'Kelly Cates to join three-person team' as Match of the Day host next season
It has been reported that Sky Sports presenter Kelly Cates will be joining a 'three-person team' as host of Match of the Day (MOTD) in the 2025/26 season.
The 49-year-old is known for her presentation of Sky's Premier League coverage, and it is expected that she will join broadcasters Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan in presenting BBC's staple football show.
This news comes following the departure of Gary Lineker as MOTD host come the end of the season.
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Cates, the daughter of Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, is a highly-rated broadcaster in the British sports realm, and is reportedly set to move over in the summer.
The 49-year-old already presents regularly on Radio 5 Live and used to host 606 as well.
Lineker has been the host of Match of the Day since 1999, and will call it a day after 26 years at the helm, leaving the BBC completely after the 2026 World Cup, which is set to take place in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
The 63-year-old's future at the show was a little up in the air, prior to exit rumours doing the rounds.
In a recent interview with Esquire, he seemed to drop a bit of hint as he said: "I could [leave]. Whether that will be the case I don’t know. At some point, I have to slow down somewhere… I’m getting old.”
But when he appeared on BBC Breakfast earlier this year to commemorate the 60th anniversary of MOTD, he seemed a little more relaxed about it all.
"It depends how long they want me, I suppose. I love doing it at the moment; I've still got another year left, at least. So we'll have to wait and see what happens," he said.
"Obviously it's another change in football and television and the rights of the Premier League and stuff like that. All of these things will play a part. But I just feel it's been an absolute privilege to have presented it for 25 years now. I must be getting old!"
Lineker is one of the BBC's best-known presenters and is the corporation's highest paid stars of those whose salaries are declared.
The former England player rakes in over £1.3 million a year, so it'll be quite the pay cut when he steps down.
Over the years, the star has of course presented coverage of huge tournaments like World Cups and European Championships for the broadcaster, as well as BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremonies.
LADbible has contacted Sky for a comment, while the BBC declined to comment.
Topics: BBC, Gary Lineker, Football, Premier League
Joshua Nair