This week, TV pundit and former footballer, Gary Lineker, made headlines as his criticism of the UK government via Twitter saw him ‘taking a step back’ from his BBC role. While the Lineker saga has certainly caused a stir, he’s by no means alone when it comes to sports pundits getting into hot water and, in this article, we’ll be looking at others who have fallen foul of guidelines over the years.
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The Sky Bet Scandal
In the run up to Euro 2020 (which was held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), Sky Bet ran a ramped up campaign which featured high profile names, including some BBC and ITV football pundits. The campaign turned out to be an own goal for sport presenters Micah Richards, Gary Neville and Roy Keane after the campaign was accused of ‘normalising betting for the next generation’.
The campaign, which was viewed by over six million people, showed these famous faces enjoying a road trip to Wembley while discussing odds and predictions for the tournament. Gambling campaigner and MP, Carolyn Harris, said of the campaign, ‘They are all respected and have a high profile.
Their presence normalises gambling for those who haven’t gambled and gives permission to those with a disordered gambling problem to do something which is destroying their lives’.
The Marv Albert Scandal
Marv Albert was a much loved NBC presenter in the USA and enjoyed considerable career success – and a salary to match. All of that screeched to a halt in 1997 when he was accused of sexually assaulting a 42 year old woman by the name of Vanessa Perhach in a hotel room in Pentagon City.
Albert was fired by the network but rehired less than two years later after all charges in the case against him were dropped.
Frank Bough – The Repeat Offender
Frank Bough was one of the UK’s most popular TV presenters and was known as the face of Grandstand, the country’s leading football program on TV. Known for his cosy sweaters and ‘uncle like’ personality, Frank was a stalwart of British television and much loved by viewers.
In 1988, however, Frank’s reputation was shattered when it emerged that he was embroiled in London’s seedy underworld of sex and drugs; with reports that he was in the habit of taking cocaine and wearing women’s lingerie at secret sex parties.
After being fired from his BBC Sport job, Frank issued a public apology and was then hired by ITV where he presented sports and current affairs programs. Unfortunately, this second chance didn’t last long and, in 1992, the News of The World ran a story which claimed that Bough had been seen visited prostitutes in a ‘torture chamber’.
This was the last straw for Frank Bough’s career and he vanished from public life until his death from cancer in 2020.
Pierre Menes
Known for his outspoken style, French football pundit, Pierre Menes was described as ‘TV Gold’ by his employer, Canal Plus, but that reputation was tarnished after a number of female colleagues came forward to accuse the presenter of sexual harassment.
Menes didn’t help himself when, in response to an accusation that he lifted a colleague’s skirt and groped her, he calmly said that he did lift her skirt but was innocent of groping.
He also issued what many felt was an insincere apology to his 2.5 million viewers, saying, ‘“I have caused pain and trouble to friends without ever intending to do so directly or indirectly”. Shockingly, the presenter – who was also accused of making racist comments – was not sacked by Canal Plus, however, he left the network under a cloud in 2021 after a damning documentary about him hit the air.
Many, however, feel that, while he may have lost his career, he was lucky to avoid legal action at a time when the #MeToo movement is sweeping the globe.
The Gavin Peacock Scandal
Known for his strong religious beliefs, Gavin Peacock was a former footballer for a number of clubs including Chelsea and Newcastle United and, on retirement, forged a new career as a TV football pundit on programmes such as Match of The Day and Football Focus.
In 2008, Peacock became a Christian Minister and moved, with his family, to Canada where he continued his sports TV career.
Unfortunately, Gavin’s views on religion and marriage turned out to be a match made in hell after he tweeted, ‘Wives: one of the primary ways you are to respect your husband is by gladly submitting to and encouraging his leadership’. Needless to say, his comments were condemned by his current and former colleagues as well as TV networks.
The World Cup Ticket Scandal
Robbie Earle enjoyed a modestly successful career as a footballer with Port Vale and Premier League team, Wimbledon and, after retiring from the game in 2000, quickly found work as a key member of ITV’s Champions League live coverage team.
Earle remained a respected ITV pundit until 2010 when it emerged that he had given away a staggering 400 World Cup tickets to a third party – an act which went against FIFA’s guidelines.
Despite rumours that he had been given the tickets by ITV, the network sacked him almost immediately and, suddenly becoming ‘person non grata’ in the UK, he made his way to the USA and became a regular on NBCSN’s Premier League coverage team.
The Bad Taste Scandal
While not the highest profile presenter on TV, Rodney Marsh was a much respected pundit on Sky Sports; often taking part in the immensely popular Soccer Saturday Show.
A former player for Manchester City and Queens Park Ranger, Marsh was a favourite with viewers and colleagues alike, appearing on TV for over 11 years. Sadly, this career screeched to a halt in 2005 following a poorly judged joke regarding the devastating tsunami in Asia.
During a SKy Sports phone-in, fans – and his bosses – were shocked when Rodney quipped that, ‘David Beckham has turned down a move to Newcastle United because of trouble with the Toon Army in Asia’. Marsh was sacked from the show with immediate effect, after which, most regular networks refused to touch him. His last known work was as co-host of Grumpy Pundits on an American radio show called ‘Sirius’.
On the spot and off the air
For many former sports people, a move to the world of TV sports presenting is a lucrative way of staying connected to the sport that they so love and, over the years, many have enjoyed long and unblemished roles in this sector.
Unfortunately, as we’ve shown in this article, punditry is a house of cards which can be brought tumbling by an ill judged comment or dubious action – such is the world of popular television. As we wait to see how the Gary Lineker scandal shakes out, we can be sure that other presenters will be watching their Ps and Qs more closely than ever before.