Gary Lineker has turned game show host to front the new ITV show Sitting On a Fortune in which players could win up to £100,000.
Ex-England footballer Lineker, 60, said he is ‘delighted’ to be hosting the programme, which will be launched in the autumn.
The quiz show will involve players choosing where to position themselves in a row of seats to get the chance to answer questions and win the jackpot.
It comes after the Match of the Day host joked about his £390,000 salary cut at the BBC in a tweet, sharing a news article falsely suggesting he was due another reduction in his pay before swiftly deleting it.
Ex-England footballer Gary Lineker (pictured above), 60, said he is ‘delighted’ to be hosting the new ITV show Sitting On a Fortune, which will be launched in the autumn
Celebrating the news on Twitter (post pictured above), Lineker added: ‘Really looking forward to this. Think you’ll love it. #SittingOnAFortune’
In a statement, Lineker said: ‘I am absolutely delighted to be hosting what I think and hope will be a show that people love.
‘It’s going to be full of tension with high stakes and bags of drama from start to finish – everything a great game show should be. I can’t wait for the viewers at home to experience the fun and the excitement of Sitting On A Fortune.’
Celebrating the news on Twitter, he added: ‘Really looking forward to this. Think you’ll love it. #SittingOnAFortune’.
In the game show, only players sat at the head of the line of chairs will be able to answer questions worth up to £100,000.
But if a player answers wrongly, they will be moved to the back of the row while another participant moves to the front position.
Katie Rawcliffe, Head of ITV Entertainment Commissioning says: ‘We are delighted to be working with Gary on this new show that is all about players backing themselves and showing courage – something he knows all about.’
Players will have no lifelines, safety nets or chances to walk away in the show, which is a co-production by ITV Studios labels Possessed and Potato.
Glenn Hugill, Managing Director of Possessed, said: ‘Gary knows a thing or two about a high pressure knockout competition and so is the perfect host for a show where you have to put it all on the line.
Players will have no lifelines, safety nets or chances to walk away in the show, which is a co-production by ITV Studios labels Possessed and Potato
It comes after the Match of the Day host joked about his £390,000 salary cut in a tweet, sharing a news article falsely suggesting he was due another reduction in his pay before swiftly deleting it
‘Plus we are thrilled to be working with Michael and Potato again: in fact, anyone paying close attention will notice we now have a hell of a five-a-side football team.’
Michael Kelpie, Managing Director of Potato, added: ‘At the heart of any good game there must be a simple idea. Sitting On A Fortune asks each player one question… “Where would you like to sit?”
‘That decision could change one person’s life and drives the drama, excitement and fun that makes this compelling, competitive and entertaining. We are excited to be working with Glenn and his team on this new show.’
The announcement follows the BBC’s annual report being released earlier this month, detailing the pay of all it’s highest earners.
Gary Lineker, Zoe Ball and Huw Edwards are among the 10 highest paid BBC stars who took a pay cut last year – but Scott Mills and Greg James both received salary rises, the corporation’s annual report revealed
Lineker is still the broadcaster’s biggest earner, taking home between £1,360,000 and £1,364,999, despite his pay cut from £1,750,000 to £1,754,999 one year prior.
He had already agreed to slash his £1.75million pay package by £400,000 as part of a five-year deal in 2020.
The presenter shared the news article and added the reply: ‘Another one? Christ, nobody told me.’
The former-England player regularly pokes fun at his own salary, including in 2019 when he joked he ‘must be due a pay rise’ after starting his 20th season of MotD.
And when news broke that the TV licence fee was to rise earlier this year, Lineker said: ‘But, but I’ve just taken a pay cut.’