Maybe it ought to have come as little shock that Match of the Day hosts Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates at the moment are an merchandise.
Eagle-eyed viewers could have seen them that includes in episodes of Channel 4 present Celeb Gogglebox not too long ago and the pair seem to have gotten nearer between the broadcasts – actually.
Within the first, aired in June 2025, the pair had been sat aside on the couch with Chapman having his arms folded and Cates had her arms tightly clasped.
A 12 months later, from episodes in June and July 2026, footage exhibits them sat nearer collectively and showing rather more relaxed.
And on a clip previewing one episode in June, posted on Gogglebox’s Instagram account, Cates brushes crumbs off Chapman’s shirt, and he flirtily replies: ‘It is as a result of a number of the tv’s been so humorous you’ve got spat the crisps throughout me!’
Chapman’s ex-girlfriend Clere Collier has accused him of beginning the connection with Cates whereas they had been nonetheless collectively – which he denies. They’re stated to have break up in April, earlier than the 2026 spherical of Gogglebox filming.
Chapman and Cates appeared on Celeb Gogglebox again in June 2025
… and the chemistry is evident in an episode from July 2026 a 12 months on
Information of the connection between 52-year-old Chapman and Cates, 51, emerged on the weekend, simply over a 12 months after they started their roles as co-hosts of Match of the Day alongside Gabby Logan.
And the event seems to have been well-received amongst many soccer followers, with X person Joni Cluer posting: ‘I hope that is true, at all times thought there was a connection between them.’
Fellow X person Peter Crowther stated: ‘I predicted that after seeing them on Gogglebox! The chemistry was there. Good luck to them.’
The pair additionally loved a day trip at an occasion at which they met the solid of The Traitors, with The Sports activities Brokers, the twice-weekly podcast hosted by Chapman and Logan, posting an image of the pair with collection 4 winner Stephen Libby.
Chapman advised Logan on the podcast: ‘I do suppose that, within the chilly gentle of day the next morning, I could have had an excessive amount of to drink.
‘There was a protracted dialog with Stephen, Kelly and myself about whether or not one in all his jumpsuits would work for me to do the FA Cup ultimate!’
Chapman added that he had successfully acted as Cates’ private assistant for the day as he requested numerous solid members for pictures together with her, including: ‘We had such a enjoyable time.’
Chapman not too long ago break up with property agent Clere, who accused him of an overlap within the relationship with Cates whereas they had been collectively, an allegation he denies.
On salaries of £335,000-£340,000 and £215,000-£220,000 per 12 months respectively, Chapman and Cates are two of the BBC’s highest-paid staff.
Chapman was beforehand married to spouse Sara for 19 years till she died in 2020 after a battle with most cancers. That they had three children collectively and lived in Hale in Larger Manchester.
Reacting to the information Chapman and Cates had been relationship, talkSPORT Breakfast co-host Gabby Agbonlahor stated: ‘How implausible. Nice information for a Monday morning. It is set everybody listening off to an awesome week.’
His co-host Ally McCoist added: ‘We’re all delighted and we’re all thrilled. We want all of them the most effective. Two nice individuals.’
Information of Cates’ relationship with Chapman is in stark distinction to her feedback on Gabby Logan’s The Mid Level podcast in March 2021 when she spoke in regards to the struggles of relationship and her personal insecurities.
‘I haven’t got an image in my head of why a middle-aged, barely chubby mom of two might probably be engaging,’ she stated.
‘I can not get my head spherical that. It isn’t that I am placing myself down and it is not a insecurity or a low shallowness. It is simply I do not know what that may appear to be.
‘The considered occurring a date, spending a night with somebody and on the finish of it considering, “Effectively, I do not actually such as you”, I might be so resentful of them taking on my time.
‘Clearly it is vice versa, too, however I am probably not bothered about it from their perspective.’
Excessive-flying Clere Collier accused Chapman of an overlap within the two relationships
Cates spoke in regards to the struggles of relationship and her personal insecurities on a podcast
Cates candidly added: ‘Taking into account I don’t get to see the individuals I do like very often, however I do know until I need to spend the remainder of my life alone… and I’ve obtained no actual ideas about long run relationships or something like that.
‘Think about sitting there and midway via you suppose, “God this man’s an fool.” You’ve simply wasted a babysitter.’
The information comes as BBC Sport faces mutiny over their newest restructuring.
Strike motion is now stated to be ‘inevitable’ amid the newest redundancy plans, with workers left livid at a view that whereas dozens of rank and file jobs will go, well-remunerated senior management seems to be ‘untouched’.
Each day Mail Sport revealed {that a} collection of job cuts had been to be introduced forward of a ‘financial savings’ name with all workers.
On the summit, employees had been advised that 41 roles could be culled, with 5 new posts created as director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski continues to ring the adjustments with a collection of controversial strikes some consider are geared toward chasing clicks, reasonably than serving all the licence-paying viewers.
‘Everyone seems to be livid,’ defined one insider. ‘The TV sports activities information division specifically shall be decimated. And but these on the high, unsurprisingly, are untouched. The sensation is that strike motion is inevitable.’
Each day Mail Sport understands that whereas no one in a senior management function is in danger, it will be fallacious to counsel that administration itself shouldn’t be impacted and that the best proportion of the 41 job losses comes from administration stage.
