Joe Lycett fans react to Birmingham comedian’s £10,000 David Beckham Qatar World Cup ultimatum

British comedian and presenter Joe Lycett has once again made headlines.

The Birmingham-born comedian has now pledged to shred £10,000 of his own money if David Beckham goes ahead with plans to promote the Qatar World Cup which gets underway on Sunday, 20 November.

Lycett said that he will donate £10,000 to charities that support gay people in football if the former Manchester United midfielder pulls out of World Cup deal with Qatar. However, Lycett said he will shred the money if he doesn’t.

Beckham has recently come under fire as he penned a deal with Qatar to be their ambassador for a reported £10 million. Homosexuality is illegal in the gulf state, and Beckham has previously been viewed as LGBT+ ally.

What did Lycett say?

Taking to Instagram and Twitter on Sunday (November 13), Lycett shared a video of him sitting behind £10,000. “This is a message to David Beckham. I consider you, along with Kim Woodburn and Monty Don, to be a gay icon.

“You’re 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 signed a reported £10m 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.”

Lycett continued to say “If you end your relationship with Qatar, I’ll donate this £10,000 of my own money, as a grand for every million you’re reportedly getting, to charities that support queer people in football.

“However, if you do not, by midday next Sunday [20 November] I will throw this money into a shredder just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup and stream it live on a website I’ve registered called benderslikebeckham.com.” Beckham is yet to respond to Lycett.

What are fans saying about Lycett’s pledge?

Lycett’s Tweet has so far been liked 60,000 times, with 15,000 retweets. His message to Beckham has received a largely positive response from fans.

One person wrote: “Just brilliant as ever.” Another said: “Joe Lycett‘s gradual shift into “chaotic good supervillain” is one of the greatest things this world has ever seen.”

One person said: “Brilliant message from @joelycett. Straight celebs need to stop cashing in on their LGBTQ audience and saying they’re allies and then pulling shit like this to further their millions. Take a stand and do the right thing, Becks.”

Another wrote: “Joe Lycett for Prime Minister.” Another fan said: “I love this so much!”

One woman replied on Twitter, saying: “Anyone in the UK criticising other cultures and their human rights record whilst a woman is killed every 3 days and we now have more food banks than McDonalds - with the mythical NHS on its knees - needs to take a look at ourselves!”