Leicester City's improbable victory in the 2015-16 Premier League was something no one, not even Gary Lineker, foresaw. Lineker, who began his playing career with the Foxes in 1978 and remains a devoted supporter, made a bold bet in December 2015. He pledged to present an episode of Match of the Day in his underwear if Claudio Ranieri's team managed to secure one of the most astonishing title wins in history. Five months after his Twitter promise (now X), Leicester's triumph came in May 2016. Lineker kept his word, appearing on the show's opening highlights in August wearing a pair of generously cut, Leicester City-branded boxer shorts, with Alan Shearer and Ian Wright watching from the pundits' seats. The ex-Tottenham and Barcelona striker stayed in his shorts for about 30 minutes, demonstrating his willingness to entertain MotD viewers at his own expense.
Live TV can be a nerve-wracking endeavor, but Lineker showed his resilience in January 2023 when a prank caught the BBC production team off guard before an FA Cup tie. During the live broadcast of Wolves v Liverpool at Molineux, just as Lineker was about to link up with co-commentator Shearer for a pre-match chat, he was interrupted by loud, persistent moaning. 'I don't know who's making that noise,' Lineker said, finding humor in the situation and continuing with the third-round replay broadcast with unflappable composure. 'Somebody's sending something on someone's phone, I think,' he speculated, possibly as a crew member located the device taped to the back of the set. 'As sabotage goes, it was quite amusing,' Lineker later posted on X, having navigated a tricky moment that would have flustered many other presenters.
Lineker's active presence on Twitter/X has occasionally sparked controversy, most notably in 2023 when he was taken off air for criticizing Rishi Sunak's Conservative government over their asylum seeker policy. The former England forward, who proudly represented his country and scored 48 goals in 80 matches, compared the language used by Conservative ministers to 'that used by Germany in the 30s'. The uproar from right-wing media was predictably overblown, leading the BBC to suspend Lineker while they negotiated his future social media use. This decision prompted Lineker's colleagues, including Wright and Shearer, to boycott Match of the Day in solidarity. Pundits like Micah Richards and Jermaine Jenas followed suit. The BBC's request for Lineker to step back resulted in Match of the Day airing without presenters or pundits. Some might argue that was an improvement, but we won't comment on that.
Replacing the legendary Des Lynam, known for his calm demeanor and effortless charm, could have been seen as a daunting task. However, Lineker proved his growing confidence as a broadcaster when he took over the presenter's chair in 1999. He approached the role with dedication, hiring a voice coach 'to get some enthusiasm and light and shade into my voice'. While there was room for Lineker's style to evolve, his willingness to use humor and attempt unconventional methods for audience enjoyment was evident from the start. 'Gary was kind of shy in 1996,' Lynam told the Guardian in 2021. 'Very reserved, and didn't really have a lot to say. But now, he's first class. Gary is a completely different character to me, but I think he's terrific at what he does.' The key to following Lynam was not to imitate him but for Lineker to make the role his own. With 25 years of polished service under his belt, no one can deny his success.
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