BBC director general Tim Davie has apologised to licence fee payers after a day of disruption for sports programming.
Football shows were pulled at the last minute when presenters and commentators walked out in support of Gary Lineker.
The Match of the Day host was suspended on Friday after he criticised the government’s controversial asylum policy.
Mr Davie denied he was pressured into the move by the government.
Match of the Day went ahead on BBC One Saturday night – but was reduced to a 20 minute edition that did not have any commentary and was without pundits Alan Shearer and Ian Wright, or any replacements.
Mr Davie admitted it had been a “difficult day” for the corporation but said “we are working very hard to resolve the situation”.
Interviewed by BBC News, Mr Davie said “success for me is getting Gary back on air”, adding he was prepared to review impartiality rules for freelance staff like Lineker.
The director general said he would “absolutely not” be resigning but admitted “this has been a tough time for the BBC”.
He said there had been no “pandering” to any political party amid accusations from opposition parties that BBC executives had bowed to pressure from Downing Street and ministers over the anti-government tweet.
Mr Davie said Lineker had been asked to “step back” after getting “involved in party political matters”.
Commenting on the Illegal Migration Bill on Tuesday, Lineker called it an “immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s”.
His suspension on Friday triggered a wider debate about BBC impartiality, the government’s asylum policy and the position of the broadcaster’s chairman Richard Sharp.
It also led to an unprecedented day of turmoil for the BBC’s sport operation, with staff including some of the most recognisable faces and voices associated with its football coverage downing tools. (BBC)