Des Lynam, the veteran broadcaster who fronted Match of the Day for over a decade, has called on the BBC to abandon its three-presenter model and install Kelly Cates as the programme’s sole host.
Writing in his Telegraph column this evening, the 84-year-old described the corporation’s decision to rotate Cates, Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman as a “fudged plan.”
“Here we are, 13 months into the fudged plan of having three presenters with a carousel of pundits,” Lynam wrote.
The arrangement was introduced at the start of the 2025/26 season following Gary Lineker’s departure. Lineker had occupied the chair for 26 years before leaving the BBC in 2025.
Gary Lineker was replaced by Mark Chapman, Gabby Logan and Kelly Cates on Match of the Day
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XLynam argued that Cates ought to be made “the face of the programme, exclusive to the BBC.”
Lynam was careful to stress that his remarks were not intended as a slight against either of the other two presenters.
“I want to be clear, none of what you are going to read from here is a criticism of Gabby Logan or Mark Chapman, both of whom are excellent broadcasters and have had long, successful careers,” he wrote.
“Chapman is very talented and unflappable, as comfortable on radio as he is on TV.”
Nevertheless, the former host maintained that audiences crave familiarity above all else. He dismissed the notion that a male presenter was essential for the role, declaring that such attitudes belong to a bygone era.
Des Lynam believes Kelly Cates should be the only presenter on Match of the Day
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GETTY“It used to be said the audience wanted a man in front of the camera, but I do not go along with that now — times have changed,” he wrote. “Kelly is ‘the man for the job’, so to speak!”
Lynam also took aim at the practice of presenters appearing on rival networks covering the same sport.
He noted that Cates had hosted Match of the Day on a Saturday evening before turning up on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday coverage the following day.
“I do not like that I switch channels and see the same faces working for different broadcasters covering the same sport,” he wrote.
The former anchor recalled fondly the era when Alan Hansen served as a permanent fixture alongside him, lamenting that the current setup relies on a revolving door of a dozen pundits rather than a tight-knit team. “Viewers like constants,” he insisted.
He also paid tribute to Ian Wright, praising the former Arsenal striker’s genuineness.
“What makes Wrighty special is his communication and authenticity,” Lynam wrote. “If he believes in something, he says it and he is an honourable man.”
Lynam concluded by insisting that the programme remains a cornerstone of British sporting culture, regardless of whether highlights can be found online. “It does not matter whether the goals are available online, people enjoy the programme,” he wrote. “The solution is one presenter — that would be Kelly Cates. They have the iconic theme tune. They have the title that reverberates far and wide, and they have the history. Long live the institution.”
Match of the Day has been a fixture of Saturday evenings since its launch in 1964. Lineker’s departure from the BBC followed a controversy over impartiality after he shared a pro-Gaza video on social media that drew comparisons between Israel’s supporters and rats.
The broadcaster subsequently apologised. He had originally intended to remain with the corporation through the FA Cup final and World Cup but withdrew from those commitments in the wake of the row.
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