Welby and Lineker Resignations Lead News; Hospital Chiefs Receive Waiting Times Alert

The departures of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker are generating the majority of news coverage. The Daily Mail reported that Welby’s resignation has left the Church of England “in turmoil.” The Times observed that while “Archbishops of Canterbury have been murdered and executed since the first in 597,” Welby’s resignation “on a matter of negligence is historic and without exact precedent.” Editorial opinions widely concur that Mr. Welby’s resignation was necessary. The Daily Express proclaimed, “Finally,” while the Daily Mirror stated he had “no choice” but to step down. The Sun characterized his role as “holy untenable.” The Daily Telegraph’s leading article cited a cleric who remarked “he could not think of an Archbishop who had caused such damage to the Church since the Reformation,” labeling this observation a “damning epitaph” for Mr. Welby. The Guardian posed the question, “Who’s in the frame to take the C of E’s top job?” The publication presented seven potential candidates, among them Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell and Bishop of Chelmsford Guli Francis-Dehqani. The i proposed that a successor might also be selected from the Episcopal Church, the Church of Ireland, or the Church in Wales. The Daily Mail’s editorial asserted that the incoming archbishop “must focus on the spiritual and pastoral needs of their flock” and “not bleat constantly about the sins of the fathers.” The i newspaper indicated that Lineker’s exit from Match of the Day was partly attributed to “internal frustration” regarding his podcasting venture diverting audiences from the BBC. As part of his new agreement, the BBC will feature an episode of his podcast, The Rest is Football, on BBC Sounds. The Daily Telegraph noted that although BBC listeners will access the podcast without advertisements, they will experience a delay of “48 hours after it has been made available elsewhere.” Significant conjecture also surrounds Lineker’s replacement. The Daily Mail reported that the director of BBC Sport is “already discussing” Lineker’s role with Alex Scott, the host of Football Focus. The Sun’s leading article stated that BBC executives desire Mark Chapman and Kelly Somers to “take turns in the hot seat,” but Chapman is reportedly disinclined. An unnamed source characterized the dispute as a “headache” for the BBC. The Daily Express, under the headline “how the mitre has fallen,” reminded its readership that Mr. Welby had been “outspoken” on subjects such as child poverty, the proposal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, and assisted dying. The Daily Telegraph referenced Lineker’s activism, noting it encompassed “a monologue at the Qatar World Cup to criticise the country’s human rights record.” The newspaper’s Matt cartoon depicted a scene at a job centre, with the caption asking: “Match of the Day presenter? Have you got anything less preachy, like Archbishop of Canterbury?”