Andy Gray is set to make his first appearance behind a UK microphone since his controversial departure from Sky Sports more than a decade ago, after agreeing to co-commentate on TalkSport's Champions League coverage this season.
The 70-year-old former Everton striker will sit alongside Jim Proudfoot for Liverpool's opening group-stage fixture against Atletico Madrid at Anfield on Wednesday, marking a notable step back into the spotlight for a broadcaster who once dominated English football coverage before his career was derailed by scandal.
Gray was dismissed by Sky Sports in 2011 after he was recorded making sexist remarks about assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis, questioning her competence to officiate a match because of her gender. His longtime broadcasting partner Richard Keys resigned from the network around the same time after further recordings revealed disparaging comments about female officials more broadly.
During the broadcast in question, Keys was heard telling a colleague, "Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her," referring to Massey-Ellis. Gray responded, "Yeah, I know. Can you believe that? Female linesman. Forget what I said – they probably don't know the offside rule," before adding, "Why is there a female linesman? Somebody's f***** up big."
The fallout intensified when separate footage surfaced showing Gray making an inappropriate remark to Sky presenter Charlotte Jackson, a moment that ultimately led to his sacking. Keys, meanwhile, faced backlash of his own for comments he made to pundit Jamie Redknapp regarding a former girlfriend of the player.
In the years that followed, both broadcasters relocated their careers abroad, working together for Qatari network beIN Sports. That arrangement came to an end following the expiration of their contract at the close of last season, prompting their return to Britain.
Since coming back, Gray and Keys have launched a joint podcast titled Keys & Gray Unleashed, giving them a fresh platform to discuss football matters. Gray's move into TalkSport's Champions League setup represents a further step in his re-entry into mainstream sports media, this time on radio rather than television.
Speaking to the Daily Mail last month, Gray hinted that a return to broadcasting was something he hoped for, though he was careful to draw a distinction between the two mediums. "I would like to think I could return to the airwaves. Not television, maybe, but radio. Just to see what it feels like again. I would like that," he said.
Gray and Keys had been prominent fixtures of Sky Sports' football output throughout the early 2000s, known for their analysis and rapport before the events of 2011 brought their partnership at the broadcaster to an abrupt end. The scandal at the time sparked wider conversations about sexism in football media and the treatment of female officials within the sport.
Wednesday's Anfield clash between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid will therefore carry additional significance beyond the on-field action, as Gray steps back into a commentary role in his home country for the first time since his high-profile exit. How audiences and pundits respond to his return remains to be seen, but the move signals a clear willingness from TalkSport to bring him into their Champions League coverage this season.
Based on reporting from The Independent.