Gary Lineker has described the past week - in which he was stood down from presenting Match of the Day before being reinstated days later - as 'interesting' and 'gratifying'.

Lineker will return to present Match of the Day on Saturday after initially being suspended in an impartiality row after anti-Tory tweets equating the language of the Government's crackdown on migrants in small boats to Germany in the 1930s.

The suspension resulted in commentators and pundits pulling out from the famous football highlights program, which ran for just 20 minutes with no discussion in Lineker's absence, in solidarity.

BBC Director General Tim Davie, who is facing calls to resign, apologized to staff, presenters, viewers, and listeners after sporting coverage was decimated last weekend.

Joking about his 'quiet week' live on air ahead of Barcelona's derby match against Real Madrid, Lineker paid tribute to his BBC colleagues and friends for their support before describing the row as 'disproportionate'.

'Quiet, nothing much going on,' Lineker joked when asked how his week has been by Viaplay.

'Yeah, you could say it's been an interesting week but I'm still here, still punching.

'It was interesting and also hugely gratifying. I had an amazing amount of support from my friends and colleagues which was quite beautiful actually.

'It was disproportionate the whole thing but we're OK. It is resolved. I'm back to work tomorrow and all is well with the world.'

Davie insisted there will be a review of the broadcaster's impartiality policy in the aftermath of the row, and that Lineker will abide by the guidance while this takes place.

In a statement, the Director General said: 'Everyone recognizes this has been a difficult period for staff, contributors, presenters and, most importantly, our audiences.

'I apologize for this. The potential confusion caused by the grey areas of the BBC's social media guidance that were introduced in 2020 is recognized. I want to get matters resolved and our sports content back on the air.

'Impartiality is important to the BBC. It is also important to the public. The BBC commits to impartiality in its Charter and a commitment to freedom of expression. That is a difficult balancing act to get right where people are subject to different contracts and on-air positions, and with different audiences and social media profiles.

'The BBC's social media guidance is designed to help manage these sometimes difficult challenges and I am aware there is a need to ensure that the guidance is up to this task. It should be clear, proportionate, and appropriate.'

Lineker's two trusted side-kicks on Match of the Day, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, began a wider boycott, including commentators, which forced management's hand.

Football Focus and Final Score were axed last Saturday, while the BBC's radio output and Match of the Day 2 were also impacted.