Gary Lineker and Graeme Souness, who have a history of rivalry both on the football pitch and in public commentary, have collaborated on ITV's new celebrity gameshow, "The Box." The pair, whose public disagreements have included Souness's comments on Lineker's BBC suspension, were seen to put their differences aside during filming.

Souness admitted during the show's launch event in London that he had "wanted to smash Lineker a few times" during the filming of "The Box." Lineker responded playfully, referencing a past tackle at Anfield in 1981, to which Souness quipped, "Is it a bit too late to apologise?"

This collaboration comes three years after Souness publicly criticized Lineker for his handling of tweets that took issue with the UK government's bill on illegal migrants. In March 2023, Lineker was suspended by the BBC for refusing to apologize for his remarks. Souness stated at the time that BBC employees should be cautious with political statements, as freedom of speech "doesn't apply" when receiving payment from the corporation.

During filming of "The Box," Lineker hosted as 10 celebrity contestants navigated physical, mental, and logical challenges. Fellow contestants shared their impressions of Lineker's hosting style. Shakira Khan noted his encouraging demeanor and poker face, while JLS star JB Gill mentioned Lineker was kept separate from contestants off-camera due to his knowledge of the show's progression. Ellie Taylor described him as "lovely and supportive" and invested in the process.

"The Box," touted as a potential successor to "Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway," features an elimination showdown called "The Duel" at the end of each episode. Lineker described hosting the show as a new experience that appealed to him due to its unique concept.

Lineker's move to ITV for "The Box" follows his departure from the BBC last year after a controversy regarding a pro-Palestine Instagram post. He later apologized, stating he was unaware of an anti-Semitic connotation associated with an emoji he used and affirmed his opposition to anti-Semitism. He described his decision to step down from his BBC role as the "responsible course of action."

"The Box" is set to premiere on September 5 on ITV1 and ITVX.