Match of the Day might have been working since 1964, however information broke of a primary on the present on Sunday when it was reported that co-hosts Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman have began courting.
Cates, 51, and Chapman, 52, have been stars of the BBC present’s three-person presenter panel alongside Gabby Logan because the begin of final season following Gary Lineker’s departure.
The pair have develop into public figures on our TV screens over latest years – however have now grown shut in personal, a lot to the obvious disgruntlement of Chapman’s ex-partner.
Chapman has solely lately cut up with property agent Clere Collier, who accused him of beginning the connection with Cates whereas they had been nonetheless 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 tragically died aged 44 in 2020 after a battle with most cancers. That they had three children collectively and lived in Hale, an prosperous and fascinating village in Higher Manchester.
Match of the Day co-hosts Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates are reportedly courting one another
Cates and Chapman have been on the three-person presenter panel since Gary Lineker’s exit
Clere Collier accused Chapman of beginning the connection with Cates whereas they had been collectively
Regardless of the devastating blow, the 52-year-old has gone from energy to energy professionally over latest years and it was revealed in 2024 that he had began courting once more after coming into a relationship with property agent and socialite Collier.
They seemed to be in a great place, with Collier, who relies in Dubai, frequently making journeys over to the UK to go to Chapman – and so they had been even pictured strolling hand-in-hand by way of the streets of Altrincham collectively.
She shared a number of gushing social media tributes in direction of Chapman, together with one which labelled him as her ‘one love’ and ‘devilishly good-looking’ after he turned 51, earlier than they cut up in April this 12 months.
In the meantime, Cates, daughter of Liverpool icon Sir Kenny Dalglish, was married to TV producer Tom Cates from 2007 till their divorce in 2021.
The pair have two youngsters collectively and lived in Chiswick in south-west London.
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 concerning the struggles of courting and her personal insecurities.
‘I haven’t got an image in my head of why a middle-aged, barely chubby mom of two may presumably be engaging,’ she mentioned.
‘I can not get my head spherical that. It is not that I am placing myself down and it isn’t a insecurity or a low shallowness. It is simply I do not know what that might appear like.
Cates was beforehand married to TV producer Tom for 14 years till they cut up in 2021
As lately as January Chapman and Collier had been seen window looking for a brand new house
‘The considered occurring a date, spending a night with somebody and on the finish of it considering, “Nicely, I do not actually such as you”, I’d 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.’
Cates candidly added: ‘Taking into account I don’t get to see the folks I do like very often, however I do know until I need to spend the remainder of my life alone… and I’ve bought no actual ideas about long run relationships or something like that.
‘Think about sitting there and midway by way of you suppose, “God this man’s an fool.” You’ve simply wasted a babysitter.’
However Chapman, who appeared on Movie star Gogglebox with Cates in July, has appeared to vary her perspective, though his place has reportedly been shrouded by claims from his former companion Collier.
Collier was mentioned to have accused Chapman of courting Cates whereas they had been nonetheless collectively after a report in The Solar mentioned that he cut up all of the sudden together with her in April.
Nonetheless, he insists there was no overlap between the relationships and that he had remained devoted.
As lately as January Chapman and Collier had been seen window looking for a brand new house in property brokers’ home windows in Altrincham, Higher Manchester.
Mom-of-two Clere, who makes use of her contacts within the Emirates to put money into London’s property market, was making common UK journeys for work and to spend time with Chapman in Manchester, the place he’s based mostly. She was beforehand married to husband James for 3 years earlier than they cut up – and was as soon as linked with pop star Dane Bowers.
Cates, Chapman and Logan pose collectively at their BBC Match of the Day unveiling
Information broke of the connection between the vastly well-liked presenters on Sunday night
Cates and Chapman are but to publicly touch upon the studies.
The information comes as BBC Sport faces mutiny over their newest restructuring.
Strike motion is now mentioned to be ‘inevitable’ amid the most recent 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, staff had been instructed that 41 roles can 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 imagine are aimed toward chasing clicks, somewhat than serving the entire licence-paying viewers.
‘Everyone seems to be livid,’ defined one insider. ‘The TV sports activities information division particularly might 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 person in a senior management function is in danger, it will be flawed to recommend that administration itself isn’t impacted and that the very best proportion of the 41 job losses comes from administration degree.
