Gary Lineker faces a dilemma: toe the BBC line or be a social media influencer

Corporation is risking its reputation by making an example of its highest-paid star over his tweets on asylum policy

The BBC's decision to take Gary Lineker off air leaves its most outspoken personality with a potentially career-defining decision, as the corporation looks to risk its reputation to make a public example of one of its biggest stars.

Lineker's politically loaded tweets about the government's new asylum policy - followed by a pledge to stand by his comments - had left the BBC in an almost impossible position, balancing impartiality with freedom of expression by its staff.