Mark Chapman's 'tense' relationship with BBC Sport boss is a factor behind 'subdued' display on Match of the Day

He should be the happiest he's ever been as it was revealed he's dating his glamorous Match of the Day co-star, Kelly Cates.

But Mark Chapman appeared 'bored rigid' when hosting the BBC One commentary show on Saturday night as viewers poked fun at him claiming he looked like he was just 'counting down the days until he can collect his pension'.

As the show opened the Radio 5 presenter, affectionately known as Chappers, introduced his guests, former England stars, Martin Keown and Steph Houghton before kicking off the commentary for the Aston Villa v Manchester City game.

But his lacklustre expression and tone overshadowed the programme, say insiders on Match of the Day.

And sources say that a huge factor behind Chapman's miserable mood is his tense relationship with his boss, the BBC's director of sport, Alex Kay-Jelski.

Those familiar with the presenter say that Chapman 'can't stand' Kay Jelski, or how he runs the Beeb's sports department – particularly following the unpopular cuts he made to his team last month.

'Mark cannot stand Alex,' a source tells the Daily Mail. 'He doesn't like what he is doing with the whole sports set up.

'The cuts Alex has made have left a horrible atmosphere in the department, the production teams have been left devastated and Mark is fond of many of them.

'The behind the scenes misery has now spilled over to what happens in front of the camera.'

After 52 years, the BBC's Football Focus fronted by Alex Scott as the corporation makes a bid to save £500million by 2028.

Kay-Jelski, however, denied it was part of the money-saving scheme but instead part of 'the continued shift in how audiences engage with football and our commitment to evolving how we deliver content to reach fans wherever they are'.

But the BBC has been battered by ongoing cuts as earlier this week bosses at the Beeb announced 100 redundancies from BBC News and the move of BBC Scotland and BBC Three to online only.

Staff fear 'the worst is yet to come' as leaders also discussed merging CBBC with the other children's network, CBeebies but bosses dismissed the idea because they did not wish to call into question the corporation's commitment to kids' public service media.

Along with Ms Cates and Gabby Logan, Chapman replaced Gary Lineker as the host of the football show in August 2025.

The trio was chosen by Kay Jelski but despite him giving Chapman the opportunity, he still 'hates' him, according to MotD sources.

The strained relations led to widespread criticism across social media on Saturday night.

One user wrote: ' Football is supposed to be fun. For God's sake, can somebody tell Match of the Day?

'Just look at the way Mark Chapman opens the show. Flat. Lifeless. Almost uninterested.

'Watching Match of the Day these days is like observing a post-mortem conducted by a forensic pathologist who regretted his career choice years ago and is now just counting down the days until he can collect his pension.

'His dry, bored, dead-eyed delivery is sucking the life out of a programme devoted to a sport that should be anything but lifeless.'

Another viewer simply added: 'Like a lot of things in modern football Match of the Day has died a long and painful death.'

After Chapman split from his Dubai-based estate agent girlfriend of three years, Clere Collier, in April he and his new co-host Ms Cates are said to have grown closer during their time in Atlanta at the football World Cup this summer, while covering England's ill-fated semi-final against Argentina, that sparks really flew.

Last Sunday, Ms Cates, 51, was seen being picked up from Chapman's Manchester home last Sunday morning with a suitcase following them being spotted walking into work at Media City, Salford, the day before.