Gary Lineker leads tributes to BBC floor manager

The death of Mat Wayne was announced live on air over the weekend, during the FA cup final

Gary Lineker has paid tribute to a BBC Sport colleague, calling him a "force of nature", after he died last week.

Mat Wayne, 51, from Wymondham in Norfolk, worked as a floor manager.

Colleagues at BBC Sport, alongside commentator Guy Mowbray and former BBC presenter Dan Walker, led tributes over the weekend.

Match of the Day host Lineker said: "Mat was a real force of nature, a true professional, someone you always enjoyed spending time with."

During half-time of the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United, Mr Wayne's death was announced on air.

Lineker said: "Before we hand back to the second half, everyone at BBC Sport would like to pay tribute to our much loved friend and colleague Mat Wayne, who sadly passed away this week.

"Mat was a real force of nature, a true professional, someone you always enjoyed spending time with.

"We'll all miss him terribly and send our condolences to his family and his friends, of which he had many."

'Very best'

Commentator Guy Mowbray joined in the tributes on air before taking to social media later.

He said: "It will never not seem strange to me, not having Mat by my side during a commentary."

Danny Oldham, a producer at BBC Sport, described him as the "very best".

He said: "He was the life and soul of every production he worked on. When I started at the Beeb he went out of his way to make sure I was included, as he did with everyone he worked with."

Former Football Focus and BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker also took to social media to pay tribute, saying: "Mat will be missed by so many."

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