Influencer's 'Chaotic' Cup Draw Sparks Fury and Apology
Social media star and I'm A Celebrity alumna GK Barry has found herself at the centre of a firestorm after a Women's League Cup draw descended into chaos, prompting an official apology from the football authorities. The 26-year-old influencer, whose real name is Grace Keeling, was hosting the live-streamed event on TikTok with her partner, Portsmouth midfielder Ella Rutherford, when her attempt at humour spectacularly backfired.
What Happened During the Controversial Draw?
The draw, intended to attract a new audience through Barry's substantial online following of over 4.1 million on TikTok, was quickly criticised for being unprofessional. Technical difficulties plagued the broadcast, which lacked on-screen graphics. However, it was Barry's X-rated comments and jokes that drew the most ire from fans of women's football.
She began by stating, "What I'm going to do is give it a shake and a spank for luck, bit of fun," before playfully hitting the bag of balls against her backside. This was followed by a quip about "lesbians handling balls" and she concluded the stream with a suggestive remark about Subway sandwiches. The most significant backlash, however, came from a joke aimed at Tottenham Hotspur, where she echoed a popular anti-Spurs chant, "what do we think of Tottenham?" She then drew Tottenham's ball, only to put it back and claim she had picked the same one again.
Backlash and a Star's Furious Defence
Viewers swiftly took to social media to express their anger, branding the performance an "insult to female footballers" and their clubs. One fan on X called it "diabolical," questioning the decision to have a social media influencer host the prestigious draw.
Amid the scrutiny, Barry received public support from her Loose Women co-star, Denise Welch. In a fiery defence posted in the comments of an ITV News Instagram clip about the incident, Welch wrote: "For goodness sake!!! Don't book Grace then!!! It's exactly what she does. She's never going to be a regular football pundit!! It's like booking Alan Carr and complaining he was too camp!!!" The Women's Super League has since issued an apology to Tottenham in the wake of the viral clips and the widespread criticism.
