Richard Keys hints at 'dark forces' amid sexism row

(PA)

Richard Keys today claimed that "dark forces" have been at work in the sexism furore that has cost fellow presenter Andy Gray his job.

Keys, who admitted that he may be sacked too as Sky's football anchorman or quit himself, said he was wrong to have made the disparaging remarks about female assistant referee Sian Massey on Saturday but that he was prevented from making his apology public.

Keys told talkSPORT: "There are some dark forces at work here.

"I apologised on the Sunday. I realised how deeply wrong we were. Having done that I asked 'could we make people aware of the fact we had a conversation and that both parties felt it was right to move on'. I was told 'no'.

"Then 24 hours had passed, by which time the world had gone mad.

"I don't know why I was told 'no' and stopped from telling people what I had done."

Gray was sacked yesterday after a video clip showed him making inappropriate remarks to another presenter, Charlotte Jackson.

Keys said it was "a probability or a possibility" that he would be sacked too, but that he was also considering quitting himself.

Asked if there was any reason why he would not be sacked too, Keys replied: "None I suppose, but that's for others to make a decision on."

Talking about his colleague Gray, Keys added: "He's someone I've grown enormously fond of down the years and who has been enormously influential in our business.

"I have to ask myself 'do I want to carry on without him?' and that's something I have been doing."

Keys said he had also tried to ring West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady to apologise for sexist remarks he made about her, but she had not returned his call.

Gray today said he had intended to publicly apologise on Monday night.

He said in a statement: "I am very sorry that certain comments made by me have caused offence. Such comments were made off air to work colleagues, and were of course never intended to be broadcast. I was very upset when the comments were brought to my attention, and it was my intention to apologise on Monday night when I was back on air for the Bolton v Chelsea game. Sadly I was unable to do so as I was suspended from the show by Sky Sports and have now been sacked.

"Football is my life and I am devastated by losing the job that I love. I am equally upset that third parties have been dragged into this issue."

New footage of Richard Keyshas has surfaced on YouTube...