Lineker tops 'most seen' TV list

Lineker was seen by two-thirds of all viewers, according to the survey

Ex-footballer and Match of the Day host Gary Lineker was seen by more viewers than any other UK TV presenter in 2006, a media agency study has suggested.

His role as the face of the BBC's World Cup coverage meant that 36.4 million people watched him during the year.

ITV stars Chris Tarrant and Phillip Schofield were next on the list.

And despite failing to attract ratings for her BBC One chat show, Big Brother star Davina McCall came fourth, the report by Media Planning Group claimed.

MOST-WATCHED STARS OF 2006 1. Gary Lineker (36.5m viewers) 2. Chris Tarrant (pictured, 32.9m) 3. Phillip Schofield (32.4m) 4. Davina McCall (30.8m) 5. Noel Edmonds (27.7m) 6. Steve Rider (27.4m) 7. Kate Thornton (27.0m) 8. Ant and Dec (26.5m) 9. Tess Daly (26.3m) 10. Fern Britton (26.2m) Source: Media Planning Group

Noel Edmonds, whose Channel 4 game show Deal or No Deal became a cult hit and revived his career, was the fifth-placed personality.

The host of ITV1's live World Cup games, Steve Rider, was in sixth place, followed by Kate Thornton, who was seen in 2006 on talent contest The X Factor.

Ant and Dec, Tess Daly and Fern Britton completed the top 10.

The TV presenters with the broadest appeal were generally over 40 years old, according to the study, which analysed viewing across terrestrial networks since the start of the year.

Among the top five, Lineker is 46 and Tarrant is 60, alongside 48-year-old Schofield and Edmonds, now aged 58.

The exception was McCall, who turned 39 this year.