Mark Chapman insists that there are no wholesale changes planned for Match of the Day once he, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan take over presenting duties next season despite speculation to the contrary.
It was announced last year that the BBC show’s current host, Gary Lineker, would be standing down after 25 seasons at the helm. After months of speculation, it was then confirmed that Chapman – a regular on Match of the Day 2 – would be sharing presenting duties alongside Cates and Logan going forward.
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Lineker’s bombshell exit has prompted plenty of talk about what the show’s future could involve, including whispers over potential format changes.
But Chapman, speaking at The SJA Awards on Monday night, has explained that fans will still get the same offering they currently do, just with alternating hosts instead of Lineker.
When he was asked about changes, he replied: “Nothing different. I know people keep saying, ‘Oh this will change or that will change.’ I genuinely don’t think anything will change.
“It will still be showing all the highlights and having a bit of a chat. So, if you’re wanting a lot of change, I suppose you’re going to be a bit disappointed by it. I think we are still just going to do the same thing and talk about football and have a laugh and that will be that.”
Chapman’s comments will be welcomed by the majority for whom Match of the Day has become viewing staple. Others have, however, called for further changes, including the chairman of the BBC, Samir Shah, who recently argued the case for more time being dedicated to punditry than actual match highlights.
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He told The Times the show “should not be built around highlights,” adding: “It should be built around analysis and examination of the match to give viewers a deeper insight.”
Shah’s comments were given short shrift by former Premier League boss Harry Redknapp, who insisted people were turning into to see football highlights, “not a talk show”.
He added: “I know it’s different to the old days, when it was the only way to see football on TV, but you still want to see what’s happened, not listen to someone telling you why.”
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