NEW Match of the Day hosts Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates will make their debut on Celebrity Gogglebox this week.
The sports presenters will put their upcoming work rivalry aside when they slouch on Chapman’s sofa to watch some of the nation’s favourite shows.
Chapman and Cates were announced as Gary Lineker’s Match of the Day replacements in January, with Gabby Logan making up the new-look trio.
But Logan won’t be tagging along to Chapman’s gaff with Cates for the National Award-winning Channel 4 show on Friday night at 9pm.
Lineker’s BBC exit has sparked a battle between his three successors over who will lead the World Cup coverage, SunSport exclusively revealed.
Insiders said that the three also be competing to take the main presenting job for next year’s FA Cup Final.
But Chapman, 51, and Cates, 49, will clearly compete on friendly terms, having signed up to join a star-studded Celebrity Gogglebox crew.
In a video to confirm their appearance on the show, Chapman said: “Hi it’s Mark and Kelly here. We are on Gogglebox on Friday and we’ve never watched telly together, have we?”
To which Cates said while laughing: “No, we’ve been on telly together but we’ve never actually watched anything we’ve done.”
And Chapman joked: “I invite Kelly around all the time but she always refuses. She’s hit the snacks already. Go on stuff your face.”
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Cates initially cut in-between saying: “I refuse [to come round] for obvious reasons”, before admitting to having “a peanut stuck in her teeth.”
The pair aren’t the only sporting faces to join the hit Channel 4 show.
The Sun revealed that darts sensation and world champion Luke Littler will be pairing up with close pal and popular internet personality, AngryGinge on Friday.
It is yet another foray into the TV world for Luke who has seen his stardom rise over the past 18 months to become one of the country’s most talked-about sportsmen.
Olympics and Wimbledon host Clare Balding and her partner Alice will be back on Gogglebox, with reality TV star Jamie Laing pairing up with social media comedian Munya Chawawa.
Meanwhile Lineker, 64, confirmed The Sun’s story about his departure — announcing he was leaving the BBC early following an anti-Semitism row.
It scuppered plans for Mark, Gabby and Kelly to have supporting roles alongside him at his swansong during next summer’s World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
