Gabby Logan has responded to Gary Lineker's criticism of the BBC's decision to base its World Cup coverage from a studio in Salford rather than on location in North America. Lineker, who was sacked from his £1.35million-a-year role as the BBC's highest-paid presenter last year, had mocked the setup as "a green box in Salford" and boasted that his departure freed him to watch the tournament from New York City.
Speaking ahead of this summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Logan defended the BBC's approach, noting that similar arrangements were used for the Women's World Cup and the Women's Euros. She argued that sending a large team abroad for the entire tournament is expensive, especially given ongoing budget constraints related to the licence fee.
"We did the Women's World Cup like this," Logan said. "That's a very expensive cost, to take out a lot of people to major tournaments, so we have to think about that, and the belt is being tightened all the time, as you know, with the licence fee." She added that the BBC's coverage of those tournaments was "exceptional" and award-winning, including a recent Bafta win.
The BBC announced its presenting lineup for the World Cup on Monday, featuring Logan, Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Alex Scott. Pundits include Wayne Rooney, Micah Richards, Alan Shearer, Joe Hart, Paul Robinson, Steph Houghton, Ellen White and Danny Murphy. Scottish representatives Scott Brown, Rachel Corsie and James McFadden will also feature, alongside international names such as Olivier Giroud, Gael Clichy, Cesar Azpilicueta, Benni McCarthy and Lucas Leiva.
Former referee Darren Cann will provide officiating analysis, while ex-Tottenham boss Thomas Frank and ex-Wales captain Ashley Williams will offer tactical insights. The BBC will remain in the UK until the final week of the five-and-a-half-week tournament before sending presenters to the host nations for the latter stages.
