Gabby Logan was forced to leave the BBC's Match of the Day during Wednesday night's broadcast due to a family emergency. The 52-year-old presenter opened the show and introduced the first two matches before being replaced by Mark Chapman, who had just finished his radio duties.
Chapman addressed the change on air, stating: 'Sadly Gabby has got a family emergency which she's had to rush off and deal with. So she's gone to do that and I've come from the radio to finish the show.' The announcement came on Thursday morning that Logan's father, former Wales footballer Terry Yorath, had passed away.
Logan had been joined by pundits Stephen Warnock and Danny Murphy before her sudden departure. The presenter swap was widely noted on social media, with fans wishing Logan well and praising Chapman's professionalism in stepping in at short notice.
The incident occurred during a busy period of Premier League football, with six highlights programmes aired in the last 10 days. The show featured dramatic stoppage-time winners from Newcastle United and Bournemouth, as well as Brentford's 3-0 victory over Sunderland and Manchester United's 2-2 draw at Burnley.
Logan's departure follows Gary Lineker's exit from the programme after 26 years. She had hosted Match of the Day last Sunday, while Chapman presented the previous day and Kelly Cates was in the studio for midweek action earlier in the week.
