Gary Lineker, a renowned player-turned-pundit, recently revealed one of the biggest secrets behind his popular Premier League football highlights show, Match of the Day (MOTD), on BBC. As he nears his final days presenting this widely-watched program, Lineker has decided to share some insider information that was previously known only to BBC insiders.
Lineker is well-known for his witty puns at the end of each MOTD episode. From "Wow Pedro" in reference to Joao Pedro's winning goal against Manchester United at the start of this season, to his "Final show... before the international break" quip amidst rumours he was stepping down from MOTD in October - Lineker never misses an opportunity for humour.
However, it turns out that these moments of wit aren't always crafted by him. In a recent episode of 'The Rest Is Football' podcast earlier this season, when asked about his MOTD jokes, Lineker lifted the veil on what happens behind-the-scenes.
Behind-the-scenes of MOTD
Lineker explained that while he does come up with some puns himself, there are others who contribute as well. This revelation might come as a surprise to many viewers across UK who adore these moments and assumed they were solely created by him.
Gary Lineker, BBC pundit, said:
"I'm going to share a little secret here. Our editor Richard Hughes and myself have a disease, a thing that we can't help but make dad jokes. We basically come up with them together – 50 per cent of the time it will be him and 50 per cent of the time it will be me.
"We sit down at the end of all the games, and we figure out the best story to close the show. We then think of some crappy and cheesy and occasionally funny pun. I always think you are going to make it really, really bad or really cheesy, because that in itself is fun."
In another instalment of 'The Rest Is Football' podcast which he co-hosts with Micah Richards and Alan Shearer - two other prominent figures in football commentary - Lineker provided further insights into what a typical day looks like when working on MOTD coverage.
Gary Lineker added:
"I love the three o'clock thing where we sit down. You've got five games at 3pm, and you each give yourself a game or get designated a game to watch through so you can focus on it properly analytically. And I'll sit there and just watch all-round or Leicester when they're playing mostly. And then we've got a big table at the back of the room of goodies right. You know, there's crisps – Walkers, obviously – there's chocolate, there's all sorts of things.
"And every Saturday I go in and I say 'do not get involved with that table this Saturday' because once you start, once you're in, you don't stop. And once again, I failed miserably. So I kept snacking away, snacking away." On the topic of food, he continued: "Then we usually eat don't we, about half-time of the evening game, so around 6ish, 6.30pm something like that.
"And it's basically whichever takeaway... I mean I've been going up there now for 13 years, and I think we've exhausted every possible take-out. But it's usually Nando's, Wagamama's, all sorts of Chinese, Caribbean food – all sorts of stuff we get in don't we?"
Typical day on set
According to Lineker's account, his typical day on the set of BBC Match of the Day is quite structured. He begins by heading over to the studio around 9:30 PM. Once there, he diligently rehearses his lines before delivering them live on air, ensuring that every word and pun hits its mark with viewers.
After a long evening filled with football highlights and witty commentary, Lineker's workday usually draws to a close around midnight after the completion of the show. This routine underscores not only his commitment but also gives us a glimpse into what it takes to produce such an engaging program. This glimpse into Lineker's routine provides a fascinating insight into the effort and preparation that goes into each episode of MOTD.
As Gary Lineker nears his final days on Match of the Day, these revelations provide fans with a deeper understanding and appreciation for what goes on behind-the-scenes. Whether it's crafting witty puns or preparing for live delivery, it's clear that there is more to this beloved show than meets the eye.
