Incoming Match of the Day host Kelly Cates has a “zero tolerance policy” on social media and “blocks everyone” who doesn't meet that standard.
The highly regarded broadcaster, daughter of Liverpool legend Sir Kenny Dalglish, will head to the BBC at the end of the season following the departure of Gary Lineker.
The news of Lineker's departure, while shocking to some fans, was not a surprise to others, given his recent history of open tweets and on-screen comments.
From his views on Brexit and discussions with MPs to a row over breaking the BBC's advertising rules, the 63-year-old, who has led the show for 26 years, did not shy away from expressing his opinions or interacting with his detractors on social networks.
That doesn't appear to be a problem for Cates, who will leave his role at Sky Sports at the end of the season to be part of the three-man Match of the Day team, as he revealed his strict practice on social media.
“I'm a huge blocker,” he professed on Overlap's podcast series “Not Just Football.” 'I just block everyone and sometimes I block, in fact, sometimes I don't, I block people who are mean to other people.
Kelly Cates has revealed how she handles social media before starting as a Match of the Day presenter.
The experienced announcer will replace Gary Lineker at the end of the season, who will leave the program after 26 years at the helm
'Or if I just don't like their tone, I block them. I block everyone and say “they're a little sarcastic” so I block them everywhere I go.
“On every platform I've been on I have a zero tolerance policy.”
Last month, Mail Sport revealed Cates would be part of the show's new presenting line-up following Lineker's departure.
Cates is expected to join fellow broadcasters Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan, with presenting duties for Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2 split between the three.
Sky bosses are understood to be deeply saddened by the loss of the 49-year-old.
Cates' smooth presentation of Sky's coverage of the Premier League and his previous experience with the BBC clearly worked in his favour.
Presenting regularly on Radio 5 Live, he used to present 606 and his arrival will be seen as a big coup, especially given the increase in the number of live matches on Sky next season.
It is understood that the three are already close and hope to work together. They are a similar age and have developed over a similar period of time.
Cates will be part of a three-person team alongside Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan (above)
Mail Sport broke the news exclusively before Cates presented Sky Sports' Super Sunday show
In Chapman's case, sharing the role allows him to continue his radio work for the BBC, which he is passionate about.
Those who know them say that the group is humble and that there are no problems sharing the spotlight. In fact, the format seems to suit everyone involved well.
Lineker, for his part, will leave at the end of the campaign, ending more than a quarter of a century with the station. His public image in recent years has often overshadowed his hosting role, with a series of high-profile exchanges.
Perhaps the most notable came in March 2023, when Lineker compared the language used by then-Interior Minister Suella Braverman to describe the small boat crisis as “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 1930s. ..”
It came after Lineker shared a video online of Ms Braverman describing the illegal immigration bill, with the comment: “OMG, this is beyond horrible.”
After the tweet, he was accused of being out of order. The former England star defended himself, saying: “There is not a huge influx. We accept far fewer refugees than other major European countries.
“This is simply an immensely cruel policy aimed at the most vulnerable people in language no different than that used by Germany in the 1930s, and am I off base?”
The comments outraged Conservative MPs who accused the presenter of an “extraordinary and outrageous insult”.
This led to Lineker being suspended as Match of the Day presenter, leading to a massive refusal among BBC football experts to appear on any of the corporation's programming.
After the presenter was taken off the air, the BBC led by Tim Davie was forced into a humiliating relegation following a day's match that featured only a few minutes of Premier League highlights, with no music, comments or link sequences.
Lineker returned to screens the following weekend, along with the rest of the BBC football team.