Latest news with #MatchoftheDay1
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC announce name change to famous Match of the Day show after Gary Lineker exit
BBC announce name change to famous Match of the Day show after Gary Lineker exit It's been a staple on our TV screens for years but the BBC have made a change ahead of the new season Kelly Cates is one of three presenters fronting the new Match of the Day this season (Image: BBC iPlayer) The BBC's iconic football highlights show Match of the Day is entering a new era this season — and fans will notice big changes both on screen and behind the scenes. For the first time in its history, the Sunday edition of the programme will no longer be known as Match of the Day 2. Instead, it will carry the same name as the Saturday night show. The midweek Champions League highlights programme will also follow suit, unifying the brand under the single Match of the Day title. It's part of a shake-up to coincide with the departure of long-time host Gary Lineker, who stepped down at the end of last season after 25 years in the hot seat. In his place, the BBC will use a rotating trio of presenters — Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan — to front the coverage throughout the 2025/26 campaign. The change is designed to streamline the BBC's football coverage and reflect the fact that all editions, whether Saturday, Sunday or midweek, will share the same format and production style. Mark Chapman, who will present the opening show of the season this Saturday, told Radio Times: 'I'm intrigued, really, because I've never viewed Saturdays and Sundays as any different.' Article continues below Gabby Logan agreed, saying the Sunday night line-up has often rivalled the Saturday edition. 'There have been a lot of occasions where the Sunday show has been a stronger line-up,' she said. 'It's not Match of the Day 1, Match of the Day 2 — it's just Match of the Day.' Cates will front the first midweek highlights programme of the new season, covering the UEFA Super Cup clash between Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain. Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney will be among the pundits joining Chapman for Saturday's opening show, with Micah Richards continuing in his regular role. The shake-up follows Lineker's controversial exit earlier this year, which came after he shared a pro-Palestinian video on social media that included a rat emoji. Article continues below Lineker later said he had been unaware of the symbol's antisemitic connotations, but admitted the row left him with a stark choice: 'quit or be quitted.' Despite his departure, the BBC is confident the new set-up will maintain Match of the Day's strong viewing figures. The programme has averaged around 3.5 million viewers in recent seasons, even with live TV games, streaming services and social media clips competing for attention.
Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Gary Lineker's Match of the Day replacements confirm another major change for new season
Gary Lineker is no longer the host of Match of the Day, with the former presenter's successors sharing details of another change to the long-running BBC programme A new hosting team isn't the only change to BBC flagship football show Match of the Day this season. The broadcaster is also rebranding the Sunday show previously known as Match of the Day 2, dropping the '2' to leave it on equal footing with the Saturday night episodes. Gary Lineker hosted Match of the Day for the last time on the final day of the 2024-25 season. He has been replaced by a rotating team of three anchors - Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan - who will share presenting duties. 'Why is it [the Saturday show] the top job?' Chapman asked in a Radio Times interview. 'I'm intrigued, really, because I've never viewed Saturdays and Sundays as any different.' Logan agreed, saying: 'In many weeks, Match of the Day 2 has been a stronger line-up. Match of the Day is Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays [for Champions League highlights]. "It's not Match of the Day 1, Match of the Day 2, it's just Match of the Day. That will be the most noticeable change, apart from not having Gary involved.' Logan and Chapman have both covered football for the BBC in recent seasons, while Cates anchored live coverage on Sky Sports. The trio's arrival comes with the BBC also rebranding its Champions League highlights show as 'Match of the Day: Champions League' to bring Saturday, Sunday and midweek shows under the same branding. Chapman is in line to host the first Saturday show of the season, with Alan Shearer and Wayne Rooney joining him. Cates will be on presenting duties the following Wednesday, hosting a highlights show after the Super Cup clash between Spurs and Paris Saint-Germain. Lineker's exit as Match of the Day host was confirmed before the end of last season, but he had been slated to continue hosting the BBC's FA Cup and World Cup coverage. However, that changed after he shared a pro-Palestine video which attracted criticism for its use of a rat emoji. 'I missed it [the rat emoji]. To be honest, I wouldn't have understood the connotations anyway until it was pointed out to me," Lineker told The New World, indicating his BBC exit was a case of 'quit or be quitted'. "I genuinely didn't see it. I'm not an idiot. I may not have known it was an antisemitic trope, but I would have wondered why someone had put a rat there. Why would you ever conflate a rodent with a human? I wouldn't do that on purpose – it would be the biggest act of self-harm ever. But, yeah, it was a tough couple of days.'
