Gary who? Mark Chapman makes on-air joke during BBC’s England coverage

BBC presenter Mark Chapman joked “Gary who?” after pundit Micah Richards made a comment about ex-host Gary Lineker during the pre-match coverage of England’s World Cup semi-final clash with Argentina.

BBC presenter Mark Chapman joked “Gary who?” after pundit Micah Richards made a comment about ex-host Gary Lineker during the pre-match coverage of England’s World Cup semi-final clash with Argentina. A pre-match piece of analysis on Jude Bellingham showed him on a list of players with the most World Cup goals all scored inside the penalty area.

The graphic showed the Real Madrid midfielder has scored seven goals from an average distance of 9.4 metres, while former England striker Lineker scored 10 from 7.3 metres. Speaking on BBC One, Richards quipped: “One thing I don’t like on that list, another graphic that’s got Gary Lineker on there. “He’s just texted me now but he’s dropping down the table.

Thank God for that.” Laughing, Chapman replied: “Gary who? Joke!

Joke! Before everybody piles on, joke. Goodness me.”

Lineker had been due to present coverage of the tournament for the BBC but his contract with the broadcaster ended following the 2024-25 season after a dispute over social media posts. The former England striker apologised for sharing a post containing an antisemitic trope, insisting he had not knowingly done so. Lineker has been hosting his The Rest is Football podcast – alongside Richards – from New York for Netflix during the World Cup and briefly appeared on ITV’s coverage earlier in the tournament.