Kelly Cates: The Road To Match of the Day
Season 3 | Episode 1 – Places She Shapes with Zoe Smeeth
What does it take to step into one of the biggest jobs in British broadcasting, with the whole country watching?
Kelly Cates spent nine years honing her craft at Sky Sports News, made a leap into the unknown at 30 with no job to go to, and built a career defined by preparation, self-belief, and knowing when to just say yes. Then came Match of the Day.
In this episode, Kelly talks about the screen test, the senior director who quietly cleared obstacles she didn’t even know were there, and the mantra that got her through her first night presenting one of the most iconic programmes on British television. She is honest about what women in broadcasting still face, why confidence matters more than competence, and what emotionally intelligent leadership looks like in practice.
Kelly’s episode is the perfect way to open Season 3.
🎧 Now streaming on all podcast platforms: https://pod.link/1812292057
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