Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan ready to lead new Match of the Day era
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Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan are ready to help Match of the Day “evolve” after being named as the new co-hosts of the BBC’s flagship football show. Former England striker Gary Lineker, who has worked as a presenter on the highlights programme since 1999, is stepping down from the Saturday night show at the end of the season.
Lineker is not going to disappear from BBC screens just yet, continuing to front live FA Cup coverage and bowing out from the broadcaster at the conclusion of its 2026 men’s World Cup coverage. But his weekly duties will now be split between a trio of successors.
Logan, who competed as a gymnast for Great Britain before moving into broadcasting, said they would honour MOTD’s heritage while also introducing fresh ideas. “There’s an enormous responsibility to make sure we continue to evolve while at the same time respecting the traditions of Match of the Day,” she said.
“Everybody understands the history of the programme and the consistently huge audiences that watch it. It has more to offer as well – we know how strong the digital offering is and Match of the Day is really relevant to that audience too. “People want to see the goals, they want to see the incidents, they want to see the moments everyone’s talking about, so while we can tinker at the edges, the core is the football.”.
Reflecting on her earliest appearance deputising on show, she added: “One of the first things I did when I came to the BBC was fill in on Match of the Day and at that point, when I was in that chair at the old BBC studio in London and hearing the music, it was a real hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck moment.”.
