The new Match of the Day host with football in her blood: How Kelly Cates is following in her Liverpool legend father Kenny Dalglish’s footsteps as Sky Sports pundit to take over from Gary Lineker’s job

Her father is a Liverpool legend who’s considered one of many biggest footballers of all time.

However Kelly Cates, the daughter of the adored ‘King Kenny’ Dalglish, is on a journey to soccer royalty herself. 

The 49-year-old’s success with Sky Sports activities, fronting the broadcaster’s Premier League protection alongside a military of opinionated ex-footballers each weekend, is ready to be rewarded with a brand new function on the jewel within the crown of the sport. 

In a bitter blow to Sky, MailOnline revealed final evening that Cates might be becoming a member of the BBC to host Match of the Day from subsequent season. 

The highly-respected presenter will change into a part of a three-person group of MOTD presenters following the departure of Gary Lineker who might be stepping down from his function after 26 years on the finish of the season. 

It’s anticipated that Cates and fellow broadcasters Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will break up presenting duties for Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2.

Bosses at Sky are understood to be deeply saddened on the lack of certainly one of their most integral presenters. Cates hosts Sky’s greatest soccer reveals and expertly holds court docket throughout fiery debates between pundits.

The departure of Cates is a big blow for Sky however represents a serious coup for the BBC. 

Kelly Cates is pictured in 1998, when she joined Sky Sports activities. She left in 2006 however returned 10 years later

On the daybreak of the brand new millenium, Cates was shortly changing into a well-recognized face, reporting for Sky each in-studio and out and about.

Cates is a long-time Sky Sports activities host, having fun with two lengthy spells with a big hole in between.

Earlier this yr, she candidly opened up about her determination to abruptly depart Sky the primary time in 2006.

Talking to The Overlap’s ‘Not Simply Soccer’ podcast in October, Cates mentioned: ‘I left Sky Sports activities Information in 2006, after the Germany World Cup.

‘I would been there for eight years and I had simply turned 30, or I used to be simply turning 31. I used to be engaged, however not but married. I knew I wished to have youngsters fairly quickly at that time.

‘It had simply been, for a very long time, type of filtering away and operating at the back of my head. I got here to the tip of my contract and was working underneath my new contract and throughout the area of about three days, made the choice.

‘I used to be driving into work someday, I walked in and I mentioned, “I do not wish to signal this new contract, I wish to go!” I had nothing to go to.

‘I simply walked away, however I used to be so certain that I needed to go and make that change. I did it after I left college to go to Sky, which is completely different, as a result of then you definitely get one thing that is actually thrilling, shiny and new, dangled in entrance of you and also you assume, “I’ll take this bounce”.

The presenter is pictured on her wedding ceremony day in 2007. She break up from Tom Cates (left) in 2021 

Sir Kenny helps his youngsters Paul and Kelly (proper) with their homework throughout their childhood

Kenny Dalglish pictured along with his spouse Marina and three youngsters, together with Kelly (center)

Kelly Cates is pictured with Wayne Rooney (left), Fara Williams (second from proper) and Geoff Shreeves (proper)

‘However that is the scariest one I did the place I simply went, “that is it”. I simply made that call.’

Throughout her sincere interview, Cates admitted she backed her alternative, including: ‘It is while you get up the following morning and you continue to be ok with it. That is when you understand you made the best determination, when it seems like a weight off, relatively than a sinking feeling.’

However Cates would return to Sky Sports activities in 2016, initially fronting the protection of the EFL fixtures till she secured her spot as the principle anchor for the Premier League.

She has performed an enormous function in Sky’s success ever since, recurrently working with the likes of Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane.

Though Cates has confirmed herself to change into the BBC’s best choice for MOTD, she has battled private points in recent times. 

She separated from her husband Tom Cates in 2021. The pair married in 2007 and have two daughters collectively.

She has beforehand opened up about being ‘nervous’ to start out courting once more and admitted she could be ‘resentful’ of anybody who wasted her time.

Talking to Gabby Logan on her Mid Level podcast, she mentioned: ‘I haven’t got an image in my head of why a middle-aged, barely obese mom of two might presumably be enticing.

Kelly Cates (pictured left in 2019 and proper in 2001) is a serious coup for the BBC

Ian Wright and Kelly Dalglish current the FIFA Centenial World Participant Gala 2004 on the Zurich Opera Home on December 20, 2004

Kelly Cates performs within the movie star tennis finals day at Wimbledon in 2004 alongside Nell McAndrew, Karren Brady and Diana Stewart

‘I am unable to get my head spherical that. It isn’t that I am placing myself down and it isn’t a insecurity or a low shallowness. It is simply I do not know what that may appear like.’

The TV host added: ‘The considered occurring a date, spending a night with somebody and on the finish of it considering, “Effectively, I do not actually such as you”, I might be so resentful of them taking on my time.

‘Clearly it is vice versa, too, however I am probably not bothered about it from their perspective – taking into consideration I do not get to see the folks I do like fairly often.’

Cates has additionally spoken brazenly about her earliest recollections of soccer, having been taken by her mom to look at her father Sir Kenny play. 

‘After I was a child my mum took me to matches to look at my dad play,’ she mentioned. ‘I do not keep in mind a time after I did not go to soccer video games – my earliest recollections are of being within the gamers’ lounge with the opposite gamers’ youngsters.’

By her father, Cates grew to become a Liverpool fan. However she admits that she all the time wished the groups he moved to or managed to do nicely, even when it was in opposition to Liverpool.

Throughout an interview about her childhood, Cates recalled taking part in soccer on concrete when she was 11. 

‘I ran down the wing considering “Oh, this might be straightforward”, tripped over and knocked myself out! That was the tip of my soccer profession,’ she joked.

Sir Kenny Dalglish is supported by his household, together with Kelly (second from left) as he will get a knighthood for his companies to soccer

Kelly Cates’ success on Sky Sports activities (pictured with Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher) has earned her a transfer to Match of the Day

Regardless of her roaring success as a presenter, Cates mentioned she ‘did not all the time wish to work in soccer’.

‘I did a level in maths however after I left college I wished to do one thing completely different,’ she mentioned. ‘The Sky Sports activities Information channel was being launched they usually have been searching for younger individuals who cherished soccer.

‘It was new and nobody was watching so they beautiful a lot mentioned to us: “Go and play at being on the telly!”‘

She is going to little question be relieved she determined to start out working in soccer as she is about to current one of the iconic soccer highlights reveals on this planet.

Cates recurrently presents on Radio 5 Stay, used to host 606 and her arrival might be seen as an enormous coup – particularly given the uplift within the variety of reside matches on Sky subsequent season. 

Lineker, who took over presenting duties on the flagship BBC present from Des Lynam in 1999, will convey the curtain down after 26 years on the finish of the season. 

The 63-year-old can be set to go away the BBC fully after the 2026 World Cup in America, Mexico, and Canada.

It’s understood executives, headed by new director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, wish to transfer the present in a contemporary route and, because the Mail revealed, are contemplating bringing a information ingredient to the present.

The BBC mentioned it ‘doesn’t reply to hypothesis’. Sky Sports activities declined to remark.