Kelly Cates will not present Match of the Day this weekend, as the BBC has confirmed its presenting line-up for the first round of fixtures since reports emerged of her relationship with co-host Mark Chapman.
Gabby Logan has been selected to front Saturday's coverage, with Alan Shearer and Danny Murphy providing punditry. On Sunday, Chapman will step in to host, joined by Wayne Rooney and Toby Alderweireld for analysis.
Rotation Continues Amid Romance Reports
The three presenters rotate hosting duties on the show, a system in place since Cates joined the BBC alongside Chapman and Logan following Gary Lineker's departure in May 2025.
This weekend's edition is the first since reports that Chapman, 52, and Cates, 51, are dating. The relationship is reportedly the first in several years for Cates, who is the daughter of Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish.
Cates Opens Up About Personal Life
Cates was previously married to television producer Tom Cates. The pair married in 2007 and separated in 2021, during which they had two children.
Following the end of her 14-year marriage, she discussed returning to the dating scene in her mid-40s. On Gabby Logan's The Mid Point podcast, she admitted to feeling "nervous" about single life and said she had a strong dislike for dating apps. She added that her confidence had also taken a beating: "I don’t have a picture in my head of why a middle-aged, slightly overweight, mother-of-two could possibly be attractive."
Chapman's Previous Relationship Ends
Chapman was previously seeing Dubai-based estate agent Clere Collier. This was his first romance since the death of his wife, Sara, who died from cancer in 2020.
However, after two years, the relationship with Collier is said to have broken down in April due to his apparent closeness with Cates. A source told The Sun: "Mark admitted the relationship but insisted there was no overlap between the two women and that he hadn’t cheated on her. He told her that he had been a single man when he started spending time with Kelly."
An associate of the former couple said: "Mark split with Clere out of the blue, without much explanation. They had been making plans for the future and their relationship had been going strong. They stayed in touch after the split, but Clere soon realised that Mark and Kelly were close and she accused Mark of dating Kelly."
Working Relationship Praised
Speaking about working with Chapman and Logan, Cates previously said: "Being on a team with them is genuinely really exciting. I feel like I’m in a great little group."
She also praised both her new co-presenters when they joined Match of the Day: "The fact we’re all the same age, we’re at the same stage of our careers, we’ve all got other things outside of Match of the Day that we are all passionate about and really invested in, it means none of us are treading on each other and preying on each other’s insecurities."
