Lineker joins the ranks of celebrities’ ballsy pledges
Gary Lineker has taken the Twittersphere by storm after honouring his promise to present Match of the Day in his underpants, and in doing so has joined the ranks of ballsy celebrity pledges.
The 55 year-old former footballer took his kit off for the first episode in the new series last night after making a vow last December in support of Premier League winners Leicester City.
So glad pantsgate is all over. Aside from the embarrassment, speaking whilst breathing in is not easy.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 14, 2016
Celebrities have become renowned for their attention-grabbing statements… some they may come to regret.
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TV personality Katie Hopkins, a serial offender in the celebrity wager stakes, stole headlines in the lead up to the London mayoral election this year when she promised to run down Regent Street with a sausage up her bum if Sadiq Khan emerged victorious. Despite tweeting her dissatisfaction in the wake of the outcome – “*stomps off to buy sausage*” – fortunately, Hopkins has so far failed to follow through on her plans.
In 2015, former Liberal Democrat party leader Paddy Ashdown vowed to eat his hat if the Conservatives won the General Election. Just days later, as David Cameron continued his tenure, Ashdown was presented with an edible hat-shaped cake by David Dimbleby to enjoy in front of an audience of BBC Question Time viewers.
In another politically-fuelled statement, TV chef Jamie Oliver set out plans to leave the UK if Boris Johnson were to replace David Cameron as Prime Minister following the EU referendum. With Theresa May now safely installed in the post, foodies across the country can breathe a sign of relief that Oliver will remain a staple on their screens.
Earlier this year singer Kanye West worked up a furore on Twitter when he promised to give away a free pair of Yeezy trainers to anyone who could correctly guess the name of his latest album. West proved himself a man of his word when he sent a pair of "pirate black" Yeezy Boost 350s to 20-year- old Dante Holley from New Jersey, who took just 17 minutes to successfully decode the acronym T.L.O.P. as The Life of Pablo.
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Meanwhile, a host of American celebrities, including actor Samuel L. Jackson, actress Whoopi Goldberg, singer Miley Cyrus, and TV host John Stewart, have also announced their political positioning, stating their plans to leave the US if Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is elected in November.
It remains to be seen whether they stay true to their words – and indeed whether Trump will honour his much-publicised plans to build a wall across the Mexican border, repeal Obama-care and impose and ban on Muslims entering the country…