Laura Woods criticizes Richard Keys over Terry Yorath tribute
Laura Woods has branded former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys a “t**t” following his contentious tribute to Leeds and Wales legend Terry Yorath, which appeared to take aim at the late footballer’s daughter Gabby Logan, reports BritPanorama.
Yorath passed away at the age of 75 after a brief illness, with his daughter having left Match of the Day mid-broadcast on Wednesday evening to rush to his bedside.
Woods subsequently offered her condolences to the Logan family, adding: “Also want to add my respects to the thousands of others who are showing theirs compassionately to a much beloved broadcaster and her family. Sending all my love x.”
Dan Walker, a former colleague of Logan at the BBC, also took issue with Keys’s message. He urged Keys to reflect on the impact of his words, writing: “Richard, just imagine what it would be like for Gabby, or a member of her family, to read this.”
“I’m hoping you have just worded this badly and it isn’t a dig at a really difficult time. There is still time to change it,” Walker concluded.
Keys had posted on X, stating: “Sad to hear the news of Terry Yorath’s passing. He was a warrior & won fans over wherever he played. He was great for us at Coventry & the reason I got Gabby a job at Sky. I had no idea who she was when we met but I knew her dad. RIP Terry. Your daughter did you proud.”
Keys later doubled down on his sentiment, asserting, “What a shame my words for a footballing hero of mine were entirely misinterpreted. Terry Yorath was a fabulous guy. A warrior. My affection for him meant I was more than happy to help him & his family in any way I could. Gabby’s career would make any father proud. RIP Terry.”
Keys, who presents alongside Andy Gray on beIN Sports in the Middle East, has a long-running dispute with Logan, stemming from his claims of having launched her broadcasting career due to her father’s connection to him.
Following her recent appointment as one of three Match of the Day co-hosts, Keys noted, “Gabby Logan is someone else I opened the door for. I did that because her dad had played for Coventry and I was a big fan!”
In his tribute, Keys also remarked on Logan’s alleged challenging demeanor, stating she had frustrated colleagues at Sky and was released after a two-year tenure.
The animosity between Keys and Logan has been long-standing. Logan referenced an incident aboard a flight to Istanbul for the 2005 Champions League final, where she alleged that Keys and Gray made crude remarks about pregnant women while she was expecting twins, branding the exchange as “especially cruel.”
Logan’s allegations against Keys extended to her 2022 memoir, where she described him and Gray as “dinosaurs, waiting to become extinct.” In response, Keys dismissed the claims as “nonsense,” indicating potential legal action against Logan for libel.
The ongoing saga not only underscores the complexities within sports media but also highlights the fine line between nostalgia and insensitivity, as even tributes can spark controversy.
