Gary Lineker will return as presenter of flagship BBC football show Match of the Day, the broadcaster said Monday, ending a crisis sparked by his criticism of the UK government's new asylum policy.

"Gary is a valued part of the BBC and I know how much the BBC means to Gary, and I look forward to him presenting our coverage this coming weekend," said BBC director-general Tim Davie.

Lineker, a former England football team striker, was told by the BBC last week to "step back" from presenting his football show after he sparked an impartiality row by criticising in a tweet the British government's new asylum policy.

The broadcaster's action sparked a backlash, with several other popular sports presenters deciding to 'step back'.

The 62-year-old, who fronts the flagship Match of the Day programme, in his tweet compared the language used to launch the new migration policy to the rhetoric of Nazi-era Germany on Twitter.

The BBC said it considered Lineker's "recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines", adding he should avoid taking sides on political issues.

The row was sparked by Lineker's response to a video in which Home Secretary Suella Braverman unveiled plans to stop migrants crossing the Channel on small boats.