Gary Lineker: The Private Battles Behind a Public Life

Gary Lineker: The Private Battles Behind a Public Life

From Begin Again with Davina McCall by Begin Again

September 3, 2026 · 1h 3m

About this episode

Gary Lineker discusses personal challenges and life changes in a conversation with Davina McCall.

What happens when you stop seeing your hardest tests as failures and begin to see them as a life well lived? In this episode of Begin Again, Gary Lineker joins Davina McCall for a deeply personal conversation about fatherhood, relationships, football, leaving the BBC and learning to embrace change. Gary opens up about the terrifying moment his son George was diagnosed with leukaemia at just six weeks old, the fear his family lived with during seven months at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and why they “could never relax” even after returning home. He also reflects on his two marriages and challenges the idea that divorce means failure. Gary reveals why he considers both marriages a success, how he has remained close to his ex-wives, and why, after years of being single, he has become comfortable with his own company, while remaining open to finding love again. After 30 years at the BBC and 25 years presenting Match of the Day, Gary shares what it feels like to step into a new chapter, why life outside the BBC means no longer “treading on eggshells”, and how he built Goalhanger into a hugely successful podcast business. From his father quietly believing in his football talent to…

People in this episode

Host: Davina McCall

Guest: Gary Lineker

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BBC, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Goalhanger

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