Gary Lineker is the UK's top TV presenter - watched by more viewers than anyone else in 2006, according to new viewing figures.

Boosted by the summer football frenzy, the BBC's frontman of the World Cup and Match Of The Day was seen by two-thirds of the viewing nation this year (36.4 million).

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? host Chris Tarrant, whose marriage breakdown grabbed the headlines, got some happier news by being the second-most watched presenter - seen by 32.9 million.

Davina McCall is the most-watched female TV presenter of the year with 30.7 million viewers.

Despite the axing of her BBC1 chat show, she proved a ratings winner across the summer with Big Brother 7.

McCall came fourth overall, behind Phillip Schofield, who supplemented his This Morning ratings with ITV show Dancing On Ice to take third spot (32.4 million).

Comeback king Noel Edmonds, who found success again with Channel 4 quiz Deal Or No Deal and is back on the BBC with a National Lottery show, is fifth with 27.6 million.

He is followed by ITV sports presenter Steve Rider (27.4 million), X Factor host Kate Thornton (27 million), Ant and Dec (26.4 million), Tess Daly (26.2 million) and Fern Britton (26.1 million).

TV presenters with the broadest appeal in the UK are well over 40, according to the research.

Five of the six most-watched presenters this year are men over 40, according to the research by media agency Media Planning Group (MPG), which has analysed TV viewing since the start of the year.

Lineker is 46, Tarrant 60, Schofield 44, Edmonds 58, and Rider is 55 - dispelling the idea that only young faces can make it big on TV. Jim McDonald, head of broadcast at MPG, aid: "This list gives us some fantastic insight into which personalities British TV viewers are tuning into watch.

"And they seem to know what they like, with tried and tested favourites commanding the top positions.

"Key sporting events always prove popular with viewers, but the right presenter can magnify the effect and broaden the appeal to a wider audience.

"This year's sporting summit, the World Cup, proved a strong pull for both the BBC, with Gary Lineker, and ITV, with Steve Rider.

"But sport isn't the only genre in which budding TV presenters can make it big. The study shows that if you want to be heavily watched, don't think twice about taking a slot as a quiz master, chat-show host or presenting a reality TV phenomenon."

TV presenters watched by most people in the UK in 2006:

1. Gary Lineker BBC World Cup, Match Of The Day, Golf, Open Championship Number of viewers who saw Lineker at least once this year: 36,466,605 Percentage of viewers who watched Lineker at least once this year: 67%

2. Chris Tarrant Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, Tarrant On TV 32,902,200 60%

3. Phillip Schofield This Morning, Best Ever Muppet Moments, Dancing On Ice 32,408,667 59%

4. Davina McCall Big Brother, Davina, Sports Relief 06 30,763,557 56%

5. Noel Edmonds Deal Or No Deal, National Lottery: Everyone's A Winner 27,692,685 51%

6. Steve Rider ITV World Cup 27,418,500 50%

7. Kate Thornton X Factor, The Prince's Trust 30th Birthday: Live 27,034,641 49.3%

8. Ant and Dec Saturday Night Takeaway, I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!, Poker Face, Ant And Dec Meet The Three Princes 26,486,271 48.3%

9. Tess Daly Strictly Come Dancing, Just The Two Of Us 26,266,923 47.9%

10. Fern Britton This Morning, Soapstar Superstar, British Soap Awards 26,157,249 47.7%