Kelly Cates is heavy rumor Leaving Sky Sports to join BBC Match of the Day as one of Gary Lineker’s successors. Cates, the daughter of Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, is expected to be one of three rotating Match of the Day presenters next season.
Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan complete the trio, with an official announcement expected in the new year. Lineker has confirmed he will step down as Match of the Day presenter at the end of the season, a role he has held for 25 years.
The 2026 World Cup will mark the end of his contract. It’s a huge opportunity for Cates, who earned her place in television in 1998 as one of the original Sky Sports News presenters.
four four two Sit down with her to discuss her relationship with football, from growing up watching her dad play to playing in a World Cup final.
What was the first game you saw live?
Kelly Cates: “I don’t remember it at all. When I was a baby my mum used to take me to Celtic but women and children were not allowed in because it was the 70s – we used to wait outside with the fans for me My mum didn’t know anyone when we moved to the UK and she had a two-year-old and a six-month-old so we would go to Liverpool games with her.”
Aside from the very obvious answer, who was your childhood hero?
Kentucky: “I never really saw footballers as heroes, maybe until I got older and my dad left, so I was a little distanced from it. I always loved watching Robbie Fowler. I don’t think I would ever say Robbie A hero because if I bumped into him now it would be embarrassing but for me I need to distance myself from it otherwise they are just people.”
What was it like growing up as the daughter of a football legend?
Kentucky: “It’s weird that you’re almost 50 years old and you’re still being asked this question! [Smiles] Apart from my father’s job, my life is normal. Being the daughter of a football player then was different than being the child of a football player now – it just wasn’t noticed in the same way. My life really isn’t that unusual and football isn’t a big part of my life – only once every two weeks. “
Do you have any special memories of that time involving football?
Kentucky: “When you’re little, you don’t care too much about football. My main memory is walking into the players’ lounge, a big room with a bar at one end and people would bring sandwiches – it felt like heaven to me , because after the game we had to go wild! Ronnie Whelan taught me to blow bubbles in the coke to make it even more frothy, and I do remember Liverpool winning the trophy and going to Wembley and the end when Dad came on. One game. As a substitute, but they were just a blur.”
What is the best moment of your own playing career?
Kentucky: “I had never played a ball, except occasionally in people’s back gardens. I remember going on holiday when I was 11 or 12 years old – we were all playing on this gravel tennis court. When someone passed the ball to me, I had this image in my mind, knowing I was running along the wing, but I skidded, tripped, bruised my elbow and leg, and knocked myself over if I needed to. One sign that this isn’t for me is…”
Your brother Paul is a football player.
Kentucky: “Being a daddy’s boy, the way he dealt with things was just to be loud and funny. Because of that, he probably didn’t deal with it properly, so when he moved to America, it was great for him to give When he won the MLS Cup, his dad came up to him and told him, “This is better than anything I’ve ever won. “He really felt that emotion more than anything else – when it’s your child, it’s like, ‘This is incredible.'”
Why did you get into broadcasting?
Kentucky: “I was doing a maths degree and wanted nothing to do with it. Then Sky Sports News came on and they just hired a bunch of 20-somethings and graduates. They said, ‘We’ve got this new 24-year-old’ There’s an hour of sports TV to fill, we need a lot of people, we don’t care if you know what you’re doing, as long as you love your sport and know something about football, we’re all here.” , there were a few adults controlling us, and then we had a lot of fun for the first two years—you don’t realize how much you learn together, and it was such a lucky time. “
Where is the best place you have ever watched a game?
Kentucky: “When we went to Qatar there was a lot of controversy beforehand – and it was supposed to be because of what was happening with the construction around the game. It was really difficult to cover and keep the balance. We had a night off and then went to Qatar with Argentina in Lusail Stadium against Mexico – everything there felt very bland, very forced, and then the Argentinian and Mexican fans showed up and it was like, “Oh my God, this game feels like a World Cup,” and it felt like watching Old 70s World Cup YouTube. The video on it, it was so intense, I hadn’t seen the game when both teams were from the Americas, and all of a sudden the showmanship of the game – the tumbling, performing to the crowd and raising the arms – it all made sense. I like it very much.”
Do you have a favorite football book?
Kentucky: “Unsuited For Females” by Carrie Dunn, about the rise of the Lionesses. Carrie always writes well about women’s football, she is very knowledgeable and has a great track record in the field I love that her writing is getting a lot of attention from women.”
Who is your favorite player who has never played for Liverpool?
Kentucky: “I’ve always loved watching Wayne Rooney. I like the fact that he can be a bit angry at times. He can do some flashy things but he’s not flashy, if that makes sense.”
Is it any different for you when your dad returns to coaching Liverpool than when he first took charge?
Kentucky: “When he went back as head coach, I was working and thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got to fix this.’ It’s tricky. I think there’s a lot of pressure in management and I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. Sometimes when you Bringing it to the experts who are trying to get into management or trying to get back into management, I’m like, “Why? “I know it’s a good salary but they don’t need that kind of pressure – it’s not a good job when everyone else in the world thinks they’re better at it than you. When Dad coached Liverpool for the second time, I think the effect Good. They need to be reminded of who they are though, they won the League Cup and Jamie Carragher said they had won trophies before but the final was at the Millennium Stadium so they got their Wembley moment.”
Which Liverpool player would make the best TV presenter?
Kentucky: “John Barnes did it on Channel 5 but I would say there’s no better pundit than a presenter – he’s the nicest guy. Cara can deliver presentations with ease, Jamie Reade The same goes for Knapp. The rest of them came from an era of giving away too much and not giving much to the media.”
