Gary Lineker brands John Whittingdale a 'chump' over BBC comments

The Match of the Day presenter said we should 'be proud of the BBC, not destroy it'

Gary Lineker (John Phillips/Getty Images)

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale has been branded a “chump” by Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker over his attitude to the BBC.

The ex-England striker insisted Mr Whittingdale wanted to “destroy” the public service broadcaster after the Minister joked its demise was a “tempting prospect”.

Tweeting a link to a Guardian report on the Culture Secretary's comments, Mr Lineker wrote: “This chump sums politicians up. The BBC is revered throughout the World. We should be proud of it, not destroy it.”

The Guardian reported that Mr Whittingdale said that the corporation's approach to impartiality drives him “insane” during a talk at Cambridge University's Conservative Association.

Referring to the BBC's charter, which runs out at the end of next year, Mr Whittingdale said: “If we don't renew it, it may be that the BBC will cease to exist, which is, occasionally, a tempting prospect.”

The pro-Brexit minister insisted that the BBC “finds it difficult to take seriously people who have a different view of the world”, and “has always regarded people who want to leave Europe as faintly mad ... it has generally been in favour of spending public money rather than those who want to see lower taxes”.

The comments were originally reported by Cambridge University's student newspaper Varsity, and verified by Broadcast, according to The Guardian.

Press Association.