Mark Chapman is the best candidate to replace Gary Lineker as Match of the Day presenter, according to regular pundit Danny Murphy.
Lineker is stepping down as the host of the BBC’s iconic Premier League highlights show at the end of the season. The 64-year-old will leave big shoes to fill, having become synonymous with the programme over the past 25 years.
There has been lots of speculation over the identity of Lineker’s replacement since his exit was confirmed on November 11, with a whole host of names entering the conversation. Roman Kemp has been put forward as a possible contender for a role on the show, alongside Football Focus presenter Alex Scott, Sky Sports’ Kelly Cates and TNT Sports anchor Reshmin Chowdhury.
But Chapman is the favourite, having gained a wealth of experience by presenting Match of the Day 2, Football Focus and a number of other BBC Sport programmes. Murphy has worked alongside him for a number of years and believes the powers that be shouldn’t overthink the appointment.
“The obvious candidate to replace Gary Lineker on Match of the Day for me is Mark Chapman,” Murphy told BetBrain. “He’s worked on Match of the Day 2 for a long time and he’s brilliant at his job.
“Working with Gary has been an absolute pleasure and he’s outstanding at what he does. Working with Chappers is also a huge pleasure – he’s so calm and comfortable in the seat and he’s incredibly knowledgeable about football.
“Presenting is a job that is more difficult than people think – my attempts at reading autocues and presenting the shows off-camera have been horrendous! With that in mind, I really admire anyone who has the ability and the confidence to sit in that seat, and I think Chapman is the standout candidate. He’s a wonderful presenter and very popular.”
HAVE YOUR SAY! Who should replace Gary Lineker as Match of the Day presenter? Comment below.
Lineker will leave Match of the Day at the end of the season, but will continue with the BBC in other roles. He has signed a deal to host BBC Sport’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup and will also front their coverage of the FA Cup 2025/26.
He has refused to reveal who he would like to take his seat on Match of the Day - a decision that will be taken by Alex Kay-Jelski, the man who pushed Lineker out. "Obviously, I don't know who it'll be, and I would never tell publicly my preference, I don’t think that’d be the right thing to do – but whoever it is, I would say be yourself,” Lineker said on the Rest is Football podcast.
"I had to fill the ginormous shoes of certain Des Lynam. I would say just be yourself and enjoy it, it's a wonderful programme to be a part of. It was brilliant before I took over, and it will be brilliant after I leave."
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