Her father is a Liverpool legend who is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
But Kelly Cates, the daughter of the adored ‘King Kenny’ Dalglish, is on a journey to football royalty herself.
The 49-year-old’s success with Sky Sports, fronting the broadcaster’s Premier League coverage alongside an army of opinionated ex-footballers every weekend, is set to be rewarded with a new role at the jewel in the crown of the game.
In a bitter blow to Sky, MailOnline revealed last night that Cates will be joining the BBC to host Match of the Day from next season.
The highly-respected presenter will become part of a three-person team of MOTD presenters following the departure of Gary Lineker who will be stepping down from his role after 26 years at the end of the season.
It is expected that Cates and fellow broadcasters Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will split presenting duties for Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2.
Bosses at Sky are understood to be deeply saddened at the loss of one of their most integral presenters. Cates hosts Sky’s biggest football shows and expertly holds court during fiery debates between pundits.
The departure of Cates is a significant blow for Sky but represents a major coup for the BBC.
Kelly Cates is to leave Sky Sports to become part of a three-person team of Match of the Day presenters
Kelly Cates is the daughter of Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish (pictured together in 2018)
Kelly Cates is pictured in 1998, when she joined Sky Sports. She left in 2006 but returned 10 years later
At the dawn of the new millenium, Cates was quickly becoming a familiar face, reporting for Sky both in-studio and out and about.
Cates is a long-time Sky Sports host, enjoying two long spells with a large gap in between.
Earlier this year, she candidly opened up about her decision to abruptly leave Sky the first time in 2006.
Speaking to The Overlap’s ‘Not Just Football’ podcast in October, Cates said: ‘I left Sky Sports News in 2006, after the Germany World Cup.
‘I’d been there for eight years and I had just turned 30, or I was just turning 31. I was engaged, but not yet married. I knew I wanted to have children quite soon at that point.
‘It had just been, for a long time, kind of filtering away and running in the back of my head. I came to the end of my contract and was working under my new contract and within the space of about three days, made the decision.
‘I was driving into work one day, I walked in and I said, ‘I don’t want to sign this new contract, I want to go!’ I had nothing to go to.
‘I just walked away, but I was so sure that I had to go and make that change. I did it when I left university to go to Sky, which is different, because then you get something that’s really exciting, shiny and new, dangled in front of you and you think, ‘I’m going to take this jump’.
The presenter is pictured on her wedding day in 2007. She split from Tom Cates (left) in 2021
Sir Kenny helps his children Paul and Kelly (right) with their homework during their childhood
Kenny Dalglish pictured with his wife Marina and three children, including Kelly (middle)
Kelly Cates is pictured with Wayne Rooney (left), Fara Williams (second from right) and Geoff Shreeves (right)
‘But that’s the scariest one I did where I just went, ‘that’s it’. I just made that decision.’
During her honest interview, Cates admitted she backed her choice, adding: ‘It’s when you wake up the next morning and you still feel good about it. That’s when you know you made the right decision, when it feels like a weight off, rather than a sinking feeling.’
But Cates would return to Sky Sports in 2016, initially fronting the coverage of the EFL fixtures until she secured her spot as the main anchor for the Premier League.
She has played a huge role in Sky’s success ever since, regularly working with the likes of Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and Roy Keane.
Although Cates has proven herself to become the BBC’s top choice for MOTD, she has battled personal issues in recent years.
She separated from her husband Tom Cates in 2021. The pair married in 2007 and have two daughters together.
She has previously opened up about being ‘nervous’ to start dating again and admitted she would be ‘resentful’ of anyone who wasted her time.
Speaking to Gabby Logan on her Mid Point podcast, she said: ‘I don’t have a picture in my head of why a middle-aged, slightly overweight mother of two could possibly be attractive.
Kelly Cates (pictured left in 2019 and right in 2001) is a major coup for the BBC
Ian Wright and Kelly Dalglish present the FIFA Centenial World Player Gala 2004 at the Zurich Opera House on December 20, 2004
Kelly Cates plays in the celebrity tennis finals day at Wimbledon in 2004 alongside Nell McAndrew, Karren Brady and Diana Stewart
‘I can’t get my head round that. It’s not that I’m putting myself down and it’s not a lack of confidence or a low self-esteem. It’s just I don’t know what that would look like.’
The TV host added: ‘The thought of going on a date, spending an evening with someone and at the end of it thinking, ‘Well, I don’t really like you’, I would be so resentful of them taking up my time.
‘Obviously it’s vice versa, too, but I’m not really bothered about it from their perspective – bearing in mind I don’t get to see the people I do like very often.’
Cates has also spoken openly about her earliest memories of football, having been taken by her mother to watch her father Sir Kenny play.
‘When I was a baby my mum took me to matches to watch my dad play,’ she said. ‘I don’t remember a time when I didn’t go to football games – my earliest memories are of being in the players’ lounge with the other players’ children.’
Through her father, Cates became a Liverpool fan. But she admits that she always wanted the teams he moved to or managed to do well, even if it was against Liverpool.
During an interview about her childhood, Cates recalled playing football on concrete when she was 11.
‘I ran down the wing thinking ‘Oh, this will be easy’, tripped over and knocked myself out! That was the end of my football career,’ she joked.
Sir Kenny Dalglish is supported by his family, including Kelly (second from left) as he gets a knighthood for his services to football
Kelly Cates’ success on Sky Sports (pictured with Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher) has earned her a move to Match of the Day
Despite her roaring success as a presenter, Cates said she ‘didn’t always want to work in football’.
‘I did a degree in maths but after I left university I wanted to do something different,’ she said. ‘The Sky Sports News channel was being launched and they were looking for young people who loved football.
‘It was new and no one was watching so they pretty much said to us: ‘Go and play at being on the telly!’
She will no doubt be relieved she decided to start working in football as she is about to present one of the most iconic football highlights shows in the world.
Cates regularly presents on Radio 5 Live, used to host 606 and her arrival will be seen as a huge coup – especially given the uplift in the number of live matches on Sky next season.
Lineker, who took over presenting duties on the flagship BBC show from Des Lynam in 1999, will bring the curtain down after 26 years at the end of the season.
The 63-year-old is also set to leave the BBC entirely after the 2026 World Cup in America, Mexico, and Canada.
It is understood executives, headed by new director of sport Alex Kay-Jelski, want to move the show in a fresh direction and, as the Mail revealed, are considering bringing a news element to the show.
The BBC said they ‘does not respond to speculation’. Sky Sports declined to comment.
