15 Years at Sky Sports Ruined My Life; Sexism Is the Norm at TV Channel Says Woman Who Lost Her Home after She Was Reduced to a Nervous Wreck by Stress

Byline: by Polly Dunbar

FOR most women, the only feasible reaction was disgust. After all, the sexist comments made by Sky Sports presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys demonstrated the sort of casual chauvinism it might be hoped had long been consigned to history.

The fact they were made in the workplace, made them all the more wildly inappropriate and offensive. But one woman was watching with satisfaction. It wasn't that Vanessa Bridger condoned the behaviour of Keys and Gray - far from it.

Having worked with them for many years, she had experienced the bitter humiliation of their constant putdowns and narrow-minded 'jokes' more times than she cares to remember.

For Vanessa, the revelations of the past week felt like the ultimate vindication. 'I saw it all unfold and just thought, "Yes",' she says.

'For so long, Keys and Gray have been allowed to treat women like dirt, and I'm so glad that now they've been exposed for what they are: ignorant bullies.'

Gray was sacked from his [pounds sterling]1.7m role on Tuesday after footage leaked to the press last week showed him and Keys making comments about female football linesman Sian Massey's appearance and her ability to understand the offside rule. Gray, 55, was also later seen inviting colleague Charlotte Jackson to tuck a microphone down his trousers.

Keys, 53, resigned his [pounds sterling]500,000-a-year post on Wednesday. Yesterday, his wife Julia ignited speculation about their marriage by posing for photographs without her wedding ring. She …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: 15 Years at Sky Sports Ruined My Life; Sexism Is the Norm at TV Channel Says Woman Who Lost Her Home after She Was Reduced to a Nervous Wreck by Stress. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Mail on Sunday (London, England). Publication date: January 30, 2011. Page number: 26. © 2009 Solo Syndication Limited. COPYRIGHT 2011 Gale Group.

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