Gary Lineker has confirmed that highlights show Match of the Day will be back on our screens amid the imminent return of the Premier League.
The BBC institution has been showing highlights of top-flight matches since the 1960s, but the coronavirus pandemic has meant that the traditional format of the show has been off-air since the suspension of Premier League fixtures in March.
However, after slow steps in allowing players back into training, the road to restarting fixtures is now nearing a conclusion.
The Premier League kicks off again on Wednesday, June 17, with Aston Villa taking on Sheffield United, a game that is quickly followed by Manchester City hosting Arsenal just a couple of hours later.
Manchester United will have to wait a few more days until they kick-off against Tottenham on Friday, June 19.
Excitement for the return of Premier League football is building, and Match of the Day host Lineker has confirmed that it is just not the fixtures that will be restarting on Wednesday.
When asked on social media if the show was returning with the Premier League, the former striker confirmed that that is the case.
“Yes, yes.” he replied. “2 shows a week plus 4 live PL games.”
Fixtures are mainly scheduled to take place both during midweek and the weekends, with both shows able to cover highlights of the majority, if not all games.
The BBC are also due to show four live free-to-air games for the first time since the Premier League’s inception in 1992, with Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace and Norwich vs Everton being selected as the first two fixtures.
