Gabby Logan left BBC colleagues in stitches after a brutal joke about Wayne Rooney's hair during the latest episode of Match of the Day. The presenter's quip came as Rooney discussed the controversial sending-off of Sunderland's Dan Ballard for hair pulling in their 1-1 draw with Wolves.
Rooney, a Manchester United legend, had light-heartedly remarked: 'That's why I didn't grow a ponytail when I was playing,' referencing the hair-pulling incident. Logan swiftly retorted: 'And that's not the only reason, let's be honest,' prompting pundit Joe Hart to burst into laughter. Both were alluding to Rooney's well-known receding hairline.
The incident under discussion occurred when Ballard was shown a red card after referee Paul Tierney reviewed his pull on Wolves striker Tolu Arokodare's hair, deeming it violent conduct. Rooney expressed disbelief at the strict enforcement, saying: 'I just can't believe I'm sitting on Match of the Day talking about players getting sent off for pulling hair. I think it's ridiculous.'
Logan noted the lack of clarity in the rules, stating: 'There is a grey area. There has to be some nuance. And of course, at the moment, it sits in violent conduct. And there will be some which are violent, but not all.' Hart added that he had seen far more violent acts go unpunished.
Ballard becomes the third Premier League player this season sent off for hair pulling, following Michael Keane and Lisandro Martinez. The debate continues over whether the punishment fits the crime.
