TV ROW EXPLODES Laura Woods has gone SCORCHED EARTH, branding disgraced ex-Sky Sports anchor Richard Keys a “tt”** after his so-called tribute to late football legend Terry Yorath sparked outrage

Laura Woods has led the outrage aimed at former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys after his apparent tribute to Terry Yorath.

Leeds and Wales legend Yorath’s death was announced on Thursday after a short illness, with daughter Gabby Logan rushing to his side on Wednesday night as she left Match Of The Day mid-broadcast.

Keys and Logan have been butting heads for a number of years, with the latter, who currently works for the likes of BBC Sport and Prime Video, making a series of accusations against the former Sky Sports host in 2022.

68-year-old Keys – who now works alongside his broadcast partner Andy Gray on beIN Sports in the Middle East – vowed to take legal action against Logan after her claims in her memoirs.

Now he has taken his latest dig in an apparent tribute to Yorath. He wrote on X: ‘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.’

Woods, meanwhile, who works for TNT Sports, was one of the first to hit back, posting: ‘Sorry… but what a t**t. Said with zero surprise.’ She later added: ‘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.’

Laura Woods has called out Richard Keys over his tribute to Terry Yorath following his passing

Keys (pictured right with Andy Gray and John Terry) appeared to reference his years-long feud with Yorath’s daughter, Gabby Logan, in his social media post

Logan rushed from Match Of The Day duties to be by her father’s side on Wednesday evening

Meanwhile Dan Walker, who worked alongside Logan at the BBC, replied: ‘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.’

Keys would later respond, posting: ‘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.’

Among Logan’s allegations in 2022 were that Keys and Gray joked about refusing to have sex with pregnant women while Logan was carrying twins.

Keys took a huge swipe at Logan and said she ‘always had an awful lot to say’ – revealing she was known as ‘The Gabbler’ when he worked with her in broadcasting.

He called many of her claims ‘nonsense’ and ‘very sad’ as he disputed the allegations, including that he was sacked from Sky Sports over misogyny towards lineswoman Sian Massey in 2011.

In detailed extracts from her memoir, Logan recounted a conversation between Keys and Gray on a flight to Istanbul ahead of the 2005 Champions League final.

Logan wrote: ‘I was seven months pregnant with twins, and I was huge. I looked like I’d swallowed a space hopper.

Keys said he ‘got Gabby a job at Sky’ because of her father in his controversial message

Woods branded Keys a t**t and said she was not surprised about the apparent nature of his message

Former BBC Sport man Dan Walker also jumped to the defence of Logan in the post’s replies

‘In full earshot of me – and anyone who might be listening in our business-class cabin – Richard said: “So, Andy, what do you think of pregnant women?”

‘”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.”

‘”So you didn’t have sex, Andy?” Keys asked.

‘”No, I didn’t say that, Richard.”

‘Then they laughed their heads off at their little “comedy” routine.

‘I was embarrassed, of course, and thought their comments were especially cruel, bearing in mind they both had children and wives of their own.’

Logan added: ‘Keys and Gray were dinosaurs, waiting to become extinct.’

Responding to her claims initially, Keys said he would refer the matter to his lawyers.

Keys left Sky Sports in 2011 over allegations that he was misogynistic towards lineswoman Sian Massey

In response, Keys posted: ‘With reference to an article published by The Mail on Sunday written by Ms Gabby Logan. Ms Logan has made a number of wildly inaccurate allegations in the process of defaming my reputation.

‘I have referred the matter to lawyers with a view to proceeding with libel action.’

Elsewhere in the book extract, Logan alleged: ‘I don’t really want to write a lot about Richard Keys; he was dismissed, along with Gray, when they were caught talking lewdly about the lineswoman Sian Massey, and after he was caught asking pundits in the studio if they would “smash it”, referring to another woman.

‘In one painful-to-listen-to monologue aimed at saving his UK career, he tried to argue that he couldn’t be sexist, because he’d helped get me a job and kick-started my career. He truly didn’t get it.’

Keys told the Telegraph in 2022: ‘I did more for her (Logan), in the early part of her career, than anybody,’ Keys added. ‘Andy and I were easy targets.

‘It’s easy to have a go at us. I don’t intend to see her in court, but I think there are things that can be settled away from that.’

Last year, Keys warned Kelly Cates of taking on the role as joint host of Match Of The Day, which she is now carrying out alongside Mark Chapman and Logan.

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Writing in his blog, he posted: ‘Congrats to Kelly Cates on her new job. I’m proud of her but not surprised. Success has many fathers and I’m sure there’ll be a few people lining up to take credit for her career, but Kelly, Kenny and me know the truth.

‘Kenny and I once fell out about her getting a job at Sky. “It meant she didn’t finish Uni” he said to me. “No” I replied. “But you asked me to get her a job”. Her dad is a man of many contradictions – but that one was a belter. I’m not holding my breath expecting he’ll call now to apologise.

‘Kelly is good. Very good. But I’m still surprised she’s making the move. There’s nothing like presenting live football. I would never have made that decision. Highlights shows are deadly dull.

‘MotD desperately needs fresh blood, but I’m not sure it will survive for very much longer. Eventually Grandstand died for similar reasons – the march of time.’