Match of the Day Stars Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman Spotted Together Amid Romance Confirmation
The BBC sports presenters were photographed smiling and walking together for the first time since their relationship was publicly confirmed.
Match of the Day presenter Kelly Cates and her boyfriend, fellow BBC sports commentator Mark Chapman, were seen together on Sunday, marking the first public appearance since their romance was confirmed earlier this month. The couple appeared in good spirits as they arrived at work for their respective BBC broadcasts.
Cates, 51, was dressed in a pale pink shirt and dark grey trousers, while Chapman, 53, wore a cream fleece and a dark navy jacket. They were observed smiling and conversing while Cates wheeled a small suitcase. An onlooker told The Sun that the pair were "smiling and laughing together and walking in sync," noting that they were wearing matching trainers.
Kelly Cates was preparing to host Match of the Day on BBC One, while Mark Chapman was set to present daytime sports coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live. Although their presenting schedules for Match of the Day do not overlap, the couple previously appeared together on Celebrity Gogglebox in July.
The relationship between Cates and Chapman was reportedly confirmed several months after they began developing feelings for each other. Sources suggest their romance began to blossom in May, with sparks particularly flying during their time in Atlanta covering the World Cup.
Chapman's previous relationship ended in February, with his ex-girlfriend reportedly accusing him of becoming close with his co-host. He has stated there was no overlap between the relationships and that he remained faithful. Chapman was married to his late wife Sara for 19 years until her death in 2020. Cates, daughter of football legend Kenny Dalglish, was previously married to TV producer Tom Cates, with whom she has two children. They separated in 2021.