Andy Gray: ‘I considered Suicide after Sky Sports sexism row’

Former Sky Sports pundit Andy Gray has revealed that he contemplated suicide after being sacked from the corporation after making sexiest comments.

The 56 year old made the comments in an interview with the London Evening Standard.  

Andy Gray was sacked and Richard Key’s left after the pair were engulfed around sexism and inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. Gray was seen mocking Sian Massey, a female football assistant referee. Also a video leaked onto Youtube between Gray and fellow Sky co-host Charlotte Jackson, with inappropriate behaviour.  

Gray has said and claimed he is not sexist with four girls and a mother who brought the family up by herself, and at 91 his mum was distraught by his sacking. Gray also said he still finds it hard to come to terms with the decision to sack him and the stain it cast on his reputation.

Asked if he has considered taking his own life since his dismissal, Gray said: “Yes. I would be lying if I said I didn’t. I had never felt like I have felt from January 25th (2011) onwards.”

Gray also told the paper about the incident and lead up to the sacking: “It happened on a Saturday morning,” recalls Gray. “I got a call on Monday from Andy Melvin (deputy head of Sky Sports) just telling us, ‘Don’t come in today for Monday night football.’ It escalated from there for some reason, I’ve no idea why.”

Barney Francis, Sky’s head of sport, later sacked Gray, many believe after the footage of him and Charlotte Jackson. Andy Gray and Richard Keys did get themselves back into the media fairly quickly, they now present on talksport Monday-Fridays on a mid morning slot.