About this episode

Kelly Cates discusses her career in sports broadcasting and her favorite books by female authors.

Award-winning football presenter and broadcaster Kelly Cates talks about finding new opportunities in midlife, her love for the way Marian Keyes captures female conversation and why deep down she is a terrible gossip. Kelly has been a familiar and much-loved face in sports broadcasting for over 27 years, covering everything from the Premier League to the World Cup and the Olympics. Known for her warmth, wit and sharp insight, she has become one of the most respected voices in football. A lifelong Liverpool fan, Kelly grew up in Southport as the daughter of football legend Kenny Dalglish, before going on to study Maths at the University of Glasgow. Since 2025, she has co-hosted Match of the Day alongside Gabby Logan and Mark Chapman, and she continues to balance an incredibly busy career with life in London, where she lives with her two daughters. Kelly’s book choices are: ** Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery ** Frederica by Georgette Heyer ** Heartburn by Nora Ephron ** The List by Yomi Adegoke ** Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes You can buy all books mentioned from our dedicated shelf on Bookshop.org – every purchase supports the work of the Women's Prize Trust and…

People in this episode

Host: Vick Hope

Guest: Kelly Cates

Topics covered

• midlife opportunities
• female authors
• sports broadcasting
• women in literature
• personal stories

Keywords

• Kelly Cates
• women's literature
• football broadcasting
• Marian Keyes
• midlife opportunities

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Women's Prize Trust, Bookshop.org

Books & works: Anne of Green Gables, Frederica, Heartburn, The List, Rachel’s Holiday

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