Daniel Jarvis: who is YouTube prankster, did he do Match of the Day prank - cricket stunt explained

By now, you’ve probably heard all about the Match of the Day “sex noise” prank that left presenter Gary Lineker struggling to keep a straight face as pornographic moans took over the programme. Lineker had been discussing the third round replay with commentators Paul Ince and Danny Murphy at Wolves’ Molineux stadium when the noises started playing loudly.

But who was responsible for the prank? This is everything you need to know about Daniel Jarvis, the YouTube prankster who has claimed to be behind the stunt.

Who is Daniel Jarvis - what was his cricket stunt?

Jarvis, who uses the nickname Jarvo, is a YouTuber known for his pranks, many of which are sport related.

Some of his past pranks include running onto the field during England cricket Test matches, with one incident in particular landing Jarvis in a lot of trouble. He invaded the pitch on three separate occasions during England’s 2021 summer Test series against India, at one point wearing full cricket gear and pads.

He was handed a suspended sentence last October after being convicted of aggravated trespass over an incident where he collided with England cricketer Jonny Bairstow after invading the Oval pitch in south London during a Test. Jarvis had attempted to bowl at Ollie Pope during one of his pitch invasions, but ended up knocking into Bairstow instead.

He was given an eight-week prison sentence suspended for two years, and was also banned from attending any venue where a sporting fixture is being held in England and Wales for two years, from travelling abroad for 12 months and made subject to a rehabilitation activity requirement.

Jarvis attempted to defend himself by stating that he had not intended to disrupt the match.

However, the judge who handed down his sentence said: “Players and sporting officials do not know whether a person crossing the boundary is intent on doing them physical harm. Even if the person is not intent on doing physical harm, as your own conduct shows it is possible for physical contact to be made with a player inadvertently, risking such harm.”

His other pranks include:

• Lining up for the national anthems at the Principality Stadium for Wales’ autumn match against the All Blacks, whilst dressed in the New Zealand kit
• Crashing the Stade de France to celebrate with the Real Madrid players after they beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 2022 Champions League decider
• Hijacking the diving board during Tom Daley’s diving finale at the London Aquatics Centre in 2015
• Invading the pitch during an NFL game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

What has he said about the Match of the Day prank?

On Tuesday (17 January), the BBC’s Match of the Day live coverage of the FA Cup clash between Wolves and Liverpool was the target of a prank that Jarvis has claimed responsibility for.

Gary Lineker was previewing the third-round replay in a studio at Molineux alongside pundits Paul Ince and Danny Murphy when awkward and audible pornographic wails broke out in the background. Lineker looked momentarily startled by the prank and struggled to keep a straight face thereafter as he cut to colleague and fellow former England striker Alan Shearer in the commentary gantry.

Lineker tried to laugh off the incident as the noise continued to blare out and said to Shearer: “Somebody’s sending something on someone’s phone, I think. I don’t know whether you heard it at home.”

Once the match had begun, Lineker revealed the cause, tweeting a picture of a mobile phone and three laughing emojis alongside the words: “Well, we found this taped to the back of the set. As sabotage goes it was quite amusing [laughing emojis]”

Following the incident, the BBC released a statement which said: “We apologise to any viewers offended during the live coverage of the football this evening. We are investigating how this happened.”

Taking to Twitter, Jarvis posted a video of himself walking around the BBC studio, and, talking to the camera, said: “Here we are. We have set up a phone with a loud sex noise in the BBC studio at the Wolves vs Liverpool FA Cup replay.”

In the caption he wrote: “Yes, it was me that pranked the BBC Match of the Day with the sex Phone :) The video coming soon!!!! @BMWJARVO best prankster ever!!!!”