Mark Chapman 'rejects BBC Match of the Day job share plan' after Gary Lineker quits
The BBC had proposed a job share between Mark Chapman and Kelly Somers as they look to replace Gary Lineker as the presenter of Match of the Day, but Chapman is said to have rejected the idea
by Matthew Cooper · The MirrorThe BBC have suffered a major setback in their attempts to replace Gary Lineker as the host of Match of the Day.
It has been announced that Lineker will be stepping away from the role at the end of the season after he agreed a new 18-month contract with the broadcaster that will majorly change his work.
Lineker will continue to front the BBC's coverage of the FA Cup coverage and the upcoming 2026 World Cup, as well as appearing on the MOTD Top Ten podcast. According to the The Sun, the BBC were planning to replace Lineker with a 'job share' arrangement.
The report claims that the BBC's new director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski was keen for Mark Chapman, who currently presents Match of the Day 2, and Kelly Somers to share the role.
However, Chapman is said to have 'flatly refused' the idea, leaving the BBC with a major headache. "As soon as Gary's deal was done, Alex made it clear he wanted Mark and Kelly to replace him," a source told the publication.
"It would effectively be a job share and they would rotate hosting duties between them. Mark has made it clear within the team at MOTD that this isn't something he would want to do. He doesn't want a job share, he wants Gary's role as his own, which is understandable.
"It's a headache for the BBC because they thought they'd found an easy solution. It's back to the drawing board and negotiations are ongoing."
In a statement announcing Lineker's new contract with the BBC, they said: "The BBC and Gary Lineker have agreed in principle a contract extension through to the 2026 World Cup. Gary will lead the coverage of the tournament, as England once again try to land a first major trophy since 1966, the other Home Nations look to qualify and Lionel Messi aims to retain the trophy he won with Argentina.
"Gary will also host BBC Sport's coverage of the FA Cup in the 2025/26 season, 35 years on from lifting the trophy as a player. After a quarter of a century, Gary is stepping down from hosting Match of The Day at the end of this season. He will continue with the MOTD Top Ten podcast and the BBC will also host the hugely popular The Rest is Football podcast on BBC Sounds."
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