Gary Lineker has candidly admitted he is "not worried about death" but fears the possibility of mental decline as he ages. The former footballer and broadcaster says he has "definitely noticed ageing" since turning 65.
Ageing and health fears
Gary told The Observer Magazine: "I've definitely noticed ageing since I turned 65. Knees a bit creakier, hips a bit creakier. I always thought if I could get to maybe 80, living in a relatively healthy, fit state - not lose my marbles - and then just go overnight, I'd take that."
He added: "I'm not worried about death. It's the suffering along the way. Particularly for footballers, we're all worried about the possible onset of dementia or Alzheimer's. But just get me to Switzerland if it gets that bad. I've got no interest in growing old like that."
Career after football
Gary's post-football career has been one of the most successful, having become synonymous with Walkers crisps since fronting the company's ads in the 1990s and enjoying a 25-year run with the BBC. He also fronted Match of the Day until his time at the corporation came to an end last year. Since then, the role has been taken over by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan.
He co-owns the podcast giant Goalhanger, responsible for the popular "The Rest Is" series, including The Rest Is Football - hosted by Gary and fellow ex-footballers Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. Gary has also set his sights on the US market after fronting a Netflix version of the podcast for the World Cup; this has since evolved to cover the Premier League season, too.
New ITV show The Box
Gary also hosts a new show for ITV known as The Box. In it, 10 celebrities are packed into yellow boxes and transported to different parts of the country, and once the doors open, they face a series of "tricky" challenges.
Speaking previously about the show, Gary said: "It's different - it's something I've never done before, which appealed to me, alongside the unique nature of the concept. It's fun, it's family-friendly, and it's great prime time telly. What's not to like?!"
He added: "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."
Celebrity lineup and highlights
In the first series, Gary will oversee an impressive roster of names: Danny Aarons, Ellie Taylor, Graeme Souness, JB Gill, Jenny Ryan, Joey Essex, John Bercow, Ranvir Singh, Sara Davies and Shakira Khan.
Gary admits he had difficulties keeping a straight face while filming, saying he "didn't always manage it". He also touched on some of the highlights viewers can expect, naming two celebrities in particular: Danny Aarons and John Bercow.
He added: "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."
