In a recent revelation, Malik Scott, partner of CBS sports presenter Kate Abdo, has finally broken his silence on the controversial comments made by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher during a recent broadcast.
Carragher’s remarks, which sparked backlash on social media, were addressed by Scott in an interview with Lord Ping, shedding light on his perspective and response to the incident.
The incident occurred during coverage of Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Porto, where Carragher, donning a Gunners shirt, playfully encouraged Abdo and fellow pundits Thierry Henry and Micah Richards to do the same.
However, when Abdo declined, citing loyalty to Manchester United, Carragher responded with a comment about her not being loyal to her partner, which left her visibly uncomfortable.
The Liverpool legend received a lot of backlash on social media, with many calling him for him to be axed.
But CBS managed the whole situation brilliantly, and Kate Abdo showed her class during the Champions League show the following day, addressing the situation with humour and grace.
She confirmed that the Carragher can get carried away with his words sometimes but he always apologises.
Another HIT @kate_abdo intro ??? pic.twitter.com/SeyhgMfeGU
— CBS Sports Golazo ?? (@CBSSportsGolazo) March 13, 2024
Malik breaks silence on Carragher’s controversial comments
Reflecting on the incident, Scott expressed his admiration for Abdo’s professionalism and resilience in handling the situation with humor and grace during the subsequent Champions League show.
While acknowledging Carragher’s tendency to make offhand remarks, Scott emphasized that his primary concern was Abdo’s well-being and feelings in the aftermath of the incident.
Speaking to Lord Ping (quotes via The Mirror), he said:
“It’s not that she’s one of the best sports broadcasters, she’s one of the best human beings I’ve come across in this life.
“I’m very much in love with her and I plan on marrying her, so the thing that happened with Jamie, it’s a part of the job, but it’s not the first time he’s said something out the way like that, but it’s the first time he said something in reference to possibly disturbing a household or disturbing a couples chemistry
“It was a very minute thing, but her being irritated by it a little bit is what really got to me. Him just saying it and being that guy who always makes those picking at you jokes wasn’t really a big deal to me at all. It’s only a big deal if Kate is upset.
“If Kate gets upset then it’s a really big deal to me and I’ll give him a call and if he doesn’t pick up my call, then I’ll show up in a physical manner so we can talk like men, so that’s not something you should continue to do. But I think Jamie apologised, not just to Kate but to the team, and one thing you can’t do is knock a man who admits he was wrong. In that regard I have high respect for him.
“The only problem I have with things like that is if Kate feels some kind of way about it, she handled it very well. I thought Jamie was just being himself, sometimes he can have a runny mouth, sometimes he’s not that good at reading the room, sometimes he’s someone that can make beyond sarcastic jokes and it comes across as digging a little bit, especially if you’re dealing with a woman.”