A BBC sports reporter has claimed he was unfairly dismissed by the corporation after blowing the whistle over an alleged flouting of Covid rules.
Ian Stringer appeared on hit BBC show The Apprentice before he was hired by BBC Leicester in 2008 to cover Leicester City matches.
An employment tribunal was told Mr Stringer was suspended in 2021 and sacked the following year for what the BBC says was misconduct.
The tribunal heard he had promoted a vehicle fleet management company on Twitter after being given free use of a BMW and an Audi.
An employment judge heard Mr Stringer had, during the BBC disciplinary process, compared his actions with those of colleagues at the corporation such as Gary Lineker, Andrew Flintoff and Victoria Derbyshire, who, he said, had relationships with commercial entities outside the BBC.
In evidence, Mr Stringer accused the BBC of having a 'changeable' policy on social media use and claimed some senior managers had used swear words in their social media posts
Ian Stringer appeared on hit BBC show The Apprentice before he was hired by BBC Leicester in 2008
Mr Stringer told the court how, in July 2021, the then station editor Kamlesh Purohit had 'instructed' one of the team to come into work despite them being 'pinged' by the Covid app - something the tribunal was told was 'a breach of Covid rules'.
Mr Stringer said: 'I felt bullied because I made a protected disclosure.'
He described his relationship with the station editor as 'difficult and challenging', adding: 'Post disclosure, it got considerably worse and toxic - it was bullying.'
He said an investigation into his social media use began at a similar time as he made the disclosure to Mr Purohit.
He said there was 'every chance' the two were related. 'It is odd timing', he said.
'My social media had not been a problem for so many years and then (the issue of his social media use) just happens a few days after my disclosure.'
The Leicester tribunal had previously heard how Mr Stringer received 'high-end cars at zero cost' via a company called Total Motion, which Mr Stringer 'promoted' to his Twitter following, which stood at between 50,000 and 60,000 followers at the time.
In 2021, Mr Stringer contacted Garmin about a charitable run he was planning, and mentioned his social media following. He was sent two watches free of charge, the tribunal heard.
Mr Stringer was said to have had similar contact with a number of other companies, including the running shoe firm Brooks, and that none of these relationships were declared to the BBC.
An employment judge heard Mr Stringer had compared his actions with those of colleagues at the corporation such as Gary Lineker and Victoria Derbyshire, who, he said, had relationships with commercial entities outside the BBC
But Mr Stringer pointed out that Radio Leicester's rugby reporter took on paid work to host events for the Leicester Tigers.
'They are the standards that I followed - it could be Gary Lineker and Walkers Crisps or a reporter doing something for Leicester Tigers and getting money in the back of the pocket,' Mr Stringer said.
Jesse Crozier, for the BBC, said the investigation into Mr Stringer's social media use and his protected disclosure were dealt with separately and looked into by people outside of BBC Leicester.
He said the initial concerns about Mr Stringer were not raised by Mr Purohit but by the then news editor.
Mr Crozier said Mr Lineker was, unlike Mr Stringer at the time, not a BBC employee. He also referred to a letter relating to Ms Derbyshire's appearance on ITV's I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, in which she had been given 'very clear instruction' on her obligations and responsibilities to the BBC.
Earlier in proceedings, Mr Crozier listed a number of social media posts in which Mr Stringer had 'promoted' the car company.
An employment tribunal was told Mr Stringer was suspended in 2021 and sacked the following year for what the BBC says was misconduct
'The appearance that we see from the Twitter and the cars is you're receiving high-end cars at zero cost and in response you're providing promotion to your substantial Twitter following,' said Mr Crozier.
Mr Stringer, who now works as an event host and commentates on football for national radio station talkSPORT, claimed he was 'identifying' rather than promoting the firm.
He said he received free use of the cars from a late friend who was a director of the firm.
'There was no agreement and there was no quid pro quo,' Mr Stringer told the tribunal.
Of the interaction with Garmin, Mr Crozier suggested he was 'seeking to get free kit' from the company. 'The quid pro quo was if you promote us we will give you free stuff, correct?'
Mr Stringer agreed he had sought charitable donations for the endeavour adding: 'I accept it is an email asking for help.'
In evidence, Mr Stringer accused the BBC of having a 'changeable' policy on social media use and claimed some senior managers had used swear words in their social media posts.
The hearing continues.
