Laura Woods has criticised fellow broadcaster Richard Keys over his comments in an apparent tribute to Terry Yorath.
Yorath, father to former gymnast and current BBC presenter Gabby Logan, died at the age of 75 on Thursday following a short illness, with Keys posting a poorly worded tribute that appeared to aim a dig at Logan, with whom he has had a long feud in recent years.
“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,” said Keys in a post on X.
Woods led the reaction to Keys’ comments, labelling the former Sky Sports presenter a “t**t”.
“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,” added Woods in another comment.
Keys has had a feud with Logan for a number of years, with the latter having made a series of accusations against him. Writing in her memoir in 2022, Logan recalled an incident on a flight to Istanbul ahead of the 2025 Champions League final, in which Keys had a conversation with fellow broadcaster Andy Gray.
“So, Andy, what do you think of pregnant women?” said Keys, in “full earshot” of Logan, who was “seven months pregnant with twins” at the time.
“I’m afraid I don’t find them very attractive, Richard. In fact, I never slept with my wife when she was pregnant with our kids,” replied Gray.
“I was embarrassed, of course, and thought their comments were especially cruel, bearing in mind they both had children and wives of their own,” said Logan in her book.
“Keys and Gray were dinosaurs, waiting to become extinct,” she added.
Both Keys and Gray were eventually fired from Sky Sports in 2011 over sexist made about female football official Sian Massey, with the pair now working for beIN Sports in the Middle East.
Responding to criticism on social media, Keys later attempted to clarify his original words, posting another statement on X which read: “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.”
