Many people were present when Kelly Cates, one of the new co-hosts of Match of the Day, entered the set in early 2025. Not only was she replacing Gary Lineker in one of the most scrutinized positions in British broadcasting, but she also had a noticeably different appearance. Noticeably lighter. Somehow, she seemed more at ease, which is hard to fake in a studio.
As the numbers came out, they were fairly simple. She had lost about 10 kilograms, or 22 pounds, from about 69.7 kg to 59.7 kg. She was now wearing an 8 instead of a 12. For anyone, that’s a significant shift, but for a woman who now hosts primetime BBC television on Saturday nights, the public’s perception of her changed.
Pausing on the timing is worthwhile. At a time when the British media was already engrossed in an awkward discussion about weight loss medications, Cates assumed the MOTD position. An episode of the Not Just Football podcast, which she co-hosts with Christine Lampard and Hayley McQueen and is supported by Sky Bet, addressed this subject in February 2025. Ruth Wood, a nutritionist, joined the three presenters to talk about perimenopause, diet culture, body confidence, and what she called functional nutrition. The episode was provocatively named “The Weight Loss Drug Everyone’s Secretly Using.” Cates remained mostly silent about whether or not she had anything personal to contribute to that discussion.
In fact, that self-control is very Kelly Cates. She has worked in broadcasting for more than 20 years; in August 1998, she was one of the first two people to appear on Sky Sports News. She has always seemed more at ease posing questions than responding to them. She seems to prefer the work to speak for itself, which may be inherited from a father who managed Celtic and Liverpool without ever actively pursuing celebrity. Oversharing is not a trait of Sir Kenny Dalglish. It appears that neither is his oldest daughter.
Sustainable change, as opposed to drastic intervention, has been a recurring theme in the public discourse surrounding her transformation. Ruth Wood’s advice on the podcast focused on nutrition as a long-term strategy, not restriction or crash dieting, but rather knowing how food affects mood, energy, and mental clarity. To be honest, it’s still unclear if Cates directly applied those ideas to her own life. She hasn’t verified a particular program, a method, or a striking before-and-after. It’s possible that the change took place over several months in a slow, almost silent manner.
There’s something subtly intriguing about a woman navigating what seems like a major personal reset while simultaneously taking on the largest role of her career. After divorcing her husband Tom Cates in 2021, rumors surfaced in early 2026 that she was completely reestablishing her social life, which by October 2026 included a relationship with her own Match of the Day co-host Mark Chapman. At this point in her life, the personal and professional have become oddly entwined.
Leading a program like Match of the Day, which has millions of viewers and is analyzed online minutes after it airs, comes with a certain level of visibility. Female presenters are not always treated kindly on British television, and male and female hosts are rarely subjected to the same level of scrutiny regarding appearance. It’s difficult to ignore the fact that Cates’ appearance has dominated discussions about her. She is astute, methodical, and obviously skilled at her work. However, the public’s attention appears to have been drawn to the weight loss narrative rather than the broadcasting career.
Kelly Cates has some control over what her transformation truly signifies, whether it’s a conscious health choice, a reaction to a changing life, or just something that occurred as part of a larger personal transition. And maybe that’s reasonable. She has earned the right to privacy.
FAQs
1. How much weight did Kelly Cates lose?
She lost approximately 10 kg (22 lbs), dropping from 69.7 kg to 59.7 kg.
2. What dress size did Kelly Cates go from and to?
She went from a size 12 down to a size 8.
3. Did Kelly Cates reveal her exact weight loss method?
No specific programme, diet, or intervention has been publicly confirmed by her.
4. When did Kelly Cates join Match of the Day?
She was confirmed as co-host in January 2025, replacing Gary Lineker.
5. Has Kelly Cates spoken publicly about weight loss drugs?
Her podcast discussed the topic with a nutritionist, but she shared nothing personal.
