Sky have suspended pundit Jamie Carragher after the former Liverpool player was caught on camera spitting at a fan's car.
He was due to appear on Monday Night Football for the Stoke v Man City clash, but was told by Sky bosses he was being suspended from his role as football analyst. It's not clear how long he will be off-screen or whether Sky will take further action.
A statement from Sky Sports said "Sky takes this matter extremely seriously and strongly condemns Jamie's actions.
"We have made it clear to him in person today and suspended him from his duties. It falls well below the standards we expect of our people."
After meeting with his Sky Sports bosses, Carragher then endured a highly uncomfortable live interview on Sky News in which he was confronted with the video footage of him spitting. He also looked close to tears as he was asked about what his own children had said about the incident.
It was "a moment of madness" says Jamie Carragher after being filmed spitting at a fan's car after being heckled pic.twitter.com/cHxpE9v7GI— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 12, 2018
"I'd like to apologise" says Jamie Carragher after being filmed spitting at a fan's car pic.twitter.com/jM6AVIIusK— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 12, 2018
Jamie Carragher says he's sent a poor message to his kids pic.twitter.com/1hGzNpaBno— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 12, 2018
After watching the Sky News interview, his fellow Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville tweeted that Carragher should keep his job.
I’ve just watched Carra23 say sorry. No excuses he’s made a big mistake . He’s massively passionate about football and he’s overstepped the mark and shouldn’t have reacted . I’ve been on TV for 3 years with him and imo this isolated incident shouldn’t stop us working together— Gary Neville (@GNev2) March 12, 2018
The ex-Liverpool man was also backed by former Sky colleague Ed Chamberlin
Well said. @Carra23 is a good guy and loyal friend who has rightly apologised for a massive mistake https://t.co/Wlgi9p75aU— Ed Chamberlin (@chamberlinsport) March 12, 2018
The late change with Carragher being taken off the Monday night coverage saw Sky put back the start time to Monday Night Football half-an-hour to 7.30pm and cut the programme from its normal 11pm finish to 10.30pm.
FOOTIE ON TV VOTE
— 📺Footie On TV📺 (@footieonTV) March 12, 2018
Should Jamie Carragher remain as a Sky Sports pundit?