Are you listening, Gary Lineker? Corporation warns all staff 'regardless of seniority, profile or role' they could lose jobs if they break new editorial guidelines with biased Tweets after damning report into Bashir scandal

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The BBC has warned its stars - both staff and freelance - they could be sacked for 'impartial' Tweets as it vowed to make its content fair, accurate and unbiased.

It comes in response to the publication of the Serota Review into governance and culture at the broadcaster, which was published on Friday and made a number of recommendations on improving editorial standards.

The review comes in the wake of comments and social media posts from a number of its stars including Gary Lineker, Emily Maitlis, Huw Edwards and Laura Kuennsberg.

Lineker is a 'repeat offender' who has been spoken to about his Tweets before.

In December 2018 he wrote as the Conservatives held a no-confidence vote in Theresa May: 'Extraordinary to watch us take our country back and rip it to shreds in the process.'

He also retweeted a post about David Cameron's calls for the party to back the prime minister - with an added crying emoji.

Many other famous faces working for the broadcaster have also been accused of showing bias, impartiality or political bias. 

The report, which was led by Arts Council England chair Sir Nicholas Serota, states the organisation 'needs to do more to embed editorial values into the fabric of the organisation'.

It added that 'a number of those we interviewed felt that individuals, including high profile and senior staff, have not always been held to account for breaching editorial standards'.

The report revealed: 'It is already a requirement, and a contractual commitment, of working for the BBC to adhere to the BBC's editorial values and Editorial Guidelines, across all BBC output.

'This will be reemphasised to all staff, making it clear that deliberate or negligent breaches of a serious nature, or attempts to conceal them, will result in disciplinary action or dismissal, regardless of seniority, profile or role.

'It is important that the BBC ensures that strongly held beliefs, including those held by BBC staff, do not conflict with its duties of impartiality and accuracy. '

Gary Lineker has previous posted Tweets many have interpreted as political including one when the Tories called for no-confidence vote in Theresa May and he wrote: 'Extraordinary to watch us take our country back and rip it to shreds in the process.'

Emily Maitlis was slapped down by the BBC after sharing a tweet by Piers Morgan which criticised the Government's response to the pandemic

Huw Edwards has deleted a tweet complaining about the BBC being 'lectured' over lies surrounding Martin Bashir's Diana interview

Laura Kuennsberg said that the 'world is on acid' after the events of the Brexit referendum

It is not just Lineker who has faced criticism over his social media use. 

In June this year Emily Maitlis was slapped down by the BBC after sharing a tweet by Piers Morgan which criticised the Government's response to the pandemic.

She was told that she breached impartiality rules after retweeting the post.

In May Huw Edwards has deleted a tweet complaining about the BBC being 'lectured' over lies surrounding Martin Bashir's Diana interview.

Newsreader Edwards said it was 'vexing' that 'certain parts of the media' have held the BBC to account over Lord Dyson's damning report into how the bombshell 1995 interview was obtained.

Following the Brexit referendum in 2016, the BBC's political editor, Laura Kuennsberg exclaimed in an interview with Press Gazette, that the 'world is on acid'. 

Sir Nicholas said in a statement: 'There is no doubt the BBC is a very different place to that of 25 years ago and, thankfully, progress has been made.

'Nevertheless, there is an opportunity for the BBC leadership team to go further and ensure that accuracy, impartiality, fairness and integrity are embedded more deeply across the organisation.

'The BBC can and should be properly held to account against these core values and standards.

'This can only be achieved through improved transparency and openness, both internally and externally.

'We have every confidence the BBC leadership understands this and also the very real need to deliver these improvements on behalf of audiences.'

The report was commission after the scandal over the Martin Bashir Princess Diana interview

The review was led by Arts Council England chair Sir Nicholas Serota and gave some advice

The Serota Review commissioned by the BBC board following Lord Dyson's scathing report into the circumstances surrounding Martin Bashir's 1995 Panorama interview

The review was commissioned by the BBC board following Lord Dyson's scathing report into the circumstances surrounding Martin Bashir's 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Serota Review made 10 recommendations for the BBC which include extending impartiality training throughout the organisation.

It also recommends the BBC's board monitors impartiality through metrics including editorial complaints.

The broadcaster said in a statement it has accepted the review's findings in full as it announced 'sweeping changes to further raise standards across the organisation and challenge claims of bias'.

Accepting the recommendations 'represents the BBC's biggest and most significant push to ensure its programmes and content are fair, accurate and unbiased and truly reflect the broad public which it serves'.

BBC chairman Richard Sharp said: 'We need a BBC that is beyond reproach when it comes to impartiality, standards, processes and transparency.

'The Serota Review makes clear recommendations to the board across all these areas, which will be acted upon.

'We accept the report in full.'

BBC director-general Tim Davie added: 'The BBC's editorial values of impartiality, accuracy and trust are the foundation of our relationship with audiences in the UK and around the world.

'Our audiences deserve and expect programmes and content which earn their trust every day and we must meet the highest standards and hold ourselves accountable in everything we do.

'The changes we have announced not only ensure we learn the lessons from the past but also protect these essential values for the future.'

Earlier this month the new Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries criticised the 'elitist' approach of the BBC and said the broadcaster has a 'lack of impartiality'.

She questioned whether the broadcaster would continue to exist in 10 years' time in the face of competition from new players such as Netflix.