Gary Lineker, the legendary character actor from television crisp adverts, was an unlikely late substitute on the team sheet at the Finborough Theatre.

Lineker, the former England captain and Spurs and Barcelona striker, came off the bench to host a special discussion panel following a performance of the raw and bloody love story Men’s Business (on 9th April).

It emerged that the connection that prompted Lineker’s unlikely appearance on the set is playwright Simon Stephens, who has adapted Franz Xavier Kroetz’s Mannersache. Lineker and Stephens are close friends, so the ex-football star agreed to turn out to help promote the play.

 

After the performance, Lineker took to the stage to lead a discussion with director Ross Gaynor and Stephens. At their feet throughout the conversation was Cooper, the Alsatian who plays Wolfie.

Lineker opened up the talk with his erudite summary of the play: “It’s full on, isn’t it?!”

During the discussion, Lineker steered the creatives through the backstory of how the butcher’s shop drama came to the Finborough and what drove Stephens to re-imagine Kroetz’s little-performed play.

Actress Lauren Farrell, who plays Charlie, joined the panel later. She had to skilfully defend herself from a slightly risqué tackle by Lineker about the intimate nature of her performance (she appears topless) and how she had to simulate oral sex.

Lineker continued to hit the post with some of his questions before limping off after little more than 15 minutes. It is thought he retired early with a pulled ham(string). The audience was left wanting more. They thought it was all over. And they were right.

To read The Citizen’s review of Men’s Business go here.