Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 28, 2026

Kelly Cates

Kelly Cates is a Scottish sports broadcaster who has worked for Sky Sports, BBC Sport and ESPN.

Last revised
Jun 28, 2026
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≈ 4 min
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Kelly Cates
Born
Kelly Dalglish

September 1975 (age 50)1
Glasgow, Scotland
OccupationBroadcaster
Spouse
Tom Cates
​
​
(m. 2007; sep. 2021)​
Children2
Parent(s)Sir Kenny Dalglish
Marina, Lady Dalglish
RelativesPaul Dalglish (brother)

Kelly Cates (née Dalglish; born September 1975) is a Scottish sports broadcaster who has worked for Sky Sports,2 BBC Sport and ESPN.

Early life

Cates was born in Glasgow in 1975,3 the eldest of four children of former Celtic and Liverpool player and manager Sir Kenny Dalglish4 and Marina, Lady Dalglish.5 Her brother, Paul Dalglish, also had a professional football career. She has two younger sisters. The family grew up in Southport.6

She was two years into a mathematics degree at the University of Glasgow when she left in 1998 to accept an offer at the nascent Sky Sports News.57

Career

Television

Cates and Mike Wedderburn were the first-ever presenters on Sky Sports News, launching the channel on 10 August 1998.8 Around the same time she presented the news segment on The Biggest Breakfast Ever, the eight-hour Millennium special of The Big Breakfast,9 and was part of the presenter lineup for Virgin Media's new portal.10

In 2007, Cates interviewed managers and players as part of Setanta Sports' Premier League coverage, and presented Setanta Sports News. During the 2009–10 football season, she joined the ESPN team for their Premier League coverage, co-presenting Talk of the Terrace alongside Mark Chapman and later Nat Coombs.1112 In May 2010 she covered sports news on GMTV in the absence of regular host Dan Lobb, before working as a reporter for ITV at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa13 and subsequently for the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League.

In 2012, Cates presented sports news on Daybreak in the absence of Gavin Ramjaun, and was part of the Channel 4 presenting team for the London 2012 Paralympics.14 That autumn she also presented the six-part Scottish television series Coached Off the Couch for STV.

From the 2015–16 season, Cates hosted Football League Tonight on Channel 5 with George Riley, presenting weekly highlights from the English Football League.15 She rejoined Sky Sports in August 2016 to present their live Football League coverage,2 before switching from the EFL in August 2017 to host Premier League matches, notably Friday Night Football and Saturday programming. In 2020, she returned to ESPN on a part-time basis to cover Euro 2020.16

In January 2025, Cates was confirmed as one of three co-hosts of the BBC's Saturday evening highlights show Match of the Day,5 alongside Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman, succeeding Gary Lineker.1718

Radio

Cates has been a regular presenter on national radio station Talksport, hosting the Monday evening talk show between 7:00 and 10:00 pm alongside Jason Cundy. She has also presented Fighting Talk on BBC Radio 5 Live, standing in for Colin Murray, and presented on the station during the summer of 2009. From August 2013 until 2018 she presented the Sunday edition of 606 alongside pundit Ian Wright, and has presented the midweek sports show 5 Live Sport, predominantly on Tuesdays. She has also covered two FIFA World Cups for 5 Live, including the 2022 final.

Personal life

Cates married Tom Cates in December 2007 at St Margaret's, Newlands, Glasgow;19 the couple separated in 2021.2021 They have two daughters.22 Cates lives in Chiswick, west London.23

References

References

  1. Pullman, Laura (14 June 2025). "MOTD's Kelly Cates: 'I'll never be the most famous person in my family, and I love that'". www.thetimes.com.
  2. "Cates returns for EFL coverage". Isleworth: Sky Sports. 3 August 2016.
  3. "Inside Kelly Cates' private life, including returning to dating, and ex-husband". Irish Mirror. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  4. Fahey, Cian (18 January 2025). "Kelly Cates on learning to appreciate football from her dad Kenny Dalglish". OffTheBall. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  5. Pearce, James (20 February 2026). "An audience with Sir Kenny Dalglish and Kelly Cates: 'When dad resigned I was in tears'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  6. Hughes, Simon (17 April 2026). "Many of Liverpool's most important figures don't live in Liverpool. Does it matter?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  7. Topping, Alexandra (17 January 2025). "Who is Kelly Cates, future co-host of Match of the Day?". The Guardian.
  8. McLaughlin, John (3 October 2023). "Sky Sports News turns 25: From the beginning - an eyewitness account". Sky Sports.
  9. Wilkinson, Neill (30 December 2021). "The Biggest Breakfast Ever - Millennium Edition" – via YouTube.
  10. Grace, Liam (16 December 2024). "Who is new MOTD host Kelly Cates? Net worth, partner and famous dad revealed". Metro.
  11. Kahn, Ellie (16 December 2024). "Sky's Kelly Cates among Gary Lineker MOTD replacements". Broadcast.
  12. Randev, Sonia (28 January 2021). "Nat Coombs Q&A". Morning Star.
  13. "ITV Media". ITV Media. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  14. "Kelly Cates – Meet the Team – London 2012 Paralympics – Channel 4". Channel 4 Paralympics. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  15. "Football League Tonight: See Scunthorpe United on TV tonight". Scunthorpe Telegraph. Archived from the original on 31 October 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  16. "Kelly Cates Archives". ESPN Press Room U.S. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  17. Hall, Rachel (15 December 2024). "Kelly Cates 'to replace Gary Lineker on BBC's Match of the Day'". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  18. MacInnes, Paul (15 January 2025). "Gabby Logan, Kelly Cates and Mark Chapman to host Match of the Day". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  19. "Chiswick's Local Web site". www.chiswickw4.com. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  20. Macdonald, Stuart (12 March 2021). "Sky Sports host Kelly Cates 'nervous' about being single again following split from husband". Daily Record. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  21. Woodcock, Zara (12 March 2021). "Sky's Kelly Cates divorcing husband as she admits 'resentment' over dating options". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  22. "Kelly Cates reveals how landing top TV job as a football presenter has thrilled her famous dad Kenny Dalglish". Daily Record. 24 July 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  23. "Home fixture for a famous name". Richmond and Twickenham Times. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2025.