There was a notable lack of meals for the hard-working BBC sport manufacturing workers of their shiny new studio at their Salford HQ throughout the World Cup this summer season.
Sustenance would have been anticipated with out query for each on-screen workers and people grafting behind the scenes, throughout the unsociable hours they have been required to work because the event was broadcast from the opposite facet of the Atlantic.
The choice to not feed behind-the-scenes workers, made by the BBC’s director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, infuriated these left hungry. Their anger was compounded, say sources on the broadcaster, by the truth that Kay-Jelski may very well be seen unashamedly tucking into his personal meals, delivered to his desk by Deliveroo (and paid for by him, the company insists).
Issue into this that Kay-Jelski, 41, earns between £275,000 and £279,999 – a big rise on the £245,000 for which his position was marketed two years in the past – and it’s maybe comprehensible why he has grow to be ‘extraordinarily despised’ by many on the company.
‘There are lots of engaged on BBC sport who merely don’t like how Alex is behaving,’ says only one disgruntled insider. ‘It was just about not possible to get meals at 1am in Salford throughout the World Cup.
‘There are ideas that he has had some enormous pay rises since he has been within the job and it has actually irked lots of people.’
The ill-feeling in direction of Kay-Jelski, who joined the company in June 2024, changing the long-serving Barbara Slater, is now threatening to derail BBC Sport’s crown jewel, Match of the Day, again tonight for the beginning of the soccer season.
Sources inform me a ‘civil warfare’ has damaged out on the programme as each its presenting and punditry groups and people working behind the cameras have been left ‘on the finish of their tether’ over what they think about to be their boss’s ambition to take the BBC’s sports activities protection in a distinct path.
Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates have been introduced as presenters of the present in January
Alan Shearer has reportedly had a fall-out with the BBC’s director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, which has led to his appearances on the present being reduce
‘The view inside Match of the Day is that Alex’s ego has grown uncontrolled,’ says my insider. ‘His choices and angle have left lots of people very offended and upset. He has by no means labored in tv earlier than and had turned up right here desirous to make modifications whereas incomes an absolute fortune.
‘Some are satisfied he desires to alter BBC sport from a standard, terrestrial mannequin into one thing extra YouTube-like. It has triggered an inside mutiny.’
When approached by the Each day Mail, a BBC spokesman stated: ‘We don’t consider this to be true.’
Murmurs of unrest at Match of the Day appeared earlier this week and have been shortly shut down by Kay-Jelski and the BBC’s PR crew.
Regardless of their protestations, his workers have been coming ahead of their droves to transient in opposition to Kay-Jelski of their bid to ‘save’ the BBC’s sports activities protection.
In the meantime, I can reveal that he and his longest serving pundit, Alan Shearer, have had an enormous fall-out which has culminated within the former England striker chopping again on his Match of the Day appearances to only one a month – and even much less.
Their row started on the finish of April when Shearer was enraged Kay-Jelski didn’t inform him Match of the Day was nominated for the Sports activities Journalism Awards.
Shearer demanded to know why he wasn’t advised the present he had labored on for 20 years had been shortlisted (he solely discovered after the ceremony that it had received programme of the yr), nor was he invited.
He was additional irritated that not considered one of Kay-Jelski’s administration crew referred to as or texted to congratulate him.
Kay-Jelski, I’m advised, hit again at Shearer, insisting only a few folks attended on account of value chopping.
Shearer was additionally spitting feathers that in their row, Kay-Jelski accused him of ‘whining’.
‘Alan was staggered that Alex behaved like this,’ says my Match of the Day insider. ‘It wasn’t nearly him, however others too who he feels ought to have been concerned in such an achievement.
‘The whining comment actually bought to Alan, he didn’t prefer it in any respect. He took the view, and nonetheless does, that he and different members of the crew ought to have been advised concerning the present’s success. Alan understands cost-cutting, however a WhatsApp would have value nothing to ship.
‘Whereas Alan and Alex agreed to maneuver on from the row, Alan is not any fan of Alex’s. Now he doesn’t actually wish to be on the present as a lot as he did beforehand.’
Alan, say sources, isn’t alone. Fellow pundit Micah Richards has additionally requested to cut back his appearances to ‘the naked minimal’. One thought was that he did solely FA Cup video games, however it’s not but recognized if that has been agreed to.
Whereas the BBC confirmed Shearer and Richards can be chopping again their hours, a spokesman stated it had nothing to do with any points between them and Kay-Jelski.
They might not remark, nonetheless, on any fall-out with Shearer.
Micah Richards has requested to cut back his appearances to the ‘naked minimal’
Mark Chapman is reportedly not a fan of Kay-Jelski both
Relating to the Kay-Jelski state of affairs, Gabby Logan ‘retains her head down and tries to maintain the peace’
Mark ‘Chappers’ Chapman can also be reportedly not a fan of Kay-Jelski both, whereas the ever-professional Gabby Logan ‘retains her head down and tries to maintain the peace’.
The third host, Kelly Cates, is alleged to be a lot admired by Kay-Jelski and due to this fact there isn’t any animosity on her half.
There are additionally fears that a few senior manufacturing workers are so sad they may stroll away.
‘We’re speaking about extremely skilled workers who’ve devoted their lives to Match of the Day,’ says the supply.
‘There may be one adored worker who’s on the cusp of quitting over all of this and if that occurs it might be completely devastating.’
It was Kay-Jelski who put collectively the new-look Match of the Day final yr after Gary Lineker left following controversy over an anti-Semitic social media submit.
He was actually a wild-card selection to interchange tv veteran Barbara Slater.
Educated on the fee-paying College School College in Hampstead, north London, he started his journalism profession on the Each day Mail as a trainee sub-editor. He later moved to The Instances the place he created a stir along with his vocal professional stance on trans athletes in ladies’s sport.
Six years later he arrived on the BBC the place he has received a repute amongst his colleagues as ‘woke’.
He was additionally behind the deeply unpopular resolution to cull Soccer Focus, the legendary Saturday lunchtime present which has been operating for 48 years.
Kay-Jelski’s extra junior colleagues are additionally considerably bewildered that, in contrast to so many behind-the-scenes workers who should work full-time in Salford – and due to this fact dwell there – he commutes from London and is alleged to be there for round three days per week.
His recognition waned additional earlier this yr when he took the controversial resolution to cowl the preliminary rounds of the World Cup, held within the US, Canada and Mexico, from Salford.
This meant Gabby, Mark and Kelly have been presenting in opposition to faux backdrops of the cities the place matches have been being performed. Their rivals at ITV employed a surprising studio with views of Manhattan and Brooklyn bridge within the background. Lineker, in the meantime, additionally had a lavish loft condo in Manhattan to host his podcast The Relaxation is Soccer, which was screened on Netflix.
Speaking of Lineker, sources inform me he’s being ‘very supportive’ of his former colleagues at Match of the Day, ‘meddling’ that may certainly enrage Kay-Jelski, who oversaw his departure from the present. ‘Say what you want about Gary and his politics, however he does care about his outdated colleagues,’ says the insider. ‘Gary isn’t Alex’s largest fan, as you possibly can think about.’
Neither are these concerned within the ladies’s soccer world.
The Girls’s Soccer present, which airs highlights of matches within the Girls’s Tremendous League, was culled after 13 years, leaving many contained in the company livid.
As an alternative there are rumours {that a} new challenge might be created for iPlayer made by the previous manufacturing firm of Alex Scott, former Lioness and host of the now defunct Soccer Focus.
‘Alex [Kay-Jelski] appears to wish to take all of it in a path of social media and YouTube,’ says my supply. ‘It’s as if he has a imaginative and prescient away from tv. And it’s terrifying for the older viewers.’
In response up to now, a BBC spokesman stated: ‘The technique isn’t broadcast versus digital – it’s each. We’re defending the standard and distinctiveness of our flagship programmes, with Match of the Day on the coronary heart of that, whereas additionally ensuring they attain audiences wherever and nonetheless they select to eat sport.’
One other supply tells me there’s a lot chatter {that a} resolution to solid the UK’s most watched sports activities YouTuber John Nellis on the forthcoming sequence of Strictly may very well be a part of a long-term plan to lure him into the BBC sport household – alongside along with his 20 million followers.
Then there was the matter of a authorized grievance from Oasis after Kay-Jelski ordered a star model of their hit Wonderwall, that includes the likes of Claudia Winkleman, which was performed throughout the World Cup.
Nevertheless, the rights weren’t secured, resulting in the band’s legal professionals demanding it was eliminated. ‘Alex dug his heels in and didn’t wish to take it down,’ a supply says. ‘It triggered numerous points earlier than lastly it was eliminated.’
As an alternative of the standard pleasure this weekend on the return of Match of the Day, there’s, I’m advised, dread amongst workers.
‘The start of the soccer season was at all times one thing so particular,’ says a present supply. ‘This yr all of it feels very depressing.’
And as for any meals for behind-the-scenes workers… effectively, once more, there received’t be any.
