Footballing superstar David Beckham is to break his silence on his decision to be an ambassador for Qatar worth a reported £150M ($184M) tonight.
Comedian Joe Lycett, who pretended to shred £10,000 (£12,300) last month as a critique of Beckham’s actions, tweeted in the past few minutes that he has been issued with an “exclusive statement” from the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, which will be broadcast during a special episode of tonight’s Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back on Channel 4.
According to Lycett, this is “as far as we are aware the only statement [Beckham] or his team have given to any outlet regarding his involvement in Qatar.”
“I have been advised that legally I cannot give my opinion on it, so you’ll have to make up your own minds,” he added.
Lycett shredded the fake cash before England’s first World Cup game against Iran in protest at Beckham’s decision to take on the lucrative Qatar Ambassador contract, for which he has put out several YouTube videos drawing viewers’ attention to the Middle Eastern state as a tourist destination. Beckham has long been considered a gay rights supporter and his association with the notoriously anti-LGBTQ+ World Cup hosts has soured his reputation in recent weeks.
While Lycett initially pretended the cash he shredded was real, he swiftly revealed it had been fake and that he had already donated the money to LGBTQ+ charities.
Tonight’s special episode of his weekly consumer affairs show will also feature LGBTQ+ football teams and an interview with Dr Nasser Mohamed, the first openly gay Qatari who was blocked by Beckham on Instagram recently.