Ruthie's Table 4: Gary Lineker

Michael Elias, a writer and director tells me when visitors come to the set of a film, nothing stops. The only exception is if they are athletes.

Maybe it's because everyone thinks, if pressed, they could act, sing or dance, but never run a race, ski downhill or score a goal. When Gary Lineker, one of the greatest footballers of our time, walks into The River Cafe everything stops.

He is one of the very few footballers never to have received a red or yellow card—consistent with who he is: principled, respectful and fair—values we share.

We're also both in the world of podcasts—his company Goalhanger has 18 million listeners a month.

Gary and I also share the world of food.

Look at his Instagram account and you will see as many photographs of what he is cooking as the games he is analysing on Match of the Day.

Today, Gary is at The River Cafe with me and I'm going to stop what I'm doing to talk about food, football, family and principles.

It's a goal.

Listen to Ruthie’s Table 4: Gary Lineker made in partnership with Moncler.


Gary Lineker and Joseph Trivelli

Gary Lineker and Ruthie Rogers

Photography by Matthew Donaldson