Mark Chapman
Chapman in 2013
Born
Mark Andrew Chapman

(1973-10-11) 11 October 1973
Rochdale, Lancashire, England
Years active1996–present
Spouse
Sara Chapman
​
​
(m. 2001; died 2020)​
Children3
Career
ShowMasters Tournament
Super Bowl
The NFL Show/NFL This Week
FIFA World Cup
UEFA European Championship
Summer Olympic Games
EFL Cup
Rugby League World Cup
Challenge Cup
Match of the Day 2
5 live Sport
Sports Report
Station(s)BBC
Sky Sports
StyleSports presenter
CountryUnited Kingdom

Mark Andrew Chapman (nicknamed Chappers) (born 11 October 1973) is a British television and radio sports presenter. He is BBC Sports' chief rugby league presenter, fronting BBC's coverage of the Rugby League World Cup and RFL Challenge Cup matches.[1] He also does significant football coverage, presenting Match of the Day 2 on BBC One and Sky Sports' coverage of the EFL Cup.[2] He also hosts Sports Report on BBC 5 Live, one of the longest-running programmes on British radio, and the world's longest-running sports radio programme, plus The Monday Night Club.[3]

Early life

Chapman was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, but spent most of his youth in Sale on the other side of the city of Manchester. He attended Manchester Grammar School, and during his time there developed an interest in radio, wanting to work for Radio 1 from the age of 13. He went on to gain a degree in French and Business Studies from the University of Hull.[4][5]

Broadcasting career

Chapman began his career in 1996 as a continuity announcer on BBC Television, primarily working on BBC Two, before becoming the cricket correspondent for BBC North East radio.[6]

Chapman then joined BBC Radio 1 as a Newsbeat sportsreader working on Sara Cox's show and later on Scott Mills's show, where he was nicknamed Chappers, before joining BBC Radio 5 Live to host 5 live Sport on Monday evenings in 2010.[7] Between 2009 and 2013, Chapman was the main stand in presenter on Final Score, Match of the Day 2 and other BBC Sport programmes as well as co-hosting Pardon The Interruption and live football events on ESPN. Following the departure of Colin Murray, Chapman became the main host of Match of the Day 2 in August 2013.[8][3] 2013 also saw Chapman promoted to BBC Sports' chief rugby league presenter ahead of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, fronting the BBC's coverage tournament.[9]

In August 2016, Chapman replaced Mark Pougatch as the main presenter of 5 live Sport on Saturday afternoons, and he continues to host the Monday evening edition of the programme alongside other midweek shows.[3] In 2016, he became the presenter of The NFL Show and NFL This Week, with Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell. He left the show in November 2020.[10] In 2017, he fronted BBC's coverage of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.[11]

In May 2022, in addition to his work with the BBC, it was announced that Chapman had joined Sky Sports to present its coverage of the Carabao Cup.[12]

In September 2022, Chapman was announced as the BBC's main presenter their coverage of the of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, fronting the coverage for a third consecutive tournament.[1]

Career

Chapman became Chair of the Board for the Manchester Originals cricket team for The Hundred in July 2021.[13]

In November 2022, Chapman extended his sports portfolio to become Non-Executive Director at Vanarama National League team, Altrincham Football Club.

Charitable work

In March 2008, Chapman and Comedy Dave ran a mile at all 20 English Premier League clubs and the 12 Scottish Premier League clubs.[14] In the same year, he also completed the London Marathon for children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent; repeating the feat in 2010. In 2012, Chapman was part of a team that cycled from Land's End to John o' Groats in aid of the Donna Louise Children's Hospice Trust in Stoke-on-Trent.[6]

Writing

Chapman wrote a regular column for Shoot Monthly magazine. In 2010, he released his first book, entitled Heroes, Hairbands and Hissy Fits: Chappers' History of Modern Football, in which he gives a harsh critique of modern football and players both professional and part-time.

Personal life

Chapman married his wife Sara in 2001. They lived in Hale, Greater Manchester until her death in 2020 after a long battle with cancer. They had three children together - Ben, Jessie and Millie.[15]

Chapman is a Manchester United football fan. He is also a fan of Hull F.C. owing to his time at university in Hull. Chapman is a fan of the Chicago Bears in the NFL.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 https://www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2022/bbc-to-broadcast-every-rugby-league-world-cup-game
  2. ↑ "Broadcaster Mark Chapman to join Sky Sports to present the Carabao Cup". Sky Group. 12 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Chapman, Mark (10 August 2019). "The joy (and the jokes) of the Premier League weekend". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  4. ↑ "Sports presenter Mark Chapman on the Premier League, celebrities and taking over Match of the Day 2". The Independent. 14 September 2013.
  5. ↑ "Chappers and Dave". Unofficial Mills. Jono Read. 2007. Archived from the original on 26 January 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2007.
  6. 1 2 Rider Profile: Mark Chapman This is Staffordshire, 1 June 2012
  7. ↑ ""Mark Chapman: 'Alan Shearer's family get abuse for his punditry – it's weird"". The Guardian. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  8. ↑ "Bye Bye Chappers". BBC Radio 1. Retrieved 5 January 2011.
  9. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/rugbyleague/biogs/
  10. ↑ TVZone (18 November 2020). "MARK CHAPMAN STEPS DOWN FROM THE NFL SHOW AS DAN WALKER IS ANNOUNCED AS REPLACEMENT". TVZoneUK. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  11. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/rugby-league-world-cup
  12. ↑ "Broadcaster Mark Chapman to join Sky Sports to present the Carabao Cup". www.skygroup.sky. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  13. ↑ Steinberg, Rachel (15 July 2021). "BBC presenter Mark Chapman: we must stop unsavoury British 'pile-on' culture". WalesOnline. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "Radio 1's Sport Relief Challenge". BBC. March 2008.
  15. ↑ McKeegan, Alice (19 February 2013). "The BBC took me on because they were short of northern voices ...I think Salford is changing all that". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  16. ↑ "'You wanted to win so bad' - Osi & Jason troll Bears fan Chapman". BBC Sport. 9 January 2019.
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