Chris Sutton seized the chance to poke fun at Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates during BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, as rumours continue that the pair are dating.
The duo, who are part of the Match of the Day presenting rota alongside Gabby Logan, have reportedly struck up a romance away from the cameras. Chapman, a regular on various BBC shows for years, was absent from Monday's edition, and Cates, an occasional stand-in host, also did not feature.
Stand-in presenter and mischievous looks
Alistair Bruce-Ball stepped in as stand-in presenter, but Sutton quickly steered the conversation towards those who were not on air. Bruce-Ball said: "Chris Sutton has got a rather mischievous look on his face this evening, which worries me slightly."
Sutton responded: "I just wondered where our leader is this evening, where's Mark?" Bruce-Ball replied: "Mark Chapman… Not here this evening." Sutton then asked: "So then normally second in charge is Kelly Cates... where's Kelly Cates this evening?"
On-air quips and whereabouts
Bruce-Ball answered: "I don't know Chris, otherwise engaged I think. If they are not listening to the show, whatever they are up to, it is available to listen by the podcast, if that is what they want to do."
Cates was actually hosting the Legends of Football awards, where Thierry Henry and Karen Carney received honours.
Background and past relationships
Chapman was married to his wife Sara, mother of their three children, for 19 years until she died aged 44 in 2020 after a cancer battle. In 2024, it emerged that Chapman had started dating again, in a relationship with estate agent and socialite Clere Collier, but the pair split in April this year.
Cates, daughter of Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, was married to TV producer Tom Cates from 2007 until their divorce in 2021 and has spoken openly about her fears of re-entering the dating scene.
