Mark Chapman, the 52-year-old BBC presenter, will take on one of his biggest presenting jobs this evening as England faces Argentina in a crucial World Cup semi-final on Wednesday. Having joined the BBC three decades ago, Chapman has risen to the summit of sports broadcasting, stepping up alongside Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan after Gary Lineker's departure from Match of the Day following 26 years. He has been a mainstay of the BBC's World Cup coverage this summer.
Colleagues' Tributes to Chapman
Away from the cameras, Chapman endured immense grief after his wife, Sara, died aged 44 from cancer in 2020. The pair had been married for 19 years and shared three children. In July 2020, just a month after his wife's passing, Chapman made an emotional return to his duties. His Radio 5 Live colleague Ian Dennis paid tribute, saying: "Mark, I must say, and I know you don't want a fuss, and I know you don't want it to be about you, but equally I know how much you are admired and respected, not just from the rest of our colleagues, but many, many listeners and indeed viewers last night on the TV. It's great to have you back."
Television presenter Kelly Cates, daughter of Liverpool icon Sir Kenny Dalglish, holds Chapman in exceptionally high regard. She previously said: "I think he is the absolute best. He covers every sport with the same level of knowledge and interest, making everything seem worth watching or listening to. He uses what he knows to ask the right question rather than back up his own opinion."
Pundits' Praise
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, a BBC pundit since 2013, championed Chapman as the obvious successor to Lineker on Match of the Day. He told talkSPORT's Kick Off: "I feel that they've got [a candidate]. Mark Chapman, who I work with a lot on Sundays. I think he's a brilliant presenter and very, very knowledgeable on sport and football. Somebody who is ready-made for it... he would be the glaring, obvious choice for me."
Nedum Onuoha, former Manchester City player, praised Chapman after working with him on BBC 5 Live's Planet Premier League. He said: "He's somebody that knows the game very well, is deeply passionate about it and is very good at providing a space where all the different pundits and people involved feel comfortable. He tries to get the best out of you. He is very good at being able to create a show that's enjoyable, and I think that goes a long way in punditry. He knows that laughing brings people together, as opposed to arguing about things that honestly don't really matter. His personality is a great one, he's fun to be around and that can really make a difference, especially for new people entering the industry."
Chapman, also known as 'Chappers', is poised to take centre stage once more on Wednesday evening, backed by the admiration and respect of his BBC colleagues.
