a complaint to the BBC over this latest post. Having looked the other way until now, at this point, it is clear that Mr Lineker's continued association with the BBC is untenable. He must go.' The controversial post comes more than two years after a tweet by Lineker criticizing the government's policy on small boats led to a mini BBC presenter strike and an eventual change in the guidelines around presenters and social media. Lineker's posts have since been the subject of intense scrutiny. He has also announced his exit from Match of the Day after 25 years and only has two more eps until the end of the season. Lineker, who is the BBC's highest-paid presenter, will remain with the corporation next year hosting coverage of high-profile soccer tournaments. Last month, Lineker suggested in a tell-all interview that the BBC wanted him to leave Match of the Day. Best of Deadline TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far Book-To-Movie Adaptations Coming Out In 2025 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
