Eamonn Holmes claims BBC once planned to replace him with Gary Lineker until colleagues foiled plot

Eamonn Holmes has claimed that the BBC had intended to replace him with Gary Lineker but that his colleagues blocked the move by sticking up for him.

The Irish broadcaster, 63, previously fronted snooker programme Pot Black for the BBC in the early 1990s, but his position was allegedly under threat from the 62-year-old former professional footballer.