Gary Lineker is due to appear on a new ITV show where no topic will be off-limits (Image: GETTY)
has been snapped up by and it has been teased that he could use his new platform to spill the beans on his exit. The former England striker will step down from hosting when the Premier League campaign draws to a close. He will be replaced by Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan, who will share the role of lead presenter between them.
Lineker will remain with the until after the World Cup in 2026, at which point he will leave the company altogether, but the 64-year-old has already bagged himself a temporary role with ITV. He has been confirmed as the first star on their new show, The Assembly, which will see him field questions from people who are neurodivergent, autistic and/or learning disabled.
Lineker will step down from Match of the Day hosting duties later this year (Image: GETTY)
Lineker will feature on the show alongside other high-profile figures including David Tennant, Danny Dyer and Little Mix star Jade Thirwall. The celebrities appearing on the programme will be forced to cast aside their media training with no topic considered out of bounds, meaning he could face a grilling over his exit.
An ITV statement read: “After a long and illustrious career as both a Golden Boot-winning footballer and top sports broadcaster, and with his tenure as the longest-serving presenter of Match of the Day drawing to a close this summer.
“There’s no end to the stories that Lineker might share. Carefully considered PR fluff won’t cut it on this show, and the celebrities can expect plenty of mischief and surprises once they get in the hotseat.”
Katie Rawcliffe, director of entertainment and daytime at ITV, added: “We’re delighted that such an esteemed group of famous faces have agreed to be part of this fresh and distinct format coming to ITV1 and ITVX soon.
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“Gary, David, Jade and Danny’s interviews with The Assembly all promise to be captivating, unmissable television with real warmth and we cannot wait to share it with our viewers.”
Lineker has received other requests from media organisations since it was confirmed that he will be leaving the . He recently explained that he had been offered a place on Celebrity Big Brother, which he turned down.
During an episode of , Lineker said: “Last week I got requests to go on Celebrity Big Brother. My agent sent it through, and then jokingly he replied: ‘Oh, yes. Gary’s fee will be £50million!’
“He did it completely as a joke, obviously. And they came back and said: ‘Oh, that’s a little bit [expensive]… that’s not within our budget’.”