Michael Stewart has been 'taken off BBC programming for at least five days' in the wake of his blistering attack on Rangers PR chief Jim Traynor.

The former Hearts and Hibs midfielder was initially scheduled to be on commentary duty for the Beeb during Hearts' home clash with Kilmarnock yesterday evening before he was dropped.

Now the Scottish Sun claim he has been told to stay away for another five days as the issue rumbles on. Stewart, according to the publication, will not feature on Sportscene this evening as well as any of the weekend's coming coverage - or Monday's Sportsound.

Michael Stewart dropped by BBC after Jim Traynor comments

It is not yet known if Stewart has a future with the BBC following the incident where he criticised Traynor following a story which came out about Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos where he found a man 'tampering' with his supercar.

He argued that Morelos' exclusive with Sky Sports last week was to deflect from the previous story about his motor. That the frontman had received racial abuse "on and off the pitch" in a wrongly translated quote.

The BBC's Kenny McIntyre apologised on the broadcaster's behalf the day after the controversy, saying: "Before we get to tonight's topics we apologise to James Traynor for the discussion on Sportsound last night.

"It was not fair and balanced and he did not have the opportunity to respond. On this occasion we did not adhere to our editorial values and standards and we have reminded those concerned of their responsibility to follow our guidelines while working for the BBC."

Stewart went on to work with BT Sport yesterday evening, covering Motherwell against Celtic at Fir Park.

Glasgow Times Sport has approached BBC Scotland for comment.