Joe Lycett has warned that he will shred £10,000 of his own money if David Beckham doesn't end his sponsorship deal with the Qatar World Cup.
The comedian said he will be willing to donate the money to charity if David is to drop his sponsorship deal within the next seven days. If the sports star fails to respond positively to Joe's demands, he will be shredding the cash in a live stream on Sunday November 20, before the tournament begins.
David is set to walk away with around £10m from his World Cup sponsorship deal despite the country outlawing same-sex relationships and concerns over its record on human rights. As criticism builds against David for supporting the country, Joe added he would also lose his status as a "gay icon."
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In a video message shared on Twitter, Joe pitched his threats to David directly. He said: "This is a message to David Beckham.
"I consider you, along with Kim Woodburn and Monty Don, to be a gay icon. You were the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl which is the gayest thing a human being can do.
"But now it’s 2022 and you’ve signed a reported £10 million deal with Qatar to be their ambassador during the FIFA World Cup. Qatar was voted as one of the worst places in the world to be gay - homosexuality is illegal, punishable by imprisonment, and if you’re Muslim, possibly even death.
"You have always talked about the power of football as a force for good. This suggests to me you have never seen West Brom. But generally, I agree - so with that in mind, I’m giving you a choice. If you end your relationship with Qatar I will donate ten grand of my own money (that’s a grand for every million you’re reportedly getting) to charities that support queer people in football.
He added: "However if you do not I will throw the money into a shredder at midday next Sunday, just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup and stream it right here. Not just the money, but also your status as a gay icon will be shredded.
"Also you'll be forcing me to commit what might be a crime. The choice is yours. I look forward to hearing from you."
Alongside the warning, Joe tweeted a link to a website, Benders Like Beckham, where he reiterates the threat in text form. At the top of the page is a countdown to the moment David has to make his response.
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