TELLY’S Gary Lineker goes from comfy studio punditry to an umpire’s chair on a windy beach to referee a ping pong-style battle in front of a derelict pier.
The former long-standing Match of the Day frontman presided over the Rally High match on the South Coast as production began on his new ITV game show The Box.
Lineker perched on a yellow high chair with matching yellow binoculars around his neck and a walkie-talkie[/caption]
Former Match of the Day host Lineker was the top earner at the BBC on £1.35million a year[/caption]
JLS star JB Gill, 38, and YouTuber Danny Aarons, 23, knocked the ball to each other on a cloudy Friday afternoon while ex-Three Lions star Lineker recorded each hit with a counting device.
Onlookers also saw the footie ace watch on as another contestant on the show abseiled down the 531ft i360 tower in a hair-raising stunt.
Our pictures show Lineker, 64, perched on a yellow high chair with matching yellow binoculars around his neck and a walkie-talkie.
He wore a trendy grey jacket, black trousers and white trainers alongside his trademark glasses.
One local who saw the shoot near the remains of Brighton’s West Pier told The Sun: “Gary was watching over the game and keeping score.
“He was there for a while on the seafront, in front of the pier.
“Whatever game they were playing, he looked pretty engaged with it. Thankfully it stayed dry, and it wasn’t even that cold.”
Lineker switched to ITV after leaving the BBC — where he was the top earner on £1.35million a year — amid accusations of anti-semitism four months ago.
The father of four had planned to leave the Corporation after next year’s World Cup in the US.
But he blew the final whistle on his 26-year MoTD stint after sharing a controversial post about Zionism on Instagram.
His new show will see ten celeb contestants put in giant yellow boxes and ferried to various mystery locations to take part in challenges.
The format is already a big hit in Norway and is described as a cross between I’m A Celebrity and SAS: Who Dares Wins.
ITV bosses were said to be touting it as the successor to Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.
Filming will take place during the autumn and the debut series is expected to air early next year.
Lineker previously said of The Box: “I’ve always felt right at home in the box on a football pitch, and whilst this is a different proposition, the fundamentals are similar.
“The contestants will have to quickly and masterfully work out how each game works, whilst also trying to get ahead of the competition to take control.”
He added: “It’s going to be unpredictable and thrilling to watch, and I’m excited that I get to have a front-row seat to all the action!”
Former Leicester, Everton, Spurs and Barcelona striker Lineker won 80 caps for England before pivoting to telly in 1994.
He hosted 13 episodes of ITV game show Sitting On A Fortune between 2021 and 2023.
