Gary Lineker is fronting a new primetime ITV show called The Box, where ten celebrities face unknown challenges after being transported in yellow boxes. The former Match of the Day host, 65, says some of the contestants 'went to pieces' while others showed 'nerves of steel'.
What is The Box?
Ten celebrities from entertainment, music, sport, and politics are enclosed in yellow boxes and transported around the country. When the doors open, with Gary's encouragement, they face challenges that could be physical, mental, logical, funny, daunting, or all of those at once.
The celebrities are Danny Aarons, Ellie Taylor, Graeme Souness, JB Gill, Jenny Ryan, Joey Essex, John Bercow, Ranvir Singh, Sara Davies, and Shakira Khan.
Celebrities face unexpected fears
Gary said he struggled to keep a straight face during filming. He recalled: 'You'll see I didn't always manage it. Without wanting to give too much away, one of the earliest days of filming saw Danny sprint off at a well-known racecourse, not entirely sure what he was doing or why.'
'Even thinking back to that now, and having seen it a few times since, it's very funny. John Bercow at Butlins was also tremendous. The lovely thing about this show is that it really is as much fun as it looks on screen - that's exactly what filming it felt like too.'
With minimal or no instruction, the celebs must decipher what to do amongst themselves, sometimes working as teams, other times against one another. At the end of each episode, two players battle it out in The Duel, a high-stakes head-to-head game to avoid elimination.
Surprising outcomes and personal triumphs
Gary admitted he was surprised how well some coped with facing their fears. He said: 'You make assumptions about how someone will cope based on what you know of them, and then The Box opens and you're proved completely wrong.'
'Some of the ones you'd expect to be fearless went to pieces, and some of the ones you'd never have put money on turned out to have nerves of steel. That's the fun of it - I won't say who, you'll have to watch and judge for yourselves!'
One example is Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh, who ended up in deep water for a challenge. She said: 'I've got a son, and he's very active and loves the water. Like you know, he's a little fish, really. He just loves it.'
'But he's always tried to encourage me to try and like go out into the deep water. You know, I really hate anything where I can't touch the bottom. I mean, I can't, it's not that hate it. I actually can't do it.'
'So on this holiday after The Box is the first time that like I've had the courage to even get a life jacket on. A life jacket is just something that can save my life, but it doesn't solve my phobia. If you see what I mean. So it was the first time that I actually went out in the sea, and it was amazing. He was so proud of me. So I was glad for him that he could see me conquer my fear. So it's definitely changed how I approach my life. It's opened up doors.'
Another challenge sees some celebs up 138 metres in the sky on the Brighton i360 viewing platform.
Asked if he had much advice, Gary said: 'On many occasions I don't think anyone could have helped some of the contestants! If I'd given advice, it probably would have been the same thing I told myself as a player: don't overthink it, trust your instincts, and don't look up at the crowd.'
'Whether any of that would help someone dangling off the i360 is another matter entirely!'
Gary said the best part was 'the unpredictable nature of it. The challenges were obviously unknown to those taking part, and because of that, so was the umpire watching from the sidelines. The crew and I genuinely, at times, had no idea how long we'd be standing there watching a game unfold. I'll also say that everyone involved, cast and crew alike, were fantastic to work with.'
The Box launches on Saturday September 5, with Episode 2 airing on Sunday September 6, on ITV1, ITVX, STV & STV Player.
