The farewell season of Sky's hit sports panel show A League Of Their Own delivered a particularly cringe-worthy moment last week, targeting former footballer Jamie Redknapp over his past marriage to singer Louise Redknapp.
A Cheeky Jibe That Hit Home
During the episode, host Romesh Ranganathan asked Manchester City legend Micah Richards what he had on his bedroom walls as a child. Micah first replied with 'Kelly Brook!' before quickly adding, 'Louise Redknapp!' The quip left Jamie, 52, laughing with his head in his hands.
Fellow panellist and former footballer Jill Scott compounded the jest, joking: 'Sounds like me and Meeks had the same bedroom wall!' Jamie attempted a witty retort aimed at Jill and her partner, Tom, but it spectacularly backfired when he mistakenly referred to 'Britney and Justin Spears'. After correcting himself to 'Justin Timberlake', Romesh piled on, mocking: 'You're like Justin bloody Spears and Britney bloody Timberlake.'
Micah later quipped about Jamie's failed comeback, noting: 'He thought it was so good! He was waiting for that moment.'
Louise's Past Comments on the 'Villain' Narrative
The on-air ribbing touches on a relationship that has been under intense public scrutiny. Jamie and Louise split in 2017 after nearly two decades of marriage, a separation that followed Louise's stint on Strictly Come Dancing the previous year. Jamie has since remarried, wedding Swedish model Frida Andersson, with whom he has a young son.
Louise has spoken openly about the difficult period, feeling she was painted as the 'villain' in the breakup. In an interview with The Independent, she said, 'I was the villain... Everybody's got an opinion. Nothing I said was right. To defend myself was wrong. To not defend myself was wrong.'
She revealed on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast that her children, Charles, 21, and Beau, 17, whom she co-parents with Jamie, were her lifeline. 'If I didn't have my kids, I just, I think I would have just given up,' she admitted, describing the 'barrage of judgment and nastiness' as mind-blowing.
The Final Whistle for a Beloved Show
This awkward exchange occurred during the show's 20th and final series. The last ever episode of A League Of Their Own is scheduled to air on Wednesday, December 17th at 9pm on Sky Max, marking the end of an era for the long-running programme.
The segment highlights how the personal lives of celebrities, even years after events, can become fodder for public entertainment, often reopening old wounds despite the seemingly light-hearted context of a comedy panel show.
