Richard Keys and Andy Gray planning to leave Qatar and won’t present World Cup
Following their infamous departure from Sky Sports 15 years ago, both Richard Keys and Andy Gray made the move to Qatar and have fronted BeIN Sports’ football coverage since 2013
Both Richard Keys and Andy Gray are set to leave beIN Sports after 13 years at the end of this season. The long-serving pair are expected to bow out in May and won’t present the Qatar-based network’s coverage of the World Cup this summer.
Keys, 68, and Gray, 70, were the faces of Sky Sports‘ football coverage for almost two decades until they left in 2011 following Gray’s sacking for making sexist remarks about assistant referee Sian Massey. Keys subsequently resigned after clips of his comments became public.
Seasoned broadcaster Keys and ex-Scotland international Gray found a new home in the Middle East and have fronted beIN’s coverage of the Premier League since 2013. But the Athletic claim that they’ll part ways with the broadcaster in the coming months.
It’s explained that Keys and Gray’s respective contracts are due to expire at the end of the 2025-26 season and neither are expected to sign new deals. The report states that there’s been no falling-out and they’ll leave BeIN in amicable circumstances.
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The motivation behind their departures is said to be multi-faceted, taking into account both Keys and Gray’s ages and how sports punditry is changing. Broadcasters are attempting to keep up with the latest trends which are being driven by social media influencers, YouTubers and fan channels, diminishing the importance of traditional pre and post-match shows.
beIN Sports didn’t respond when approached for comment. Throughout their time in Qatar, Keys and Gray have been joined by guests such as Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, and regularly work with Nigel de Jong and Jason McAteer.
But their careers will always be marred by the events of January 2011. Keys was recorded as saying: “Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her (Massey).
Gray replied: “Yeah, I know. Can you believe that? Female linesman. Forget what I said – they probably don’t know the offside rule.” Keys then said: “Course they don’t,” to which Gray responded: “Why is there a female linesman? Somebody’s f***** up big.”
In the years since the incident, Gray has revealed that he considered taking his own life as a result of the backlash. Meanwhile, Keys believes that ‘dark forces’ were working against them and alleges that they were ‘set up’.
“The incident, we should have seen coming,” Keys told the Athletic. “It was a set-up, of course it was. But they made capital out of it.”
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