Comedian Joe Lycett has revealed David Beckham’s team has reached out about his ‘shredding’ stunt but said he was “not satisfied” with the discussions.
Last month, the comic gave the former England footballer an ultimatum to pull out of his deal with World Cup hosts Qatar, where homosexuality is still illegal, or he would destroy £10,000 of his own money.
Lycett said he would instead donate the money to LGBTQ+ charities if Beckham ended the controversial sponsorship, reportedly worth £10 million, before the tournament started, and if not, he would livestream himself shredding the money along with Beckham’s “status as gay icon”.
The Birmingham-born comedian appeared to initially stand by his decision by sharing a video of him shredding what looked like wads of cash, but the following day he admitted he had not destroyed the money but had in fact donated it to LGBTQ+ charities.
Lycett told Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel on their The News Agents podcast: “I’ve not heard directly from Beckham. We have had some movement with his people.
“Basically, we’ve had some contact with them but basically, legally at the minute, I’m not sure what I’m allowed to say.
“I’m not satisfied with where we’ve got to let’s put it that way.”
Asked if Beckham’s representative had suggested making donations to charities, the comedian said: “No, none of that. They’re not offering anything really. They’re just talking to us a little bit which they hadn’t done before.”
“I think they’re just trying to get it to go away really. Which it will eventually, and it won’t affect him long-term”, he added.
Lycett also reflected on how he had often felt excluded from football and that the England and Wales players being deterred from wearing the One Love armband was a “real sucker punch” to him.
He said: “What’s been really sad about the whole last couple of months is I always felt that football wasn’t for me, and that it was not a world that I’d be embraced in any way and would be shut out of.
“The One Love Armband, I thought that’s a start. I mean, it wasn’t the pride colours on the armband, it was some weird mix of colours, but fine, it’s something.
“And then for them at the very last minute to go, or we’re not interested was a real sucker punch, because it sort of showed me what I kind of always knew, which is they are allies to a point.”
Listen to the full interview on The News Agents podcast on Global Player now.
