Gary Lineker will make an immediate return to Saturday night television after signing a new deal with ITV. Just three months after his premature exit from the BBC, the 64-year-old is set to host a game show called The Box.

The programme will see 12 celebrities put in boxes and given risky challenges. Lineker’s involvement has reportedly infuriated BBC bosses, following the anti-semitism row which marred his final weeks with the company. He had been due to step down from his role as Match of the Day presenter at the end of the 2024/25 season, but was due to continue with the Beeb until the 2026 World Cup.

According to The Sun, ITV have been targeting Lineker for some considerable time. Prior to becoming a free agent, the ex-England striker had been the BBC’s highest earner for the past eight years, and was earning £1.35million a year before his explosive exit.

A source was quoted as saying: “ITV are really excited about it and believe they have finally found a worthy successor to Saturday Night Takeaway. They have long been sniffing around Gary and just needed to find the right format for him.”

“They’re confident they’ve found that now, and the BBC’s loss is their gain. The Box is massive in Norway, and the rights were quickly sold to Denmark and now the UK.”

ITV bosses are still said to be finalising the show’s scheduling, but they want filming to take place in the autumn. The series is then reportedly due to air in early spring 2026, with the programme primed for a Saturday night slot.

Lineker presented Match of the Day from 1999 until 2025, the longest tenure of any of the show’s presenters. He also regularly fronted BBC coverage of major international tournaments, and also worked with BT Sport before it was taken over by TNT.

After being accused of sharing an anti-semitic post on Instagram, he initially announced that he was stepping down from the channel. However, he’s since claimed bosses “wanted me to leave” and that the decision was not mutual.