Moment Lycett shreds £10,000 in Qatar stunt
JOE Lycett appears to have shredded £10,000 of his own money after David Beckham refused to pull out of his role as a Qatar ambassador.
The comedian, 34, filmed himself putting the bank notes into a wood chipper at midday yesterday after giving the ex- England captain a public ultimatum on Twitter.
Lycett had offered to give the cash to LGBT+ charities if Beckham cut ties with the country, in which homosexuality is illegal, ahead of the World Cup.
But the TV star then posted a video of himself apparently destroying the cash while wearing a rainbowcoloured jacket and anti- noise headphones.
Some fans backed his protest while others criticised him. One tweeted: ‘That money could have saved somebody, heated homes, put food on the table or have been used to help our Ukrainian friends!’ However another said: ‘I admire your principles Joe and I’m moved that you stuck to your guns.’
Hours before the stunt, former culture secretary Nadine Dorries urged Lycett on Twitter to rethink.
She wrote: ‘No one will think any worse of him if he changes his mind at the last minute and donates it to a homeless shelter in time for Christmas.’
Prior to the stunt, Lycett posted a video praising Beckham for always talking about ‘the power of football as a force for good’ before adding that Qatar is ‘one of the worst places in the world to be gay’.
Engaging in same- sex sexual activity there can be punished with up to seven years in prison.