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Gabby Logan left Match Of The Day mid-show on Wednesday night due to a 'family emergency' which was later revealed to be the death of her father Terry Yorath.
It was confirmed hours later, on Thursday morning that Leeds and Wales football legend Yorath has died at the age of 75 after a short illness.
Speaking on behalf of the family, his children said: 'To most he was a revered footballing hero, but to us he was Dad; a quiet, kind and gentle man.
'Our hearts are broken but we take comfort knowing that he will be reunited with our brother, Daniel.'
Gabby's younger brother, Daniel, tragically died at age 15 in 1992 from an undiagnosed genetic heart condition, while playing football with his father.
Terry Yorath scored 11 goals in 199 appearances for Leeds, his first professional club, in a nine-year spell from 1967.
He then signed for Coventry City and later played for Tottenham Hotspur, the Vancouver Whitecaps and Bradford City, before seeing out his career with a single appearance for Swansea City.
Gabby Loganleft Match Of The Day mid-show on Wednesday night due to a 'family emergency' which was later revealed to be the death of her father Terry Yorath (seen earlier in the show)
Terry and Gabby on her wedding day where she married Kenny Logan
Gabby, 52, was replaced during Wednesday's live broadcast by Mark Chapman, who dashed over from his radio programme to take her place as the show's anchor.
He had also been at the BBC studios, presenting on Radio 5 Live at the time, when he was called over last-minute to replace Gabby, 20 minutes into the episode.
Seamlessly taking up the hosting reins, Mark told viewers: 'So we'll talk about that game in a moment. Sadly Gabby has got a family emergency that she's had to rush off and deal with.
'So she's gone to do that and I've come from the radio to finish the show.'
Match Of The Day viewers took to social media to wish Gabby well and commend Mark on his ability to take over at a moment's notice.
They said: 'Hope Gabby Logan's family emergency is ok. Chappers is such a talent how many people could jump off radio and straight onto MOTD';
'Thoughts with Gabby Logan with whatever's happened there. Mark Chapman out of breath running from the radio to take over is crazy. Peak professionalism';
'Hope Gabby Logan's family emergency isn't too serious. Never seen a host have to leave halfway through MOTD before';
Yorath scored 11 goals in 199 appearances for Leeds, his first professional club, in a nine-year spell from 1967 (pictured in 1973)
Gabby opened the show before setting up the first highlights package, which was Bournemouth vs Tottenham.
She was joined by Danny Murphy and Stephen Warnock for the opening as they watched and then discussed Tottenham's 3-2 loss at Bournemouth.
She referenced the tragic passing of Martin Chivers while presenting the highlights of the latest Premier League action.
After analysing Spurs' defeat, Gabby then previewed highlights of Man City's 1-1 draw with Brighton by saying: 'Let's move on. Back-to-back draws had left Manchester City six points behind Arsenal, who play Liverpool tomorrow.
'Opponents Brighton have never won at the Etihad. Your commentator is Mark Scott...'
However, by the end of the highlights Gabby had unexpectedly left her post, with the camera returning to the studio to reveal Mark in her place.
Gabby has previously suffered great tragedy in her family, after the death of her younger brother Daniel, when he was just 15 years old.
The aspiring footballer suddenly collapsed and died in 1992 after playing football in the garden with their father.
The TV presenter, 52, was replaced mid-show by Mark Chapman (pictured), who dashed over from his radio programme to take her place as the show's anchor
Match Of The Day viewers have since rushed to social media to wish Gabby well and commend Mark on his ability to take over at a moment's notice
Daniel - who was four years younger than Gabby - was later revealed to have died without warning as a result of an undiagnosed heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - where the heart becomes thickened without an obvious cause.
Gabby has spoke openly about how the devastating loss 'defined her youth' and that even more than three decades later she and her family are still coming to terms with the 'ramifications'.
'It was absolutely cataclysmic. It was like a sledgehammer coming down and shattering the family into a million pieces,' she told The Game Changers podcast.
She continued: 'Even if someone dies suddenly at 78 it feels young but they are 78, when a child dies so young obviously there is such a fallout among the whole family.
'It defined the rest of our youth and has defined how the family has gone on from those years and it leaves its mark in many ways.
'It was a really hard time for everybody and to this day the ramifications are still there.'
After welcoming her own children, Gabby also revealed how her brother's sudden passing at 15 caused her to worry for her son Reuben, in the lead-up to his 16th birthday, because she had 'a fear I was going to repeat history.'
She added: 'Even a few years afterwards I could find myself sobbing. When I started working in football I used to be obsessed with dates of players’ births because they would be Daniel’s age. And I knew he might be playing in that match.
Gabby Logan with her father Terry Yorath in 1998, launching a heart disease screening drive
Gabby has previously suffered great tragedy in her family, after the tragic death of her younger brother Daniel, when he was just 15 years old (pictured together with their sister Louise)
'You wonder, "What kind of player would he have been?" I wonder if he’d have had a girlfriend by now, or met somebody he wanted to marry, or now I wonder if he’d have children.'
The former rhythmic gymnast is mother to twins Reuben and Lois, 20, with her husband and former Scotland rugby player Kenny Logan, 53.
Gabby and Kenny have spoken publicly about having a difficult time in recent years, after Kenny was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022.
He was inspired to go for a general check up after hearing guests on Gabby's podcast discuss having their hormones tested, and was shown to have a high level of PSA - prostate-specific antigen.
Gabby and Kenny have said that the sportsman was 'extremely lucky' they caught it early, which afforded him options regarding treatment.
The former rhythmic gymnast is mother to twins Reuben and Lois, 20, with her husband and former Scotland rugby player Kenny Logan, 53 (pictured together)
The couple have spoken publicly about having a difficult time in recent years, after Kenny was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022 (seen together in June last year)
After undergoing a successful operation to remove his prostate, he received the all-clear in 2023, but has been candid about the after-effects, explaining how treatment left him 'black and blue downstairs' and struggling with erectile dysfunction.
Gabby previously broke down in tears as she recalled some of the 'really invasive' treatments her husband had to have, including six stab wounds in his torso.
'It's horrible to see him in the pain he was afterwards, it's a horrible thing to go through but he's doing really really well now,' she said during an appearance on the Diary of a CEO podcast in 2022.
She added: 'He's just great, I'm very lucky. He's a great man and I couldn't ever wish for anybody to have shared my life with, who is better.'
Gabby previously broke down in tears as she recalled some of the 'really invasive' treatments her husband had to have, including six stab wounds in his torso
Logan represented Great Britain in rhythmic gymnastics before moving into the television world.
She started presenting on Sky Sports in 1996 before moving to ITV and fronting their Champions League coverage.
Logan joined the BBC in 2006, hosting Final Score and athletics programming including multiple Olympic Games' - also co-hosting Sports Personality of the Year.
She was named as one of the trio of presenters to replace Lineker after the veteran broadcaster called time on the role following 26 years in the chair.
