Confirming plans to all but scrap a deal to carry audio from host broadcaster Fox, struck after it decided not to send its own team Down Under during the pandemic, a spokesperson said: “Given these recent events and the controversy with the situation, we have taken the decision that including Michael Vaughan within our Ashes coverage would not be editorially appropriate or fit with BT Sport’s values.

“We are still finalising plans but we are assessing the option of taking a hybrid approach, using Fox commentary where possible with the aim of putting our own commentary team in place if necessary.”

BT’s axing of Vaughan came days after it streamed a boxing press conference in which a series of vulgar insults were made by Tyson Fury’s father, John, about the girlfriend of another fighter.

It apologised for comments that went “against all the values that BT Sport wants to uphold” but made no mention about the future of Fury snr, who has featured frequently as a pundit for the broadcaster.

Vaughan’s positive Covid-19 test spared BT needing to change its plans for next week’s first Test.

It also meant he would be unable to attend the second Test in Adelaide due to quarantine rules in South Australia, forcing him to commentate on the match from Melbourne.

Wednesday’s developments came days after Vaughan apologised to Azeem Rafiq “for the hurt he has gone through” at Yorkshire – albeit denying again he had said, “Too many of you lot, we need to do something about it” to his former team-mate and other Asian players back in 2009.

England’s 2005 Ashes-winning captain also declined to criticise the BBC’s decision to axe him from its team from this winter’s series, adding he hoped to return soon as working on Test Match Special was his “one joy”.

In an interview with BBC Breakfast, Vaughan maintained “I never heard racial language in the dressing room” at Yorkshire but said he hoped to shake Rafiq’s hand and move on.