Andy Gray, the 70-year-old Scottish pundit, is returning to UK football broadcasting after a 12-year absence. He has been hired by talkSPORT to commentate on their coverage of the UEFA Champions League, with his first match back being Liverpool versus Atletico Madrid.
Gray was dismissed by Sky Sports in 2011 following remarks made about a female assistant referee. He subsequently moved to Qatar with long-time colleague Richard Keys in 2013 to work for beIN Sports, covering Premier League matches. The pair returned to the UK earlier this year and have been producing their own podcast.
Gray expressed a desire for a return to commentary in a recent interview, stating, "I'd like to think, somewhere, I could do a bit of commentary. Not television, maybe, but radio. Just to see what it feels like again. I would like that." Keys, his former collaborator, supported this sentiment, calling Gray "the best I've ever known" and saying it "would be special" to hear him analyze a match again.
talkSPORT has indicated that Gray's involvement is intended to be more than a brief appearance. The radio station noted his famous 2004 commentary line, "Oh you beauty! What a hit, son! What a hit," which was recorded at Anfield, the venue for his upcoming Liverpool match.
The controversy that led to Gray's departure from Sky Sports involved off-air comments made with Keys questioning the understanding of an offside rule by assistant referee Sian Massey. Further off-air footage involving Keys also emerged, contributing to his resignation shortly after. Gray reflected on the impact of the incident, saying, "I can't imagine saying today what I said then, I just can't. I think we were two of the first people ever cancelled. I had 20 reporters outside my house for weeks."