Match of the Day Presenters: New 2025 Hosts & Past Icons

Anyone who’s ever tuned in to a Premier League weekend knows the familiar voice introducing MOTD’s highlights. That familiar voice is about to change: the BBC announced in January 2025 that Match of the Day will now be led by a three-presenter rotation—a first for the show since its 1964 launch. This article tracks who got the nod, who came before them, and why the change matters for football fans.

Current lead presenter: Mark Chapman (since 2014) · New presenters from 2025: Kelly Cates, Gabby Logan · Previous long-term host: Gary Lineker · Show network: BBC One · Female presenters: Gabby Logan, Alex Scott, Kelly Cates

Five key facts anchor everything that follows: the programme, the network, and the names driving its next chapter.

Who are the new presenters of Match of the Day?

The BBC announced in January 2025 that Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan would front Match of the Day from the 2025–26 season. For the first time in the programme’s history, the lead presenting role would be shared rather than held by one person. The BBC described the aim as refreshing the iconic show with an experienced trio.

Kelly Cates

Kelly Cates is one of two new permanent female hosts joining MOTD — a first in the programme’s six-decade run. She is daughter of Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool legend. Discussions about the role reportedly began in late 2024, with the deal described as settled before Christmas 2024. She will continue her Sky Sports work alongside the MOTD role, having previously hosted Sky Sports coverage and Liverpool matches. She kept the appointment secret from family until the public announcement, even pretending not to know amid media speculation. Her interview on the Late Late Show aired August 15, 2025.

Kelly Cates (New MOTD presenter)

“Professionally speaking, obviously the job is more important… it’s so exciting.”

Cates and Logan are the first permanent female hosts of Match of the Day. Previous female presenters only filled in temporarily. Logan brings extensive BBC football presenting experience, including Olympic coverage. Cates and Logan will share presenting duties rather than serve as full-time sole hosts, operating in a three-presenter rotation that allows each to maintain other commitments.

Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman has been MOTD’s lead presenter since 2014 and will continue in that role alongside Cates and Logan. The three-presenter arrangement has been called a “three up front formation.” He also continues his BBC Radio 5 Live work.

Gabby Logan

Gabby Logan joined as co-presenter, with the BBC confirming her appointment in January 2025. She has extensive BBC football presenting experience including Olympic coverage, and will continue those other BBC commitments alongside the MOTD role. Like Cates, she will share duties rather than host every episode.

The three-presenter rotation allows each to balance external commitments — Cates at Sky Sports, Logan on BBC Olympics and other projects, Chapman on radio — while sharing MOTD duties.

BBC described the move as an effort to refresh the programme while honouring its heritage, positioning the trio as the bridge between MOTD’s iconic past and its evolving future.

Who are the current MOTD presenters?

The current presenting team centres on the three who took over from Mark Chapman at the end of the 2024–25 season.

Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman joined MOTD in 2014 and held the lead role for over a decade before the transition. He now rotates with Cates and Logan.

Alex Scott

Alex Scott joined the MOTD presenting team in 2022 and remains part of the wider presenter pool.

Others

The wider presenter pool includes others who contribute to BBC football coverage alongside the main MOTD rotation.

Who are the past Match of the Day presenters?

Match of the Day launched in 1964 and has had several defining eras, each anchored by a single presenter.

1990s era

Kenneth Wolstenholme hosted in the programme’s earliest years. David Coleman and Jimmy Hill defined the 1970s and 1980s. Des Lynam’s tenure from 1988 to 1999 is considered the golden era of MOTD presenting.

Gary Lineker years

Gary Lineker took over as main presenter from 1999 through 2023 — a 24-year run that defined MOTD for a generation of viewers. His tenure ended with the 2022–23 season.

Des Lynam

Des Lynam anchored MOTD through its 1988–1999 era, becoming synonymous with the programme during a period when it was the centrepiece of BBC Saturday evening football coverage.

Mark Chapman then led from 2014 through the 2024–25 season before the new three-presenter arrangement took over.

The implication: the BBC is betting that continuity can survive a structural break with tradition, but whether that gamble pays off will show in the viewing figures.

Is Kelly Cates Kenny Dalglish’s daughter?

Yes — Kelly Cates is daughter of Kenny Dalglish, the Liverpool legend and former manager. She grew up in a football environment and has spoken about not viewing MOTD as a “man’s world.” Her family connection to the sport runs deep, though she has built her own career in sports broadcasting separate from her father’s legacy.

Family background

Kelly Cates is daughter of Kenny Dalglish, the celebrated Liverpool player and manager. Kenny Dalglish is widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in football history, and Kelly grew up immersed in that world.

Relatives

The Dalglish family connection gives Kelly Cates a direct link to football heritage that few MOTD presenters have matched. Beyond Kenny Dalglish, details about other relatives in football are not central to her public profile.

Who is the woman presenting MOTD?

As of 2025, there are three women in the MOTD presenting team: Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates, and Alex Scott.

Current female hosts

Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates are the first permanent female hosts of Match of the Day — a milestone for the programme since 1964. Alex Scott has been part of the presenting team since 2022. Logan has extensive BBC football presenting experience including Olympic coverage.

New female presenters

Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan represent the new permanent female faces of MOTD. Previous female presenters only filled in on a temporary basis. Both will share presenting duties rather than serve as sole hosts every week.

Public reaction to the new female hosts has been mixed, with some fans reportedly resistant to the change from the previous sole presenter arrangement. The BBC’s move toward shared-lead presenting represents both a generational and a gender shift for the programme.

Match of the Day presenter timeline

Five eras define MOTD’s presenting history, from a solo host tradition to the new shared-lead model.

The pattern across six decades suggests the BBC is relying on familiarity to cushion the transition, but the shared-lead model tests viewer patience with change.

Confirmed facts and remaining questions

The key facts about the MOTD presenting transition are well-sourced. What remains open is less certain.

What the presenters say

Kelly Cates spoke publicly about the role on the Late Late Show, providing the most direct insight into how the new hosts view the opportunity.

Kelly Cates (New MOTD presenter)

“Gabby and I are going to be the first permanent female host of Match of the Day.”

Kelly Cates (New MOTD presenter)

“Keeping it secret is not good. That doesn’t do any good for my nerves.”

Kelly Cates (New MOTD presenter)

“Yes, I think that’s going to work… one of a three.”

BBC Sport statement

“Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will be the new Match of the Day presenters from next season.”

Whether the three-presenter rotation strengthens or dilutes the programme’s identity will be decided in the viewing figures — and in how audiences respond to seeing the MOTD desk shared week to week rather than owned by one voice.

Related reading: Kelly Cates Weight Loss · Sheffield United vs Sunderland A.F.C. Timeline: H2H History

The new trio of Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan steps up in 2025, as the schedule and presenters guide details alongside viewing schedules.

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