Mark Chapman hesitates to share Match of the Day role with female co-presenter

The BBC has confirmed that Gary Lineker will be stepping down from Match of the Day at the end of the season. Chapman is currently the top pick among bookies to take over his role.

It has now emerged via The Sun that BBC bosses are keen on a job share with Chapman, 51, allegedly ‘flatly refusing’ to split the role with Somers, 33.

Chapman, who currently hosts Match of the Day 2, is thought to have made his feelings clear on the matter to BBC Sport Director Alex Kay-Jelski.

Nicknamed ‘Chappers’, Chapman began his broadcasting career in 1996 and has established himself as one of the highest-rated sports presenters on UK television.

Somers has not been on the broadcasting scene as long as Chapman – having only started out on Premier League Productions in more recent years after leaving AFC Bournemouth’s media department – but she has quickly jumped up the ranks.

She has earned prominent roles on the BBC, Channel 4 and Amazon Prime covering the England national team as well as the Premier League.

‘As soon as Gary [Lineker]’s deal was done, [the BBC Sport Director] made it clear he wanted Mark and Kelly to replace him,’ a source told The Sun newspaper.

‘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.’