Jeff Stelling is all for Mark Chapman taking over Gary Lineker’s spot as the face of Match of the Day when he steps down at season’s end.
The BBC has dropped the bombshell that Lineker’s impressive 25-year gig is wrapping up. The BBC are reportedly keen on shaking things up for the younger crowds, but Stelling’s throwing Chapman’s name into the ring.
He insisted to 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.”
READ MORE: New contender for Gary Lineker’s Match of the Day job picked after Mark Chapman ‘refusal’
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Chapman’s already part of the BBC family, hosting Match of the Day 2, but rumours suggest he’s not keen on a tag-team scenario with Kelly Somers.
Stelling, a TV legend who hosted Soccer Saturday for nearly three decades and recently hung up his Sky Sports boots, isn’t shy about voicing his worries about chasing after demographics. For him, it’s quality first, style second – a dig at those making waves thanks to their social media clout.
“Demographics? I’ve never bought the stuff about a new demographic. It’s a forlorn pursuit to look for a younger audience that probably aren’t interested in the programme anyway by having younger presenters, influencers, social-media types. I’ve never believed that was the way forward,” reports the Mirror.
He continued with conviction, “Call me old-fashioned, but I’ve always felt the way to attract an audience of any demographic is to make sure you put out a high-quality product.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
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“If the programme is watched by mums and dads in their forties, make sure it is good enough so that when the new generation reach their forties it is something they want to watch.
“If I’m going to hear somebody talking about a football match, I’d rather it was somebody who had played the game and is able to see things people like me standing on the terraces can’t see, than is a big figure on social media.”
While numerous names are tied with Lineker’s position, he has reportedly revealed his successor to the BBC while keeping it under wraps. Among those in contention are Chapman, Somers, Alex Scott, and Gabby Logan.