Hugh Bonneville and Jason Watkins reprised their W1A roles to mock the BBC’s decision to remove Gary Lineker from Match Of The Day.
The football commentator took to Twitter to criticise the government’s contentious immigration policy, which tries to prevent illicit boats carrying migrants from reaching the UK.
The 62-year-old compared the Home Office’s intentions to ‘Germany in the 30s’ and later refused to back down from his statements, labelling the accompanying headlines as ‘ridiculously out of proportion’.
While the BBC had previously stated that the former player will be “talked to,” the corporation made the controversial decision to remove Lineker from MOTD on Friday.
Hugh played the BBC’s Head of Values in W1A, which aired for three seasons from 2014 to 2017 and was a mockumentary about the BBC’s administration. Jason played Simon Harwood.
The Downton Abbey star, recasting himself as Ian Fletcher, posted a tweet to Jason in character as Ian Fletcher, outlining his suggested plans for Match Of The Day with Jason’s Simon- proposing Lord Alan Sugar or former Prime Minister Boris Johnson might come in when experts backed out.
‘Right no yes it’s all perfectly under control: Alan Sugar’s going to present (Match of the Day) and if Ian Wright does end up playing truant, (BBC chair) Richard Sharp says Boris Johnson will stand in for £800,000,; Paddington film star Hugh tweeted.
‘So that’s all good.’
Following the withdrawal of former Arsenal footballer and commentator Wright, who was quickly followed by ex-Newcastle striker Alan Shearer, The Crown actor Watkins replied.
‘Yes no brilliant brilliant brilliant Ian,’ he tweeted.
‘I mean you’ll know how you want to deal with this but Timmy sweating a little as, (did you know?) Boris is asking for the 800k PER SHOW. He knows less about football than he does about throwing a party. And Alan supports Spurs!
‘Ah now no yes, it’s a knotty isn’t it? Shearer going behind the bike shed too now. Says HE won’t do (Match of the Day) (Hates being left out!)’
Hugh joked on Twitter afterwards that they might bring in BBC sports reporter Clare Balding.
‘She’s currently on that brainstorming retreat for BBC WINbledon in the Algarve but we could just about get her back in time,’ he tweeted.
He added: ‘I suppose we could ask the FA to cancel all matches. That would help us out of a sticky I mean wouldn’t it?’
Lastly, Hugh proposed Sir David Attenborough, who made news on Friday after the BBC allegedly withheld an episode of his current nature series, Wild Islands, due to political concerns.
‘Just had a missed call from Sir David Attenborough,’ the Bank of Dave actor tweeted.
‘Do you think he’d be up for [Match of the Day]?’
Jason replied: ‘Yes no good thinking Ian.
‘He’s incredibly expensive of course and we’ve blown our budget on Boris. I have told various awards panels that if you keep giving people #LifetimeAchievement awards, fees go up and we have to pay them.
‘If only we could get a loan to pay Sir David.’
Match of the Day is planned to air this weekend with no presenters or analysts, as a show of support with Lineker.
Source My Celebrity Life.