View Full Version : Andy Gray
TV soccer pundit Andy Gray was sacked yesterday over a SECOND sexist episode in which he asked presenter Charlotte Jackson to tuck a microphone into his trousers.
Gray - already in trouble for mocking a lineswoman - was axed from his £1.7million-a-year Sky Sports job :eek: after a video of the incident appeared online.
The balding Sky Sports soccer pundit tugged open the waistband of his trousers as he fitted a microphone on himself during a rehearsal.
And he asked his fellow presenter: "Charlotte, can you tuck this down here for me, love?"
When embarrassed Charlotte ignored him, he laughed and repeated his indecent proposal: "Tuck that in for me, would you?"
Sky chiefs terminated Gray's contract yesterday afternoon soon after a clip of his crude request - posted on YouTube - was brought to their attention.
The former Scottish international striker, 55, got the red card 24 hours after he was hauled off the telly for mocking lineswoman Sian Massey.
The Sun
What an idiot
tammyy2j
26-01-2011, 10:09
Didnt he make racist comments before about a footballer on ITV I think and he was sacked there also?
He is an idiot
No, that was Ron Atkinson in 2004
What a fuss over nothing. These were private remarks made between two people. They were not broadcast. Im sure we all make remarks about referees parentage and their apparent poor eyesight when watching football and other sports. These are the sort of remarks heard in every pub when a match is being played. As for the remark about asking Charlotte Jackson to tuck his microphone cable in whilst it wasnt the most tactful thing to say it was only said as a bit of banter amongst work colleagues. I have worked in environments where I have been the only male and have had much worse said to me. Its PC gone mad.
Chloe O'brien
26-01-2011, 10:49
Andy Gray was always a bit of a sexist pig when he played football as well as his time on Skysports. When are people who work in television going to learn to keep their comments to themselves when microphones are around. what he said is no different to what countless other men have said about females but they say it away from the public hearing it. Females can be just as bad with sexist comments about men and I wouldn't be surprised if sooner or later a female working in media is caught out. There are rumours flying around that it was a stitch up to get rid of Andy and maybe Richard as well. If this is true why didn't sky not renew their contract in the summer before the football season started.
tammyy2j
26-01-2011, 11:10
Richard at least apologised to the "lines" lady but Andy didnt I think
Chloe O'brien
26-01-2011, 11:16
What Alan said about PC gone mad is true I work in engineering with around 30 men and I must have heard almost every sexist joke going, and I've given a few myself. If I was to report every comment there's quite a number who would be on the dole by now. The thing is these bafoons who work in media don't think before they open their mouths and let their belly rumbles. I think Richard will go this week and that will be their careers over, no other tv station will touch them.
Its a bit much Sky sacking them. This is the same Sky TV which owns The Sun and News of the World and publish scantily clad women at every opportuity..
I appreciate that the comments were not meant for broadcast, and that anything they did say is no worse than you would hear from a lot of folk in male (or female) dominated industries - but that doesn't make it right.
Andy should have apologised, he was slagging of the girl's professional ability based on her gender and that is not acceptable.
That said, a warning and temporary suspension should have been enough, and using footage that was filmed prior to the warning to trigger the dismissal seems unfair.
Alan should have apologised, .
Why what have I done now!!!!! :)
Sorry! Typo - I shouldn't be doing this when I am working - I am using two lap tops at once and getting all confused.
(And you know that it was a typo!)
Why what have I done now!!!!! :)
Alan.. it is just a precaution.. you should just apologise at the beginning of the day for stuff you may or may not say..
I should probably try that too!
Might be quite liberating..
Sorry! Typo - I shouldn't be doing this when I am working - I am using two lap tops at once and getting all confused.
(And you know that it was a typo!)
Alan.. it is just a precaution.. you should just apologise at the beginning of the day for stuff you may or may not say..
As that other great Irishman Oscar Wilde said ''There is only one thing worse than being talked about and that is Not being talked about''
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxXW6tfl2Y0
im glad hes been sacked not because of the comments as it is a bit over the top pc wise but i can understand why they have done it but more the fact i wont have to put up with his awful biased commentary when trying to enjoy wathcing the football on the telly! I cant bear him, i hve to mute the tv and make my own commentary, he is absolutly hopeless and as for that wage, well the world really has gone mad!
Now if we could only get a couple of recordings of Jeremy Guscott speaking out of turn then we wouldnt have to listen to his BS in the upcoming six nations
Sacked football pundit Andy Gray plans to sue Sky Sports for £3 million for unfair dismissal and breach of contract, it has been claimed.
According to The Mirror, the ex-footballer was with his legal team yesterday discussing a possible lawsuit against his former employer after he was fired following off-air sexist comments he had made in discussion with presenter Richard Keys.
It is claimed that Gray is seeking payment for the remainder of his contract, believed to be in the region of £1.7 million a year.
Gray yesterday issued a statement through his lawyers Schillings, which read: "I am very sorry that certain comments made by me have caused offence. Such comments were made off-air to work colleagues, and were of course never intended to be broadcast.
"I was very upset when the comments were brought to my attention, and it was my intention to apologise on Monday night when I was back on air for the Bolton v Chelsea game.
"Sadly I was unable to do so as I was suspended from the show by Sky Sports and have now been sacked. Football is my life and I am devastated by losing the job that I love. I am equally upset that third parties have been dragged into this issue."
A source added: "He feels very down and a little embarrassed about everything. Exactly how you'd feel if you had just been sacked from a job you loved. It doesn't feel like he got a second chance or was allowed to apologise."
Keys yesterday quit his job at Sky Sports for his own comments about female assistant referee Sian Massey, adding that "going forward without Andy would have been almost impossible".
Can they only sack him if the girl in question made a complaint??? I know in a lot of companies if you say something that cause offense to another they have the right to sue and have you sacked. If the girl in question didn't make any allegations then I don't think they can sack him on the basis of something said off air
i think he was sacked because after the lineswoman incident all these other incidents came to light, as far as im aware it wasnt just on the one time. Im not to hot on employment law.
Chloe O'brien
28-01-2011, 10:48
Although his comments were out of line. I can't help but think he may have a claim to sue Sky. If those comments were made by David Beckham would their be the same uproar. I very much doubt this. What Andy said to that girl about the microphone has probably been said a number of times to females on a daily basis, but I think it's how it's said and who says it. If David and Jamie Redknapp were having a banter about their wives would they be sacked? I would like to know who was the person who posted the footage on Youtube and why they did it? Have they a gripe with Andy or have they been asked to find an excuse to get rid of him.
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