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Postive will return talks raise hopes Lineker to TV for weekend sport | Calls for Tory Beeb bosses to go amid doubts over their impartiality

- NICOLA METHVEN

THE BBC's own impartiality was last night in the spotlight over its axing of Gary Lineker, as hopes grew the Match of the Day host will return to the show this weekend.

Director general Tim Davie and chairman Richard Sharp faced mounting pressure after being accused of bowing to Tory demands to ditch the former footballer for criticising the UK government's cruel immigration policies.

The row left BBC football coverage with no commentary or pundits over the weekend, as people pointed out the double standards of a broadcaster that has a Tory donor as its boss and lets other stars voice opinions online.

But Lineker could be poised for a return to MoTD on Saturday after a source said crisis talks had been "progressing very positively, in a way that gives hope of reaching a resolution soon. The corporation said things were "moving in the right direction". But it added that "not all issues are fully resolved' at this stage".

Any compromise is bound to infuriate Tories and right-wing media desperate for Lineker, 62, to be punished for his anti-government views.

It is also understood there will be a review of social media guidelines and of the handling of last week's events that led to a walk-out of pundits and commentators, including MoTD's Alan Shearer and Ian Wright.