Gary Lineker Joins ITV’s The Box After BBC Exit

• Gary Lineker will host ITV’s The Box as his first post-BBC role.
• The show is a mix of I’m a Celebrity and SAS: Who Dares Wins.
• Filming starts autumn 2025 for a spring 2026 release.
• Lineker left the BBC after a controversial social media post.

Gary Lineker, the iconic former Match of the Day host, has secured his first major TV role since leaving the BBC earlier this year.

The football legend will front ITV’s upcoming reality show The Box, marking a fresh chapter in his broadcasting career after a controversial exit from the BBC.

Gary Lineker Joins ITV’s The Box as Host

The 64-year-old presenter has signed a deal to host The Box, a high-energy game show described as a mix of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and SAS: Who Dares Wins. The Norwegian-originated format features celebrities placed in yellow boxes and dropped into unpredictable challenges.

ITV reportedly sees the show as a potential successor to Saturday Night Takeaway, which ended in 2024. A source told The Sun:

“The Box is massive in Norway, and the rights were quickly sold to Denmark and now the UK. ITV are really excited about it – and believe they have finally found a worthy successor to Saturday Night Takeaway.”

Filming begins this autumn, with an expected spring 2026 premiere in a prime Saturday night slot.

Gary Lineker ‘signs huge deal with ITV to host new show’ after BBC exithttps://t.co/MMkvONC9gh pic.twitter.com/rBMV4Zjd24

— Mirror TV (@MirrorTV) August 5, 2025

Lineker’s Controversial BBC Exit

The move follows Lineker’s abrupt departure from the BBC in May 2025 after sharing a pro-Palestinian Instagram post featuring a rat emoji—a symbol linked to antisemitic tropes 89. He later clarified:

“I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for. I made a mistake and immediately took it down and apologised.”

Despite initially planning to stay for the 2026 World Cup and FA Cup coverage, his exit was accelerated. In a podcast interview, he admitted:

“It was a case of quit or be quitted.”

What’s Next for Lineker?

Beyond The Box, Lineker remains active with his Goalhanger Films production company, which produces popular podcasts like The Rest Is Football. His shift to ITV signals a major career pivot—from sports analysis to prime-time entertainment.

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Last Updated on August 6, 2025 by 247 News Around The World