GARY LINEKER will be forced to miss this week’s Champions League matches as he begins filming his new show for ITV.
The Sun exclusively revealed in August Lineker had penned a deal to present a gameshow called ‘The Box’, dubbed as a cross between ‘I’m a Celeb’ and ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’.”
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The former Match of the Day star’s contract came just three months after he was forced to step back from the BBC amid accusations of anti-Semitism.
Lineker’s new show will see 12 celebs get placed in boxes before receiving daring challenges, with the concept already a huge hit in Norway.
The Sun also exclusively revealed that several celebs had turned down offers to appear on the show over fears it is too HARD.
However, filming is now set to begin this week after Lineker scooped the Best TV Presenter gong at the NTA Awards.
Production is expected to start on Wednesday and will run for three full weeks.
‘The Box’ will then be broadcast on ITV nearly next year.
But it comes at a price, with Lineker revealing he is unable to watch any of this week’s European clashes in person.
There are plenty of tasty treats across the continent, including Newcastle vs Barcelona, Bayern Munich vs Chelsea and Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid.
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Lineker spilled the beans after pal and fellow ex-England star Alan Shearer revealed that he will not be present for Newcastle’s Champions League clash against Barcelona on Thursday due to a fan event in the US.
This led Lineker to explain that he too won’t be making it to any European nights this week as filming for ‘The Box’ gets underway on Wednesday.
Lineker told The Rest is Football podcast: “I can’t go because I’m starting filming for my new show, ‘The Box’, starting Wednesday.
“Three weeks of filming, I can’t give too much away, I don’t know what I can and can’t say.
“I think (it will be out) in the spring, early next year, but we’re going to record over the next three weeks.
“I’m looking forward to it actually, it should be a lot of fun. Some good guests, which I can’t say, not at the moment.
“Oh dear, could you imagine what would happen if I gave the game away? I’d be in the dog house before it even started.”