Gary Lineker says homework should be shown the red card because it is too 'stressful' for children and 'drives a wedge' between youngsters and their parents who end up doing it 

  • The Match of the Day host, 56, has called for a ban on 'stressful' homework  
  • Father-of-four says it 'drives a massive wedge' between parents and children 
  • Former England striker said he was more focused on his football career at school

By Amie Gordon For Mailonline

Published: 02:43 EST, 26 January 2017 | Updated: 04:55 EST, 26 January 2017

Gary Lineker says schools should stop giving children homework because it is too stressful for them and their parents. 

The Match of the Day Host, 56, claims students do long enough hours at school. 

And the father-of-four added homework merely 'drives a massive wedge' between youngsters and their parents - who inevitably end up doing the work.

Lineker with his sons (from left) Harry, 22, Angus, 18, George, 24, and Tobias, 20, from his 20-year marriage to Michelle Cockayne, which ended in 2006

The Match of the Day Host, 56, claims students do long enough hours at school

Lineker has sons George, 24, Harry, 22, Tobias, 20, and Angus, 18, from his 20-year marriage to Michelle Cockayne, which ended in 2006.

Lineker told Sport magazine: 'Homework should be banned. All it does is drive a massive wedge between parents and children because you end up having to do it for them, and it's stressful.

'They get stressed and they don't want to do it. They're at school long enough as it is. Why do you have to come home and do two hours of homework?

'I don't think many people probably agree with me. But a lot of parents would, especially if you've had four boys.' 

This comes after the former England striker famously became embroiled in a spat with a top public school after his son George failed to get into university.

Lineker married his second wife Danielle Bux in a secret £400 civil ceremony in Italy in 2009, before they split amicably last January 

Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer on stage during the National Television Awards last night

In 2010, he criticised the £25,000-a-year Charterhouse public school after George did not secure a place at his chosen university. 

The then-18-year-old missed the three B grades or equivalent points he needed to read Business at Manchester University.

The former footballer had claimed Charterhouse used George as a 'guinea pig' after it brought in an alternative to the A-level system known as the Cambridge Pre-U in 2008.

Lineker, who got As in O-level maths and English and Ds in science, said his focus while at school was on football. 

Gary Lineker and sons Angus, Tobias and George at a film premiere in 2015

The football pundit with his sons, pictured together in May last year 

He added: 'My last report said something along the lines of, "He concentrates far too much on football. He'll never make a living at that".'

Lineker married his second wife Danielle Bux in a secret £400 civil ceremony in Italy in 2009 with a lavish reception estimated to have cost £250,000.

The couple divorced last January, but remain on friendly terms. Lineker, 55, has reportedly given his blessing to 37-year-old Danielle’s plans to marry LA lawyer Nate Greenwald. 

Their split came amid reports the football pundit did not want more children. 

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