A gutted Gary Lineker will take a very rare night off from Match of Day on Saturday after being struck down by illness.
The former Spurs and England striker has been a constant presence on the much loved BBC football highlights show for year after taking over from broadcasting legend Des Lynam.
While the pundits who sit next to him have differed over his time in charge, Gary has remained in the host's chair, so it was with real disappointment that he took to Twitter on Saturday morning to reveal he'd be missing in action this weekend.
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He posted: "There’s a cracking Premier League fixture list today so doubly gutted at not being able to do
@BBCMOTD. Had this awful cold for a few days that’s doing the rounds… not Covid thankfully. The brilliant @markchapman will take the reins."
After confirming that 'Chappers' would be stepping into replace him, Gary thanked Match of Day fans for their messages of support, tweeting: "Thanks for all the very lovely get well soon messages. Makes you realise that the overwhelming majority of people are kind and considerate. Important not to be mislead into thinking the opposite by the occasional nasty tweet. Cheers all."
What made his absence all the more upsetting for Gary was that his beloved Leicester City will take top billing on Saturday's show after their amazing 4-2 win over Manchester United.
Reacting to their victory, Gary returned to Twitter after the final whistle to write: "What a day for @LCFC. A 4-2 win againts @ManUtd with apparently a couple of belting goals.
"Cannot wait to watc @BBCMOTD. They better be on first @markchapman "
Gary also aimed a jibe at his Manchester United supporting son George in the wake of Leicester's win, telling him: "Thoughts are with you, George, at this difficult time. Need a hug?"
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