Gary Lineker loves to sneak Monty Python references into ‘Match of the Day’ broadcasts.
The retired footballer and TV pundit – who has fronted BBC’s leading football coverage for 20 years – is said to be such a big fan of the classic British comedy troupe that he does his best to pay tribute to their famous material in his own unique way.
The show’s former editor Paul Armstrong is quoted by The Sun newspaper’s TV Bizarre column as saying: "For example, Kevin Keegan’s less successful second spell at Newcastle was described as, ‘He’s not the Messiah, he’s a very naughty boy.’ "
The quip was a reference to Python’s popular film ‘The Life of Brian’, which was a comical and satirical take on the story of Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, Michael Palin – who was part of the iconic group alongside John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and the late Graham Chapman – once appeared on ‘Match of the Day’ and made his own reference to his later role in ‘Ripping Yarns’.
Paul revealed: "He duly slipped in, as his score prediction for West Brom v Arsenal, ‘Eight-bloody-one’, the line his ‘Ripping Yarns’ character had howled just before he threw the mantelpiece clock through his front room window."
After getting their start on stage and together on ‘The Frost Report’, the Pythons first launched their own show ‘Flying Circus’ on the BBC in 1969.
They went on to write and star in feature length films, including the likes of ‘The Holy Grail’ in 1975, and 1983’s ‘The Meaning of Life’.
Gary Lineker sneaks Monty Python references into Match of the Day coverage
