Gary Lineker replacement found as Kelly Cates joins three-person Match of The Day team

Kelly Cates pictured while working for Sky Sports. (Image: Getty.)

The BBC have reportedly decided that Kelly Cates will become one of three new Match of the Day hosts, replacing outgoing presenter Gary Lineker next season.

The Daily Mail claim that Cates will leave Sky Sports, where she has been one of the lead presenters for the broadcaster's Premier League coverage, in order to return to the BBC.

She will work alongside Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan as the trio share hosting duties of MOTD, starting next season, as opposed to naming one new presenter to replace Lineker.

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Cates, daughter of Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, is highly respected within the industry and was identified as the number one external candidate to take up the role.

She regularly presents on Radio 5 Live and used to host the phone-in 606 show with Ian Wright, but will depart Sky who are said to be 'deeply saddened' to lose Cates to a rival.

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The BBC last month announced that Lineker would be stepping down from the role he held for 26 years, though he will stay on at the Beeb in order to host the FA Cup and the 2026 World Cup in North America.

Gary Lineker's successors have been found. (Image: Getty)

BBC Sport executives, led by new director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, are hoping to take MOTD in a new direction under Cates, Chapman and Logan.

They are considering bringing a news element to the show that has largely had a set format since its inception in 1964.

Cates had previously played down her chances of getting the top MOTD job, claiming that she was wary of "tempting fate" by ditching Sky for the BBC.

“Do you know, and you never want to say this, but at the moment I’ve got a really lovely mix of everything,” she told The Independent in November.

“I’ve got TV, live matches, radio, and when it gets towards the end of the season I do live Champions League games too. I could be at an Olympics or a World Cup during the summer so the balance of everything feels really nice. But I’m not tempting fate.”

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Regular pundit Alan Shearer insisted that he would not want to take over from Lineker and backed Chapman to get the nod, with his wish coming true, though it remains to be seen how exactly the three hosts will share duties.

"Chappers does Match of the Day 2, so I guess if you're looking at it logically, then he would have to have a real live chance of coming over to the Saturday, or doing both [shows]," Shearer said.

"I don't know, though - I haven't spoken to anyone about it. Whoever it is, they've got big shoes to fill obviously, but yeah, the show goes on. Someone will come in and present it and if it is Chappers then he will do a great job, I'm sure."

Gary Lineker replacement found as Kelly Cates joins three-person Match of The Day team

Gary Lineker replacement found as Kelly Cates joins three-person Match of The Day team

Gary Lineker replacement found as Kelly Cates joins three-person Match of The Day team

Gary Lineker replacement found as Kelly Cates joins three-person Match of The Day team

Gary Lineker replacement found as Kelly Cates joins three-person Match of The Day team