Mark Chapman ‘will be first of new trio to host Match of the Day’
By Jamie Gardner, PA Chief Sports Reporter
Mark Chapman will present the BBC’s first Match Of The Day Saturday highlights programme this weekend, the PA news agency understands.
The 51-year-old is part of a three-person presenting line-up alongside Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan, who will work on rotation this season following the departure of former lead presenter Gary Lineker.
PA understands Chapman will be the first of the trio to host the flagship Saturday night show.
It is understood Cates will host a programme on Wednesday consisting of Uefa Super Cup highlights and a look-ahead to the new Premier League season, which begins on Friday night, while Logan will host Match Of The Day’s Sunday night programme this week.
The BBC announced on January 15 that Cates, Chapman and Logan would become the presenting team following weeks of speculation about who would take over from Lineker after he said last year that he was stepping down.
The 64-year-old had long intended the final Match Of The Day of last season, on May 26, would be the last time he presented the highlights programme, but was planning to stay on to front the BBC’s live coverage of the FA Cup and 2026 World Cup.
However, earlier in the month however he announced he was bringing forward his departure following a social media row in which he shared a post about Zionism featuring a depiction of a rat, historically used as an antisemitic trope.
Lineker, the BBC’s highest-paid presenter and Match Of The Day host since 1999, apologised unreservedly for the post but said it was “best for all concerned” if he left completely.
The Leicester-born former England football captain also runs Goalhanger Podcasts which produces podcasts such as The Rest Is Football, The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics, and The Rest Is Entertainment.
Cates, 49, the daughter of former Liverpool forward and manager Sir Kenny Dalglish, has been a presenter with Sky Sports since rejoining the broadcaster in 2016, fronting coverage of the Premier League. She is also continuing her role with Sky Sports.
Chapman has been broadcasting for more than 25 years and has been a regular presenter of the BBC’s Sunday night Match Of The Day programme.
Former gymnast Logan became one of the first female sports anchors to break into terrestrial television and has covered several Olympic Games, the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games during her time at the BBC.
The 52-year-old has presented Match Of The Day in Lineker’s absence on many occasions, and was also a key part of the BBC’s coverage of the Women’s Euros in 2022 and last month.
Match Of The Day will return on BBC One at 10.20pm on Saturday August 16.