BBC hit by further chaos as 5 Live schedule ahead of Man Utd and Arsenal clashes is changed at last-minute

THE BBC have been hit with further chaos as Radio 5 Live’s Premier League schedule has been changed at the last-minute.

Pre-recorded episodes of the Spygate – Sport’s Strangest Crimes podcast – aired instead of the regular 12-2pm slot for Premier League games.

Not known, clear with picture deskBBC have been hit with further chaos as Radio 5 Live’s Prem schedule changed[/caption]

It comes amid Match of The Day presenter Gary Lineker’s row with the BBC, which led to his co-hosts striking in solidarity.

As of now, Radio 5 Live’s schedule is due to resume at 2pm for commentary of Fulham’s game with Arsenal but no 606 phone-in show will air.

Manchester United’s match with Southampton is also set to be broadcast this afternoon.

BBC staff refused to work on yesterday’s games, deciding to back Lineker following his criticism of the government’s new Illegal Migration Bill, which saw him taken off air.

Saturday’s TV and radio timetables were changed at the last minute – resulting in Football Focus and Final Score being scrapped from the BBC One schedule.

MOTD, which Lineker has hosted for almost 25 years, was cut to just 20 minutes, with no commentary, analysis or interviews.

It also went out without its famous theme tune – instead broadcasting only short highlight clips of the day’s matches.

It did, however, see its viewing figures soar by 500,000 to 2.6million – the highest number since November last year.

The Beeb do not have the rights required to use world feed commentary, an issue that saw last night’s 20 minute broadcast go without.

But their own commentators will return for tonight’s programme, which will air highlights of Manchester United vs Southampton, West Ham vs Aston Villa and Fulham vs Arsenal without a studio host.

There will also be no pre-game chat before this afternoon’s Women’s Super League clash between Chelsea and Manchester United, it is understood.

MOT2 is expected to take a similar “reduced” format at 10:30pm today, albeit with commentary this time, after host Mark Chapman decided not to present for BBC Radio 5 Live Sport yesterday and pundit Jermain Defoe announced he would not appear on the Sunday highlights programme.

PAMark Chapman ruled himself out of MOTD 2[/caption]