Jeff Stelling is adamant that Mark Chapman is the best man to replace Gary Lineker as the Match of the Day host. The BBC have confirmed that Lineker will leave his post with the corporation once the season comes to an end. That will bring the curtain down on 25 years in the role with attention now turning to who will replace him.
Despite the current trend of switching up programmes to attract a younger audience Stelling insists that Chapman, who is already on the BBC's books and currently presents Match of the Day 2, is the ready made man to fill the sizeable void that Lineker will leave - although he has reportedly rejected a job-share situation which could have seen hosting duties divided between him and Kelly Somers. Stelling told the Telegraph : “Chappers is the man for the job. Great presenter, nice sense of humour, good rapport with the guests, he’s got to be the man, surely.
” Stelling, who fronted Soccer Saturday for almost thirty years, stopped working with Sky Sports recently but is renowned as one of the finest sports anchors of his generation. He has aired concerns over how the TV world is changing, with demographics becoming increasingly influential. For Stelling though a strong product will always come before the optics as he bemoaned the introduction of those who've become influential figures on social media.
“Demographics? I’ve never bought the stuff about a new demographic," he added. "It’s a forlorn pursuit to look for a younger audience that prob.
