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BBC star Gary Lineker was charged today with ‘poking fun at the poor’ after joking about his £ 1.3 million salary in response to the corporation raising the cost of the license fee.
The 60-year-old former England player responded to the news of the £ 157.50 to £ 159 increase on Twitter with ‘But, but I just got a pay cut’ and a quirky-faced emoticon.
But his attempt at making a joke was largely unsuccessful and he described it as ‘heartless’ and ‘missing the public’s mood’.
Even fans, who said they generally supported him, thought the comment was off the mark by adding ‘Your time is not great, Gary’.
It comes just months after three million people over the age of 75 were told they would no longer get free television licenses.
Dennis Reed, director of the retiree lobby group Silver Voices, which campaigned against him, told MailOnline: ‘There will be some of our members who will respond angrily to those comments. I would appreciate the support of all the celebrities for our cause. ‘
Gary Lineker has once again elicited strong opinions about one of his online social media tweets.
Lineker posted the comment on Twitter last night and it prompted some angry responses.
Jamie Sense said it would cancel its license fee after Gary Lineker made the comments.
Paul Stead said there are people struggling every day who might think the increase was too much.
Lawyer Edward Levey QC compared it to businessman Gerald Ratner’s disastrous speech
And on Twitter, social media users formed a chorus of disapproval of the comments.
Paul Stead said: ‘Poor joke. It’s fine for you millionaires, but there are a lot of people who struggle on a daily basis and have to rely on food banks, so even if the increase is nothing to you and other millionaires, it’s a lot of money for some people. ‘
DJ Doc Scott took a tougher line and added: ‘I usually like you and I like what you have to say, but on this you can go and screw yourself, is that’ funny ‘enough for you?’
Jamie sense said: ‘And with a ruthless tweet, Gary just canceled the extra revenue the BBC would probably have gotten.
Since you are making fun of the poor, it is now my moral obligation and I am sure that many others will cancel the license with immediate effect. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!’
Another stated: ‘I know you’re joking, and I don’t care about that. But in these desperate times, where a lot of people are struggling financially and mentally, your time is not great, Gary. ‘
And attorney Edward Levey QC chimed in to add, “I really hope this is your Gerald Ratner moment.”
Ratner saw £ 500 million erased from the value of his jewelery firm after telling the audience the secret of his beloved low-cost items’ How can you sell this for such a low price? I mean, because it’s total shit. ‘
Lineker’s comments enraged community nurse Racheal Giuliano, who has worked through the Covid-19 pandemic.
The mother of two, who specializes in dementia and palliative care, said she faces being kicked out of her home for not receiving a direct debit for her television license.
She was enraged: ‘I’m an NHS nurse, I worked through the entire pandemic.
‘My two children and I are faced with homelessness and television licenses take me to court for an unrealized direct debit.
“I hope he can survive on his pay cut.”
She said she questioned whether they could take her to court, adding: ‘I explain it to the inspector who came to the house.
But since he had a BBC channel, it was considered an infringement as the license was not renewed due to the failed direct debit.
I paid for it on the spot. They told me to change my guilty plea to avoid further charges.
“It has been a long nightmare.”
The BBC announced yesterday that the annual television license fee would increase by £ 1.50, from £ 157.50 to £ 159 in April.
In 2022 it will be the government who decides how much it will cost per year.
In September, Lineker denied claims that BBC Director General Tim Davie ordered him to tone down his Tweets.
But the head of the BBC, Davie, who is planning a radical shakeup of the national broadcaster, The Times reported.
In an introductory speech, Davie said: “If you want to be a stubborn columnist or a partisan activist on social media, that’s a valid option, but you shouldn’t be working at the BBC.”
Lineker said the BBC knows “that I tweet carefully.” He said: ‘I think the BBC trusts me. I know where the land is, the BBC cannot be discredited.
