Pointless star Richard Osman has dismissed reports of a feud with Gary Lineker and clarified he didn’t refuse to appear on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast episode about Brooklyn Beckham
(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Richard Osman has rubbished suggestions of a “feud” with former England striker Gary Lineker. The 55-year-old presents The Rest is Entertainment, a podcast produced by 65-year-old Gary’s company Goalhanger.
However, the Pointless favourite was absent from a recent special episode of the podcast which focused on the fallout between Brooklyn Beckham and his parents. Co-host Marina Hyde instead presented the instalment solo, sparking speculation that Richard had “refused” to participate because it left him feeling “uncomfortable”.
Richard has now slammed the reports and rejected any suggestion of tension with the ex-Match of the Day presenter.
On The Rest is Entertainment, he remarked: “There’s a million articles like this written all day, everyday, ‘Oh so and so has fallen out with so and so’.”
He continued: “It said I was uncomfortable with it, I wasn’t, I messaged you [Marina] and said, ‘We should really do this Brooklyn Beckham thing’ and I said, ‘I’m physically not around today, would you be able to do it by yourself,’ you said of course, and it’s perfect for you to do anyway.
Gary runs Goalhanger(Image: Getty)
“I had no discomfort, we would be hypocrites if we didn’t talk about it. We talk about this stuff all the time and culturally it’s interesting.”
Richard went on to emphasise that claims he felt “uncomfortable” with recording the episode focusing on Brooklyn were “untrue”. He also tackled allegations that Gary wanted the duo to create a podcast about the Beckham row.
He continued: “God bless Gary, I love him, but he does not, day-to-day, give us an awful lot…literally, our poor producers, we come in and one minute before we start they go, ‘Any indication of what we’re going to talk about guys?'”.
Marina chimed in: “We have a WhatsApp with Gary and the last message he sent was, ‘Please don’t anybody spoil The Traitors’ final for me because I can’t watch it live’.”
Brooklyn Beckham made a series of claims about his family on Instagram(Image: Getty)
Meanwhile, Richard previously disclosed he has “some sympathy” for the Beckhams following 26-year-old Brooklyn’s series of allegations about his parents. Amongst his accusations were that mum Victoria Beckham “danced inappropriately” at his wedding with Nicola Peltz and that David and Victoria prioritise “brand Beckham” above all else.
Speaking on an earlier episode of The Rest is Entertainment, Richard explained: “I think in some ways, and I’ve been thinking about it this week, this is where I do actually care about this story because it’s about the mistakes you do make as a parent, it’s about what you try and do and the start you try and give your children, all of those things.
“But in the same way that some parents will drive their kids to ice skating or piano lessons, things like that, I do think a bit of them thought this will give our kids and amazing start to life if they have a brand presence, this is something they can monetise once they turn 18, rather than give them a deposit for a flat.
Richard says he has sympathy with David and Victoria(Image: Getty)
“You do think, at that point, when your kids are four or five, that they are going turn into the greatest geniuses that the world has ever known and that they’re going to be insanely talented and do incredible things by and of themselves, so you’re just giving them a headstart.
“It’s only when they turn a bit older and you go, ‘Oh, you’re just like a normal, ordinary person, but you happen to be world famous’. So I do have some sympathy.”
