Posts Tagged ‘“gary lineker”’

Sports Personality of the Year: Who’ll win is anyone’s guess

Friday, December 14th, 2012

Every other year the winner of the BBC’s Sports Personality of the year is fairly easy to spot. Usually there has been little of no British sporting success and so all anyone has to do is come second in something and they are a shoe-in to win. This year, though, is very obviously a different kettle of fish.

Normally Andy Murray’s Grand Slam win or Rory McIlroy’s PGA victory would see either of them walk SPOTY, but they are up against Olympic gold medal winners including Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, Nicola Adams, Ben Ainslie, Katherine Grainger, Sir Chris Hoy and Paralympic champions Ellie Simmonds, Sarah Storey and David Weir. A ridiculous wealth of competition.

Our pick to take the title, however, is gold medal Olympian AND winner of the Tour De France Bradley Wiggins. In a year of unparalleled British sporting achievement Wiggins’ achievement is all the more remarkable and surely should be recognised.

Team GB, we also reckon, will take the team award so Wiggo will get another two titles to decorate his already-stuffed mantelpiece.

Sports Personality of the Year is on this Sunday at 7:30PM on BBC1. It is presented by Gary Lineker, Claire Balding and Sue Barker and is broadcast live from London ExCel Arena.

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Gary Lineker appeals to Simon Cowell to do the right thing

Wednesday, September 19th, 2012

For the past few years one of the later live shows of the X Factor has aired at the same time as the Sports Personality of the Year. Both shows have suffered reduced ratings as a result. With 2012 being a landmark year for British sport, SPOTY host Gary Lineker has taken matters into his own hands by tweeting X Factor boss Simon Cowell directly to appeal to him to avoid a schedule clash.

Lineker tweeted: “Be a lovely gesture and mark of respect to our wonderful athletes if X Factor didn’t run against SPOTY. What do you think @SimonCowell?”

There was no response from Cowell but Lineker later retweeted a message from Mirror journalist Mark Jefferies which said: “Good news @GaryLineker and sport fans, I’ve been told by ITV spokesman there’s “no chance” X Factor will clash with SPOTY.”

How the clash will be avoided has still not been revealed and there has been no official statement from either the BBC or ITV so the stand off may yet happen. Watch this space….

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Is Gary Lineker going to leave the BBC for a job with BT?

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

It’s being reported that long-time BBC football presenter an notorious crisp-flogger Gary Lineker is being courted by BT, who are looking for an anchor for their upcoming Premiership coverage.

BT will be showing 38 premier league games next year and Lineker will be out of contract at the Beeb around the same time. He has already been informed that he will be receiving a pay cut if his contract with the BBC is renewed, so may well be ready to jump.

A source reportedly said: “Gary Lineker’s agent has been on expressing Gary’s interest,” a BT source claimed. Obviously we’re keen that our coverage is hosted by a big name presenter with a proven track record, and few people in sports ­broadcasting can boast Gary’s credentials. He’s popular and experienced, and looking for a new deal at exactly the right time, so everything is falling into place nicely. We have paid an enormous amount of money for the games, so it has to be a success.

With the BBC’s football coverage coming in for an increasing amount of criticism (many people think the presenters and pundits have been in place too long and need replacing) it may prove the right move for the Beeb, Lineker, BT and the viewers.

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Posted in BBC Television | No Comments »