Kelly Cates pictured while working for Sky Sports. (Image: Getty.)
The have reportedly decided that Kelly Cates will become one of three new hosts, replacing outgoing presenter next season.
The claim that Cates will leave , where she has been one of the lead presenters for the broadcaster’s coverage, in order to return to the .
She will work alongside and as the trio share hosting duties of MOTD, starting next season, as opposed to naming one new presenter to replace Lineker.
Cates, daughter of legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, is highly respected within the industry and was identified as the number one external candidate to take up the role.
She regularly presents on Radio 5 Live and used to host the phone-in 606 show with , but will depart Sky who are said to be ‘deeply saddened’ to lose Cates to a rival.
The last month announced that , though he will stay on at the Beeb in order to host the and the in North America.
Gary Lineker’s successors have been found. (Image: Getty)
Sport executives, led by new director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, are hoping to take MOTD in a new direction under Cates, Chapman and Logan.
They are considering bringing a news element to the show that has largely had a set format since its inception in 1964.
Cates had previously played down her chances of getting the top MOTD job, claiming that she was wary of “tempting fate” by ditching Sky for the .
“Do you know, and you never want to say this, but at the moment I’ve got a really lovely mix of everything,” she told in November.
“I’ve got TV, live matches, radio, and when it gets towards the end of the season I do live games too. I could be at an or a World Cup during the summer so the balance of everything feels really nice. But I’m not tempting fate.”
Regular pundit insisted that he would not want to take over from Lineker and backed Chapman to get the nod, with his wish coming true, though it remains to be seen how exactly the three hosts will share duties.
“Chappers does Match of the Day 2, so I guess if you’re looking at it logically, then he would have to have a real live chance of coming over to the Saturday, or doing both [shows],” Shearer said.
“I don’t know, though – I haven’t spoken to anyone about it. Whoever it is, they’ve got big shoes to fill obviously, but yeah, the show goes on. Someone will come in and present it and if it is Chappers then he will do a great job, I’m sure.”
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