Joe Lycett Reveals He Did Not Shred £10,000 In World Cup Protest

Joe Lycett has explained that the £10,000 he seemingly shredded in a video protest against David Beckham was not real money. The British comedian requested the footballer end his relationship with Qatar before the World Cup. Beckham holds a £150M ambassador role. When Beckham did not respond, Lycett released a video of himself dressed in the colors of the LGBTQ pride flag, loading money into an industrial shredder.

However, Lycett has published on his “Benders like Beckham” website and social media that the stunt was not what it seemed. Along with a video, Lycett wrote to Beckham, “I told you I was going to destroy £10,000 if you didn’t end your relationship with Qatar before the first day of the World Cup and then when you didn’t end your relationship or even respond in any way, I streamed myself dropping £10,000 into a shredder. Or did I?”

Lycett was protesting the Qatari government for their anti-homosexuality laws. Male homosexuality is currently illegal in Qatar. LGBTQ groups have spoken out against FIFA’s choice to host the World Cup in Qatar since it was announced in 2011. Beckham has been seen as a supporter of gay rights, but his contract with Qatar has led many to question this reputation. While the choice to host the games in Qatar has been controversial to many, 3 million tickets have been sold.

Lycett’s website now more fully describes his stunt and speaks to Beckham directly. “I haven’t quite told you the whole truth. Because the truth is, the money that went into the shredder was real – but the money that came out was fake. I would never destroy real money. I would never be so irresponsible. In fact, the £10,000 had already been donated to LGBTQ+ charities before I even pressed send on the initial tweet. I never expected to hear from you – it was an empty threat, designed to get people talking. In many ways it was like your deal with Qatar, David: total bullshit from the start.”

Lycett then shredded a copy of Attitude magazine from 2002 with Beckham on the cover. He said of the shredded cover, “The first ever cover of a gay magazine with a PremierPINC
League footballer on it. I asked Attitude if I could shred it. And they were more than happy to oblige.”

Beckham has said of the Qatar World Cup, “Qatar dreamed of bringing the World Cup to a place that it had never been before, but that it wouldn’t be enough just to achieve things on the pitch.”