Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Lloyd retires from commentary a month after Rafiq testimony and apology

Lloyd retires from commentary a month after Rafiq testimony and apology

Cricket commentator David Lloyd announced his retirement from Sky Sports on Tuesday, a month after he was named by Azeem Rafiq in his testimony about a culture of widespread racism at his county club Yorkshire.

Lloyd, a former England player and coach, has been behind the microphone with Sky Cricket for 22 years.


He apologised last month when Rafiq said the 74-year-old was a "closet racist" after he made disparaging comments about Asian cricketers in 2020. Sky had said they would be investigating Lloyd's comments.

"With the passing of Bob Willis and after the decision to move on by my good friends David Gower, Ian Botham and more recently Michael Holding, the commentary box feels a little emptier," Lloyd said in a statement.

"And so I feel it is time for me to do the same and move on to the next chapter... I'm done now with Sweet Caroline but in the words of Elton John, I'm still standing!"

Lloyd played nine tests and eight one-day internationals for England between 1973 and 1980, and he coached the team from 1996 to 1999. (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

More For You

Balvinder Sopal

Balvinder Sopal thanked everyone after an emotional Musicals Week routine on Strictly

Instagram/leesopal

Balvinder Sopal moves into the Strictly Come Dancing semi final after unexpected Musicals Week twist

Highlights:

  • Strictly Come Dancing confirms its final four after Lewis Cope is voted out
  • Amber Davies survives the dance-off again after topping the leaderboard
  • Balvinder Sopal’s emotional comeback routine draws strong praise
  • Bookies now label Sopal the “dark horse” heading into the semi-final
  • Semi-final airs on 13 December with each couple dancing twice

Strictly Come Dancing’s semi-final places are set after a tough Musicals Week that ended with Lewis Cope being voted out. The BBC One show is getting close to its 2025 finish now and four couples remain. Amber Davies and Balvinder Sopal are still in it and now have a week to pull together two new routines for the semi-final.

Balvinder Sopal Balvinder Sopal thanked everyone after an emotional Musicals Week routine on Strictly Instagram/leesopal

Keep ReadingShow less