Gary Lineker, the former BBC presenter best known for hosting Match of the Day, has launched a new ITV game show called The Box. The show has drawn mixed reactions, with critics describing its format as confusing and disjointed. In The Box, celebrities are released from yellow boxes into random settings where they must complete strange tasks with minimal instructions. The show is based on a Norwegian format and marks Lineker’s first major foray into primetime television since leaving the BBC earlier than expected. Lineker’s move to ITV came after an incident involving a re-shared Instagram post about Zionism that included an image of a rat, a symbol historically used as an anti-Semitic slur. The post led to his departure from the BBC, which had initially offered him a contract extension. Now, he is trying to re-establish himself in television with The Box, which features ten celebrities, including JB Gill from JLS, Jenny Ryan from The Chase, Joey Essex, and former Commons speaker John Bercow. The show’s format involves dropping the celebrities into unpredictable scenarios, where they must complete challenges that often seem arbitrary. In the first episode, Joey Essex smashed wooden crates to find hexagonal tokens, while former footballer Graeme Souness helped Good Morning Britain presenter Ranvir Singh cross a body of water. Other tasks included a pseudo-egg-and-spoon race involving Dragons' Den star Sara Davies. Despite the variety of tasks, the show has been criticized for lacking a clear narrative or stakes. While Lineker is regarded as a likeable and charismatic host, the show’s format has raised questions about whether it was the best choice for his return to primetime television. Viewers and critics alike have found the structure difficult to follow, with the only consistent element being the elimination of one celebrity at the end of each episode. The overall experience has been described as more chaotic than coherent, leaving some wondering if The Box will be a successful next step for Lineker’s career.