With Gary Lineker set to leave his role as Match of the Day presenter at the end of the season, the BBC will soon begin the hunt for his replacement.
The former England forward has anchored the popular BBC show since 1999 and, here, the PA news agency takes a look at five candidates to replace Lineker.
Mark Chapman
‘Chappers’ is the regular presenter of Match of the Day 2, which shows highlights of Premier League action on Sunday evenings.
He is also a key part of the BBC’s coverage of football on radio, presenting Sports Report on 5 Live and the Monday Night Club on the same channel.
Kelly Cates
Cates has been a mainstay on Sky Sports, where she now fronts its football coverage, since rejoining the channel in 2016.
The 49-year-old, daughter of Scotland and Liverpool great Sir Kenny Dalglish, also works for BBC Radio 5 Live.
She has experience in a variety of other broadcasting positions including presenting for Setanta Sports and ESPN, reporting for ITV at the 2010 World Cup and being part of Channel 4’s 2012 Paralympics coverage.
Alex Scott
A lovely moment ❤️@AlexScott meets her inspiration, Kerry Davis, the first black woman to play for the Lionesses.#BBCFootball #FootballFocus pic.twitter.com/7BUTIKoyvR
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) October 18, 2024
Scott enjoyed a successful playing career with Arsenal and England before moving into broadcasting after her retirement in 2017.
She has presented The One Show and has also worked alongside Lineker in the past as a presenter of the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year programme.
She was also a contestant on one of the corporation’s flagship entertainment shows, Strictly Come Dancing, in 2019, while more recently has presented Football Focus.
Gabby Logan
Former gymnast Logan has presented MOTD in Lineker’s absence on many occasions in the past, while she also fronted the BBC’s coverage as the Lionesses stormed to glory in the Women’s Euros in 2023.
She has also been involved in the BBC’s coverage of Six Nations rugby, and the last four summer Olympic Games.
Kelly Somers
Somers became the sixth woman to present an edition of Match of the Day in 2020 and has held a variety of roles across the BBC.
A frequent face during matches for England’s men at the 2020 Euros and the World Cup in 2022, Somers has fronted Channel 4’s coverage of the national team over the last two years.
