Sky Sports football presenter Richard Keys resigns over role in sexism scandal
By ANIThursday, January 27, 2011
LONDON - Sky Sports football presenter Richard Keys has resigned from his 500,000 pounds-a-year job over the sexism scandal after admitting that he had behaved in a ‘prehistoric’ way towards women.
Keys had earlier made a public apology for his derogatory comments about female Premier League match official Sian Massey and West Ham United executive Karren Brady.
The 53-year-old’s resignation comes a day after Sky Sports sacked their primary football pundit Andy Gray from his 1.7 million pounds-a-year job after a fresh tape emerged of his sexist behaviour.
“I am deeply sorry for my remarks and for the offence they’ve caused. It was wrong and should not have happened. I have thought long and hard and have reached the decision that it is time to move on,” the Daily Mail quoted Keys, as saying.
“Going forward without Andy would have been almost impossible. I am and will remain proud of our work with football at Sky Sports and grateful to the many people who have worked with me, and wish Sky Sports continued success,” he added.
Sky Sports had terminated Gray’s contract for “unacceptable and offensive behaviour” after a video clip emerged online showing him making more lewd comments about women.
Keys, who has been the face of Sky Sports’ football coverage for 20 years, and Gray were originally suspended after they were recorded making sexist remarks off-air about Massey before the Premier League game between Wolverhampton and Liverpool on Saturday.
Further evidence then emerged of Gray making suggestive remarks to co-host Charlotte Jackson and Keys talking about an ex-girlfriend of Jamie Redknapp in deeply misogynist terms. (ANI)
