The BBC is denying reports of a row over who will replace Gary Lineker as presenter of Match of the Day.
The corporation issued a statement amid claims Mark Chapman has refused a job share with sports presenter Kelly Somers.
The 51-year-old, nicknamed Chappers, is currently host of Match of the Day 2 and the bookies’ favourite to replace Lineker.
But The Sun reports he has declined new director of BBC Sport Alex Kay-Jelski’s offer to freshen up the show with a cast of rotating presenters.
Chapman was recently named frontman for the broadcaster’s Champions League highlights show.
Somers, 33, is in the frame after her impressive Euros coverage this summer.
She became the sixth woman to present an edition of MOTD in 2020 and in recent years she has worked for Premier League Productions, the BBC’s Final Score, talk-SPORT, West Ham United and the Women's Football League Show.
Lineker, 63, will step down from hosting the BBC’s flagship football programme at the end of this season after 25 years.
He was open to staying on at MOTD but was not offered a new deal despite volunteering to take a mammoth pay cut of £350,000-a-year from his current £1.35 million salary.
But the former England striker has agreed in principle to anchor the BBC’s FA Cup coverage in 2025 and 2026, along with the next World Cup.
A source told The Sun: “As soon as Gary’s deal was done, Alex made it clear he wanted Mark and Kelly to replace him.
“It would effectively be a job share and they would rotate hosting duties between them.
“Mark has made it clear within the team at MOTD that this isn’t something he would want to do.
“He doesn’t want a job share, he wants Gary's role as his own, which is understandable.
“It’s a headache for the BBC because they thought they'd found an easy solution.
“It’s back to the drawing board and negotiations are ongoing.”
When approached by the Standard, a BBC source denied there is any row.
The insider said the corporation is only at the beginning in terms of MOTD’s future and there is bound to be all sorts of speculation and lots of views.
“But the notion of there being some sort of argument on the day we announced an extension for Gary just isn’t the case,” they said.
Another favourite is Football Focus star Alex Scott, 40, who enjoyed a successful playing career with Arsenal and England before moving into broadcasting after her retirement in 2017.
Fans prefer Gabby Logan, 51, who has presented MOTD in Lineker’s absence on many occasions in the past and fronted the BBC’s coverage as the Lionesses stormed to glory in the Women’s Euros in 2023.
A BBC spokesman said: “Future plans for MOTD will be announced in due course.”
