Sky Sports

SKY SPORTS presenters have bravely read out some of the horrific abuse they have faced online in a bid to combat trolls.
The broadcasting company shared a two-minute video of a host of their top talent recalling some of the worst abuse they’ve ever faced.

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Anna Woolhouse revealed the heartbreaking abuse she had suffered in a videoCredit: Sky Sports

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Natalie Pinkham also opened up about some abhorrent abuse she has sufferedCredit: Lee Thompson – The Sun

In a campaign called “Hate Won’t Stop Us”, the likes of Anna Woolhouse, Bryan Swanson and Alex Hammond opened up in a video which is truly difficult to watch.
Amongst the abuse, Kate Mason revealed she was told: “I hope you get Aids. S**g.”
Michelle Owen added: “I’ve been called a ‘dumb b***h’. I was told I’d got fat and put weight on while I was pregnant.”
Sky Sports News presenter Bryan Swanson revealed he was tweeted: “F*** off you chief, pig-faced c**t.”

NBA host Jaydee Dyer shared the vile racist abuse he faced, revealing he was called: “black c**t”.
Bela Shah confirmed it was mostly “racist or sexist”, while Laura Woods claimed: “I didn’t quite know how to process it.
“It was so abusive and so direct and hurtful… I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve it.”
Boxing presenter Woolhouse even revealed she was sent a truly shocking message regarding her brother, who tragically died in a bus crash in Malaysia in 2014.

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Laura Woods was amongst the Sky Sports stars to speak about the vile abuseCredit: Paul Edwards – The Sun

Through tears, she read: “That big, ugly grin… I hope you can join your brother in death soon.
“He probably killed himself trying to get away from you.”
Woolhouse was also told: “I love how you wear make-up, because you are so ugly without it.”
Natalie Pinkham shockingly revealed she had been called “n****r lover” in the heartbreaking video.
Pinkham also recalled how “one of her best friends took her life” due to a hate campaign.
The Sky Sports star may have been referring to Caroline Flack, who died in February.
Elsewhere in the heart-wrenching video, Dyer added he’d been sent banana emojis and gorilla emojis by sick trolls.
Woolhouse claimed no one would say such vile things to their face, while David Garrido admitted he’s “come to expect it” and is “used to it” now.
And they feared those who don’t have a thick skin like they’ve been forced to grow could be “irreparably damaged” by such abuse.

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Micah Richards admitted he had faced vile abuse but praised Sky Sports for their anti-trolling campaign
Sky Sports Premier League analyst Micah Richards added: “I have been a victim of racial abuse online as have so many others.
“It is horrible to receive and the negative impact such comments have can outweigh all the positive aspects of social media.
“These commitments are a positive step as large publishers like Sky Sports need to use their voice to address some of these issues, help educate and ultimately eradicate all forms of online abuse.”
Director of Sky Sports News and Digital Publishing Mark Alford said: “There is a small minority who use digital platforms to post hate, abuse and profanity against our content and our people.
“This needs to stop.
“We would like the major social media companies to do more to stop harmful content on their platforms.
“They have the best tools and visibility to act against abusive or hateful comments and owe a duty of care to their users.
“The onus should be on the social media platforms to behave like responsible publishers.
“We commit to making skysports.com free from abuse and will strive to make our channels on social media a safer space for all sports fans.”

Question of Sport presenter Alex Scott posts football diversity poem after abuse from sick racist trolls over her new job More

MICAH RICHARDS nearly missed his shift on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football after getting stuck in his changing room for 90 MINUTES.
The former Manchester City star, 32, was part of a three-man punditry team for his old team’s trip to Wolves on Monday evening.

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Micah Richards only just made his MNF shift after being locked in his dressing room for 90 minutes

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Richards dashed on to the set adjusting his outfit with seconds to spare

But with just seconds to go before going on air, David Jones and Jamie Carragher were left staring at an empty seat.
In the nick of time, Richards came storming on to the set and took his place on the spare seat, adjusting his clothes to get camera-ready.
And the former defender has now taken to Twitter to reveal he nearly missed all the fun after being trapped in his dressing room for an hour and a half.
Richards tweeted: “Loved being on @SkySportsPL last night…

“But managed to get myself locked in the changing room for 90 mins before the show!
“Thanks to the staff for getting me out with 2 mins to spare – you’d never have known!
“@Carra23 & @DavidJonesSky were bricking doing the show without me.”
Richards has quickly become one of the nation’s most popular pundits for his brilliant insight and infectious laugh.

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Micah Richards hit out at trolls during his appearance on MNF

And he used his platform on Monday night to reveal his frustration at a portion of football fans who believe he only got the job at Sky Sports due to the Black Lives Matter movement.
In a powerful speech, Richards claimed: “I’m in a privileged position and I did this through hard work.
“And the hard work that I’ve put in is not going to be tarnished.
“I’ve got people on Twitter, people on Instagram, ‘Oh, Micah Richards is only on because of this whole Black Lives Matter movement’.
“But I’ve had conversations with corporations that I’ve worked for way before this.

“And now I’m getting tarnished with the same brush, ‘He’s only on TV because of Black Lives Matter’ – which is disheartening for me, because I put in the work, I work every single day at my craft.
“I’ve been a professional footballer, I’ve won a Premier League, I’ve played at the highest level… and I’m still getting stones thrown at me.
“So if I’ve got to fly the flag, people want to throw stones at me – I’ll happily take it. Because I know, I put in the work.”
GREAT SCOTT
Richards also leapt to the defence of Alex Scott – named as the new host of BBC show A Question Of Sport – calling her “incredible” after she too came in for criticism from vile trolls.
The ex-England star added: “Alex Scott is incredible.
“She’s one of the best I’ve ever worked with and it’s even worse for her because she’s a woman, and she’s seen as black as well.
“It’s double jeopardy. She’s in a worse position.
“She is honestly one of the best pundits I have ever worked with and all you see on social media is: ‘Why is a woman working in men’s football? She doesn’t know.’
“She’s played however many times for England, she knows football inside out and more than most people…
“To see the abuse that she gets just because someone’s left their job or not had their contracts renewed, it’s disheartening to see.
“But, at the same time, it just shows we’ve still got a problem and it’s that awkward conversation we all don’t want to have but we’ve got to have the conversation.”

Arsenal legend Ian Wright responds to ‘racists’ blaming black pundits for Sky’s Soccer Saturday sackings More

CHRIS KAMARA has revealed he was “gutted” when Sky Sports sacked three of Soccer Saturday’s regular panel.
Matt Le Tissier, Charlie Nicholas and Phil Thompson were removed from the show last month, as SunSport revealed.

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Matt Le Tissier, Phil Thompson and Charlie Nicholas have all left Soccer SaturdayCredit: Sky Sports

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Chris Kamara praised his former colleagues after Sky Sports made the surprise decisionCredit: Getty – Contributor
That left just stadium reporter Kamara, 62, host Jeff Stelling, 65, and pundit Paul Merson, 52, as the popular show’s mainstays.
Reports suggest Arsenal legend Merson thought about quitting after his pals were sacked, with Stelling also considering his future.
Kamara admitted to his sadness at losing the trio, who had a year left on their Sky contracts.
He told the Mail: “Obviously I’m gutted, absolutely gutted.

“And I know they are. I’ve spoken to Thommo and Charlie and I’ve text Le Tiss… we were such a good team and it was all going well.
“Decisions were made, we don’t have any say in those. Whoever made [them] has done it and the boys accept it.
“I can honestly say they are the best fellas you could ever wish to meet.
“They are top-drawer and it’s been a great time to have worked with them over the past 15 years or so.”

‘BUILD THE BANTER’
A new regular line-up is thought to be some way from being finalised with live auditions reportedly earmarked for hopefuls.
Fans are eagerly awaiting who might be given a shot to breathe new life into the programme,with Kamara keen to “build the banter”.
Claims that the sackings were racially motivated have been criticised – with Ian Wright slamming “racists” who blamed black pundits for the move.
Kamara insists that viewers must not be put off by the speed of “catching up” taking place in television’s relationship with diversity.
The former Bradford manager said: “We’re owed a few more diverse faces around certain situations involving football.
“So why not? Let’s see how [they] go.
“Everyone’s got to have an opportunity – I was given an opportunity 22 years ago after getting the sack from Stoke City and 22 years later I’m still there.”
He added: “[The sackings] became a black issue… people were talking diversity and saying, ‘They’re being replaced for BAME reasons alone’.

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Fans eagerly await the next pundits to join Jeff Stelling and Kamara on the showCredit: Sportsfile – Subscription

“It took away people from thanking [the trio who have just left], for all they had done.
‘For years and years, [TV] hasn’t been diverse and now it’s slightly catching up.
“That’s what people are offended by – that it’s catching up in a quick sort of way rather than a slow way.”

Jeff Stelling confirms he could quit Soccer Saturday after Sky Sports sacked pals Le Tissier, Nicholas and Thompson More