Gary Lineker to Miss Champions League Matches Due to Filming of New ITV Show.

Gary Lineker to Miss Champions League Matches Due to New Show

According to The Sun: Gary Lineker will be unable to attend Champions League matches this week as filming for his new show for ITV begins.

According to The Sun, in August Lineker signed a contract to host the game show "The Box," which combines elements of "I'm a Celebrity" and "SAS: Who Dares Wins?"

Getty

This contract came just three months after Lineker was forced to leave the BBC amid allegations of anti-Semitism.

In the new show, 12 celebrities will be placed in boxes and given daring tasks. This concept has already gained popularity in Norway.

It is also known that some stars have declined to participate due to concerns about the difficulty of the tasks.

Filming is set to begin this week as Lineker recently received the award for "Best Presenter" at the NTA Awards. Production will last three weeks starting from Wednesday.

"The Box" is expected to air on ITV sometime next year.

This means that Lineker will not be able to enjoy the matches this week, including Newcastle's encounter with Barcelona, Bayern's match against Chelsea, and Liverpool's game with Atlético Madrid.

BEST FREE BETTING AND EXCLUSIVE BETTING OFFERS

Lineker shared the news after his friend and former England player Alan Shearer announced he would be absent from the Newcastle vs Barcelona match due to a fan event in the USA.

This prompted Lineker to clarify that he too would miss the European weekend matches, as filming for "The Box" starts on Wednesday.

id='6377006705112' data-video-id='6377006705112' data-account='5067014667001' data-player='default' data-usage='cms:WordPress:6.5.6:2.8.6:javascript' data-embed='default' class='video-js' data-application-id='' controls style='width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;'>

Lineker shared in The Rest is Football podcast:

“I can’t go as I’m starting filming for the new show “The Box” on Wednesday.

“Three weeks of filming, I can’t say too much, I don’t know what I can and can’t talk about.

“I think it (is coming out) in the spring, early next year, but we’ll be filming for the next three weeks.

“I’m really looking forward to it, should be fun. There will be a lot of great guests that I can’t talk about just yet.

“Oh god, can you imagine what would happen if I told everything? I would find myself in an awkward position before it even started.”

It is important to note that by opting out of the matches, Lineker is demonstrating an active transition into new professional responsibilities. The move to ITV shows how the television industry is constantly evolving, and stars must adapt to new formats and challenges. Those interested in how celebrities handle challenging tasks can follow the filming of "The Box," as well as Lineker’s career development in his new role.