Sky Sports 'plans to stop BBC from poaching top presenter' as Gary Lineker replacement

Sky Sports is set to dig in their heels to keep presenter Kelly Cates in the face of potential interest from BBC to helm Match of the Day. Cates, a frontrunner to succeed when he steps down at the close of the 2024/25 season, has become a familiar face leading Premier League broadcasts, such as Friday Night Football.

As the daughter of hero Kenny Dalglish, her allure is evident, yet Sky is expected for her Saturday night services. Cates has expressed satisfaction with her diverse work portfolio, which spans TV, radio, and live match coverage.

In a chat with The Independent, she elucidated: "Do you know, and you never want to say this, but at the moment I've got a really lovely mix of everything. 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."

After a tenure of more than 25 years, Lineker is prepping to vacate MOTD's coveted seat, timing his departure to coincide with fresh highlights arrangements and the show's new aspirations.

"It has been an absolute joy and privilege to present such an iconic show for the BBC, but all things have to come to an end," he revealed on the Rest is Football podcast. Delving into the timing of his decision, he shared that it was influenced by scheduling and future changes in Match Of The Day:

"It came at a point where really the BBC and Match Of The Day, they've got the rights for another three years, the cycle starts from next season so it felt like if I just do one more year it would be a bit weird.

"I bowed out in my football career when I felt it was the right time. I feel this is now the right time. I think the next contract they're looking to do Match Of The Day slightly differently, so I think it makes sense for someone else to take the helm."

Speculation around who might replace him has pointed towards several prominent figures. Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, and even Roman Kemp's names have been floated around as potential successors.

However, Lineker steers clear of endorsing any candidate: "Obviously, I don't know who it'll be, and I would never tell publicly my preference," he insisted. "I don't think that'd be the right thing to do – but whoever it is, I would say be yourself."