Gary Lineker has revealed he endured painful leg cramps during a recent visit to Wimbledon whilst seated next to heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua.
The former BBC presenter shared the uncomfortable experience on The Rest Is Football podcast, explaining how Joshua's imposing physical presence left him in an awkward position for several hours.
Lineker attended the tennis event with his youngest son Angus, where they were seated alongside Joshua and boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
Despite enjoying the tennis and company, the 64-year-old admitted he suffered throughout the lengthy match due to the seating arrangements but lacked the courage to speak up.
Gary Lineker admitted that sitting next to former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua for seven hours was quite uncomfortable
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Speaking on the podcast, Lineker explained the predicament: "I was sitting in the seats next to Anthony, and he's obviously huge.
"His legs... and the only way he sits, because there wasn't enough room, was he had his legs wide open."
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The former England striker described how he was forced to position his legs awkwardly for what he estimated was seven hours.
"It got to the stage where I was getting cramp in my inside thigh so badly. And the game was going on and I wanted to shout," he said.
Despite his discomfort, Lineker admitted: "But I never had the balls, at any point, to tell him, 'Will you f***ing move your legs over a little bit, give me some room?'"
The podcast discussion featured light-hearted banter between the hosts. Co-host Micah Richards complimented Lineker's appearance, saying: "Can I just say, you were looking marvellous."
Alan Shearer quickly quipped: "Micah, he was looking marvellous until you looked to his left and saw Anthony Joshua," prompting laughter from the group.
Despite the physical discomfort, Lineker praised Joshua's character, adding: "But he's a lovely, lovely guy and I had a laugh with him. And they were great company for the afternoon."
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Gary Lineker admitted he had leg cramp after sitting next to Anthony Joshua
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Richards also commented on Lineker's son: "Angus is a good-looking boy as well though, isn't he? Angus was looking cool, he was."
Shearer responded with typical dry humour: "He's got his mum's looks, obviously."
The Wimbledon appearance marked Lineker's first attendance at a BBC event since his departure from the corporation in May.
He had initially planned to leave Match of the Day after the 2024/25 season whilst continuing with FA Cup and World Cup coverage.
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Gary Lineker also attended Wimbledon with his son Angus
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However, his exit was accelerated following a social media controversy involving an anti-Semitic post.
Lineker had shared content about Zionism that included a rat image, historically used as an anti-Semitic symbol by Nazi Germany.
In his departure statement, he acknowledged: "I would never consciously repost anything anti-Semitic - it goes against everything I stand for. However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused."
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