Gary Lineker will miss the BBC’s FA Cup coverage this weekend after testing positive for COVID-19. The former England striker took to social media to reveal that he had caught the virus and reiterated that he is fully vaccinated.
The BBC will broadcast four FA Cup fourth round ties this weekend but Lineker will not be present in the studio.
Mark Chapman will instead lead coverage of West Ham’s visit to non-league Kidderminster Harriers.
Lineker will be particularly disappointed to miss boyhood club Leicester City’s clash with rivals Nottingham Forest.
The reigning FA Cup champions will visit Forest in front of the national broadcaster’s cameras on Monday night.
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Lineker revealed that he tested positive for Covid after flying back to the UK from South Africa.
He apologised to individuals sat near him on the flight and thanked scientists for producing a vaccine to protect against the virus.
“Long time since I got between the lines,” he tweeted alongside a picture of a positive lateral flow test result.
“Arrived back from Cape Town early this morning. Started feeling a little unwell on the flight.
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The tweet prompted jibes from his BBC colleagues. Alan Shearer, who often appears as a pundit on the broadcaster’s FA Cup coverage, joked: “No FA cup jibe for once then. Get well soon.”
Lineker often quips about Shearer’s failure to win the FA Cup during his career, which included spells with Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle.
Lineker joked back: “Even though we’re covering Forest v Leicester there’s no way I would have mentioned beating @NFFC in the FA Cup Final in 1991.”
Fellow regular BBC guest Micah Richards backed Lineker by poking fun at Shearer.
The former Manchester City defender implied that he will mock Shearer for his lack of silverware. He responded to the 51-year-old’s tweet with a GIF and the words: “You sure!”
