Gary Lineker'S Celebrity Apprentice Cameo Gets The Axe!

Gary Lineker's Celebrity Apprentice Cameo Gets the Axe!

Time Constraints Lead to Cut

Gary Lineker, the beloved former Match of the Day host, has had his appearance snipped from the upcoming Celebrity Apprentice special. The festive episode, aimed at raising funds for Children in Need, originally featured Lineker among several big names helping celebrity contestants sell gingerbread biscuits. However, due to time constraints, only a select few of these helpers will make it to the final cut.

Star-Studded Lineup Praised

The Sun newspaper revealed that Gary filmed his cameo back in March, two months before stepping down from Match of the Day. Lord Alan Sugar, the show's iconic figure, expressed his admiration for the celebrities involved, stating, "I was very impressed that they managed to call these people in, they are top names. The main thing is that these celebrities, and I have a lot of respect for them, is they give up three days of their busy time for this great cause, it’s the money that’s raised for Children in Need."

“There are so many people that are coming to help us, and they’re coming because they love the show, they love the charity, and clearly they have a connection with the celebrities," shared Baroness Karren Brady, adding enthusiasm to the project.

Festive Fun with a Purpose

Despite the cut, the special promises to be a festive treat with celebrities like Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Robbie Williams joining forces for a good cause. The episode will see the cast whisked away to the enchanting Lapland in Finland, where they will craft holiday goodies to sell and raise money for charity. This marks the "first time ever" that the creations of these star-studded teams will be available for public purchase.

Celebrity Lineup and Exciting Challenges

The two-part Christmas special will feature a dynamic cast including Jake Wood, AJ Odudu, Angela Scanlon, and others. They will take on the challenge of creating festive delights and convincing buyers to stock them, all while supporting BBC Children in Need. Kalpna Patel-Knight, head of entertainment commissioning at the BBC, teased, "The celebrity candidates will be giving viewers a tasty treat or two this Christmas that viewers can literally sink their teeth into, all while supporting the incredible work of BBC Children in Need. Are viewers going to be Team Gary the Penguin or Team Jolly McTrouble? Let the festive boardroom battle begin!"