Ex-Lioness Eni Aluko 'did a lot to try and apologise' to Ian Wright privately
In a wide-ranging interview, former Lioness Eniola Aluko has opened her heart on her legal win over Joey Barton after his social media posts, the fallout from her Ian Wright remarks, her search to find love, consulting police over her social media security concerns and her shock at finding dating app users fear she is catfishing them.
It was in April that Aluko, 38, was victorious in the first round of her defamation fight against Barton following his offensive posts on X. A judge at the High Court ruled the posts had a defamatory meaning. She attracted support across the board for her determination to stand up to the trolls that had intimidated others into silence.
The former Chelsea and England international is now back in the punditry chair with the Lionesses in action at the business end of the Euros. Aluko's Hyphenated People podcast - a series of interviews around heritage, travel, storytelling and culture - also launches this week. She willingly leads from the front herself by addressing her comments which sparked a fall out with national treasure Wrighty back in April.
During an interview to discuss the defamation win and opportunities for women in football broadcasting, Aluko appeared to question the Arsenal legend and her fellow ITV pundit's place in the front line. Wrighty received widespread support from fans, pundits and players past and present for the work he has done and continues to do in that space.
Aluko accepts she was wrong to spotlight the former Match of the Day pundit who has, for many years, been a fierce public and private advocate for women's football. She told The Mirror: 'I think I could have done better in responding to the question I was asked, and just keeping it as a general issue.
'I've always been the person, to be honest, to hold my hands up and say: 'Listen, I got that one wrong. That was, that was a mistake.' If I had been on the other end, I would probably have felt the same Apologies are acts of respect. Apologies are a show of humility. I did a lot to try to apologise to Ian privately. So when you're seeing a public apology, it's actually the last resort. But it was a public forum that I spoke about him on, and I felt a public apology was important.'
Wrighty publicly declined to accept Aluko's social media apology but Aluko remains determined to ensure her mea culpa is as loud as the upset her comments caused. 'I respect that. I respect how he feels,' she added. 'it's really about my apology. That's all I can do. Then, whenever the person's ready to have a conversation, I'm ready to have a conversation. But I respect if it's not the right time, I totally respect that.'
Aluko scored 33 international goals in 102 appearances for the Lionesses before retiring in 2020 and moving onto a career in broadcasting. It is 11 years since she became the first woman to appear as a pundit on Match of the Day. But while the landscape is changing, female broadcasters are still forced to endure abuse on social media, relating to their TV and radio performances. Aluko struck back in April with the first stage of a High Court libel claim win against Barton, who was this week ordered to pay Jeremy Vine legal costs of £200,000 following their libel battle.
'The way to change some of these things in society where women are made to feel they don't belong in certain spaces is always to speak up about it,' she said. 'That's the only way you change it. If you bury your head in the sand and pretend like it's not happening, nothing really changes.'
Aluko revealed she had to contact the police after personal abuse on social media in general led her to be mindful of her safety. She went on: 'The police have been helpful. They understand the impact that online abuse is having in the real world. It's not unique to me, but it's the reality, unfortunately. It does affect how people treat you in real life. One of the reasons why I love traveling is the anonymity that comes with it. You can meet new people, have a conversation on the plane, and the person has no idea who you are - and doesn't judge you for what's on social media or whatever.'
Aluko is coy when asked whether she has a romantic travelling companion - before admitting she is single and open to finding a partner and settling down. She said: 'I always wonder whether I'm going to meet someone because I find it hard. I find it hard dating as a high profile woman in the UK. I really do find it hard just because a lot of guys come with preconceptions or, if they're an Arsenal fan, it becomes a whole conversation about Arsenal v Chelsea. And I'm like: 'I don't want to talk about football on this date!"
'The amount of dates I've been on, and it becomes an interview!' She laughed. 'So I actually consciously try and date people who don't like football and like something else.'
She laughed off our suggestions she is under gentle pressure from her family to settle down now that she is in her late thirties. But she also revealed she was suspected of being Catfish - someone who sets up a dating profile under a fake name - when she created profiles on a number of apps.
'I've had some good experiences and I've had some tragic, terrible experiences,' she said. 'I've tried online dating apps. They don't work for me. A lot of people think I'm a catfish, a fake account! Which is odd, because you've got to verify yourself!
'But yes, I have found it challenging. People are like, 'Are you real? Are you?' Breeze (dating app) is pretty good because there's no chatting. They just set you up on a date. That's good because I hate the small talk bit. I don't want a pen pal! So maybe the old school way of meeting someone is my way - at an event, or, as I said, travelling. Keep your fingers crossed for me!'
Asked whether she'd go on to TV show Celebs Go Dating for help finding love, she went on: 'I actually did get asked to go on but I chickened out because I am quite private. But I am trying to find love and it's difficult. I just have this feeling that maybe I'll meet someone on my travels, rather than here.'
Aluko would, however, be open to other forms of reality TV: She went on: 'It depends what it is, right? I'd be a bit scared of Strictly because it's sort of intense even though my dancing is okay. But anything that requires you learning something new, I'd be up for. I love cooking. Also Celebrity, SAS, that sort of show 'Anything that's quite physical too, that will push my limits.'
In the meantime, Aluko is the latest in a number of stars, including Richard Branson and men's footballer Eberechi Eze, hooked on chess. 'I've needed something to calm me down,' she said. 'I've been collecting chess boards made abroad and that's how I got into chess and started playing.
'I'm part of two chess clubs in London now and I try to go and play as much as I can. I'm seeing quite a lot of young people get into it, and I've come up against some very, very strong chess players, so I'm still learning. Put it that way!'
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Metro
11 minutes ago
- Metro
As queer women, we couldn't be more proud of the ‘Lesbian-esses'
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Across all the teams that played in the Euros, there are reportedly 78 openly LGBTQ+ players and coaches. In the 2022 Men's World Cup, there were none. Even now, not one player in the Premier League is publicly out. Lionesses, past and present, like Jill Scott, Beth Mead and Jess Carter, have spoken publicly about their queer sexualities. And while other players have chosen not to label themselves in the media, many are rumoured to be dating women. The team has even been dubbed 'The Lesbianesses'. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! It all feels especially meaningful, particularly after rainbow armbands were banned at the men's World Cup in Qatar 2022 — and just months after FIFA confirmed the 2034 men's tournament would be hosted in Saudi Arabia, a country where LGBTQ+ rights are non-existent. Women's football is leading the way. Not just on the pitch, but in the community it creates, and it's having a real impact on women like me. Despite never being a huge fan of football culture, Mia Walters, 24, from Manchester, started watching the women's World Cup and was 'hooked from there'. 'I grew up in a family of football fans, but I never really felt like that was the space for me,' she tells Metro. 'As a queer woman, it doesn't always feel like there's a big space for us within society, like there is for queer men.' However, when watching women's football, she says 'the energy could just not be more different.' 'The Lioness games really provided that safe space. It feels like it's tailored for women and queer women.' She even travelled to Switzerland to watch the final. 'Seeing families, female couples and groups of friends meant it was so easy to feel integrated. 'I've been out for five years but I still don't always feel 100% comfortable being openly gay in public with my girlfriend. The matches have been the only places I 100% didn't worry about holding my girlfriend's hand or kissing in public.' Metro Lifestyle reporter Eleanor Noyce agrees the community around the Lionesses is buzzing with pride. Eleanor, who is bisexual, she says: 'Some might say as long as they're bringing it home, it doesn't matter how the Lionesses identify — but it means the world to me. 'I'm a life-long Arsenal fan, and while I'm a massive supporter of the mens' team, I feel more at home and accepted at Arsenal women's games. To watch England and know that many of the players on the pitch are part of the LGBTQ+ community is everything. It's not just about the sport, but the representation too. 'Other queer women get excited about couples within teams — there's fan accounts dedicated to the likes of Beth Mead and Vivienne Miedema. Society has sexualised queer women for such a long time, but now we're celebrating queer love on our own terms.' Eleanor, who also watched the Lionesses in Sweden, watched Sunday's final at the pub. She adds: 'It was a rare occasion when I was sat in an average pub in South London, surrounded by queer women. 'When Chloe Kelly scored the winning penalty, a couple in front of me kissed, with a Pride Progress flag pinned behind them. It just felt normal, and I've never experienced that before.' Eve Kirman, from Norwich, plays grassroots five and seven-a-side football in London. She grew up playing in boys' teams and later for Norwich United. While playing football was one of her 'biggest passions', she ultimately gave it up, as it didn't seem like a viable career choice for women. Today though, Eve still plays in local teams, where she says there is 'a level of openness' about queer identity. 'That trickles down from the Lionesses,' Eve, who is lesbian, tells Metro. 'They've created a really accepting, amazing vibe. We joke about bringing our WAGs to the sidelines of games to support us. 'When players are open about being queer, it sends a message without needing to say anything. More Trending 'There's just a real sense of joy that comes with being unapologetically yourself, having fun and doing something that you love.' However, Eve adds that there's still a way to go in terms of inclusivity. 'We have to reflect on who is being left out,' she says. 'The FA recently decided to ban trans women from playing in women's football. There's definitely more that can be done.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Readers dispute Barton's claim that England Lionesses aren't 'worthy of equal pay' MORE: 'I am a Lioness super fan, and I'm getting tattoos of seven players on my calf' MORE: Why Lionesses hero Jess Carter missed England's Euro 2025 trophy parade
The Guardian
12 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Euro 2025: our writers hand out their awards from the tournament
England seemed to have lost it once, twice, three times against Sweden on a night of nail-shredding drama that sharpened the sense that destiny had rich bounty in store for Sarina Wiegman's side. It was also the first match, no doubt of many over the coming years, that made a hero of Michelle Agyemang. Nick Ames The final between England and Spain was exactly what I expected from two heavyweights of the game. It was a gladiatorial tactical battle between Spain's possession-loving football and England's defensive diligence. A fitting ending to a brilliant tournament. Sophie Downey France and Germany's quarter-final in Basel, which the Germans won 6-5 in a high-quality penalty shootout, provided compelling drama from start to finish and it was a game that had it all; a mindless red card, disallowed goals, VAR drama and the best save I can ever recall seeing live as Ann-Katrin Berger seemed to defy physics to claw the ball off the line. Ultimately it was a match that saw Germany doggedly progress despite playing 107 minutes of the game with 10 players. It was a remarkable knockout tie. Tom Garry Sweden 2-2 England. That game had just about everything. The prospect of an England comeback felt almost impossible approaching the 80th minute, but within a matter of seconds you just knew that they were going to do it. The drama! Emillia Hawkins Sweden 2-2 England. Everyone will remember the stirring England comeback and the dramatic penalty shootout but this is a game that also deserves to be remembered for Sweden's devastating opening burst, a standard of pulsating attacking football that stands with any produced at this tournament. Jonathan Liew France v Germany. This game had everything. A red card, a penalty, resolute German defending, THAT Ann-Katrin Berger save and a penalty shootout. The fact Germany were the first team at a women's Euros to progress after going down to 10 players showed just how hard they worked. Berger also put in some great saves during the shootout – goalkeeper of the tournament for me. Sarah Rendell It has to be the final doesn't it? England's rollercoaster ride of a tournament concluded in a thrilling showpiece between magical world champions Spain and the Euro holders. It was the final everyone wanted and it delivered. England were battlers, tactically astute and disciplined, Spain were Spain, master technicians on the ball. Suzanne Wrack Hannah Hampton was little known to the wider public a month ago and had replaced a national treasure in Mary Earps between the posts. She left Switzerland having earned the same status by producing exceptional performances of which multiple penalty saves were only part. Calm, composed on the ball and with cat-like reflexes, Hampton deserves every credit. NA Michelle Agyemang. What a player. The 19-year-old was given an opportunity and seized it with both hands. The way she impacted games caught the eye but equally the way she came on in high pressure situations and handled them without panic. Will surely be a star for England for years to come. SD Chloe Kelly made a gamechanging impact in all three of England's knockout ties and therefore has to win this, in my eyes, although the best technical footballer was Aitana Bonmatí. Kelly came up clutch in the big moments, whether it was with her two lethal crosses to create England's two quickfire goals in their comeback against Sweden, or her lively performance and late winner against Italy, or her assist for England's equaliser in the final followed by her nerveless, title-clinching penalty. TG Aitana Bonmatí. It's crazy to think that she was hospitalised with viral meningitis just days before Euro 2025 started. Another great tournament for the midfielder despite the penalty miss at the end. EH Patri Guijarro has been the standout player for Spain at this tournament, the one who makes everything work: absorbing pressure, providing an outlet in buildup, creating space, creating angles and snuffing out counterattacks. JL Honourable mentions must go to Klara Bühl and Iman Beney who were incredible but for me it has to be Lucy Bronze. The defender started every game and played 598 minutes for England in total and the performances, particularly her leadership and skill against Sweden, were crucial to the Lionesses retaining the trophy. The fact she did all that with a fractured tibia is unbelievable and she once again lived up to one of her middle names: 'Tough'. SR Aitana Bonmatí may have scooped player of the tournament but, for me, it was her midfield companion Patri Guijarro that deserves all the plaudits. She became the second player on record, since the 2011 World Cup, to have completed 100-plus passes and won possession more than 10 times in a knockout stage game at a major tournament – after the Denmark great Katrine Pedersen. SW We can quibble over Ann-Katrin Berger's positioning all we like, but for sheer did-she-really-try-that at such a knife-edge point in Spain's semi-final against Germany, the winner from Aitana Bonmatí stands above them all. NA Cristiana Girelli's wonder strike against Portugal. The 35-year-old always delivers for Italy and did so in spectacular fashion on this occasion. SD Clàudia Pina's curler into the top corner against Belgium takes this for me, although her near-identical finish against Switzerland in the quarter-final was almost equally worthy. We should also throw more praise at Vivianne Miedema's strike against Wales and Lauren James' superb first-half goal against the Netherlands. TG Lauren James v Netherlands. Not necessarily just because of the strike – which was great in itself – but also because of the buildup. That long pass from Hannah Hampton through to Alessia Russo in attack was absolutely exquisite. EH Vivianne Miedema v Wales. Not just the screaming finish into the top corner from distance, but the quick feet and clever body feints to create the space for herself. JL Clàudia Pina had a fine tournament and her goal against Belgium was an absolute stunner. It was similar to the rocket she scored against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final. A sensational strike from outside the box. SR There may have been prettier goals this tournament but the context of Michelle Agyemang's equaliser against Italy made it all the more remarkable. At just 19 years old, with less than a minute left of added time and with England 1-0 down and facing an exit from the tournament, the coolness with which the Arsenal forward scored through the legs of both a defender and the keeper was stunning. The celebrations also birthed one of the photos of the tournament, Girls on the Ball's Rachel O'Sullivan's renaissance-painting-esque shot capturing the celebrations of the bench and players' families. SW I loved being present in Geneva, where the best and loudest atmospheres materialised, for Switzerland's dramatic draw with Finland. The roof blew off when Riola Xhemaili equalised, sending the hosts through to the last eight, and it felt like a genuinely transformational moment in the country's relationship with women's football. NA Obviously, England lifting the trophy but I feel incredibly lucky to get to work major tournaments with some of the best in the business. The way we all pulled together to help each other this last month is what it is all about. SD When Riola Xhemaili scored a 92nd-minute goal to send Switzerland into the knockout stages, I was watching the action on a screen that evidently had around a 10-second delay compared to other televisions, and therefore hearing the roar – before actually seeing the goal myself – of noise and cheers echoing all around the streets of Zurich, as an entire city was glued to the game and celebrating joyously, was a sound I'll never forget. That was the moment I fully appreciated how emotionally-invested the host nation had become into their women's football team, which was really heartening. TG Michelle Agyemang's goal v Italy. From the verge of heartbreak to absolute ecstasy. The fact a 19-year-old kept England's hopes alive on just her fourth appearance for the senior team, four years after she was a ball girl, is incredible. EH Getting recognised by Ellen White's husband at half-time during the final. Happy to report Ellen and Callum are both avid Guardian readers. JL Michelle Agyemang became a star overnight with her equaliser against Sweden but the fact she did it again against Italy was quite something. The roar when she was shown on the big screen getting ready to come on in the final shows what she already means to England fans. A special summer for a special player. SR The interaction with the players. Many of them know that some of us have been on this journey with them for a very long time. It's been an incredible privilege to tell their stories and this tournament had stories in abundance. The jokes, the looks, the interviews. They are a very likeable group. SW Resource and attention need to be concentrated on countries that risk being left behind. England, Germany, France and Spain – for all their specific local issues – are going to be just fine. It is time to make sure clubs and national teams outside the leading pack are equipped to develop in both sporting and economic terms: 'The head must not leave the body', as a number of top Uefa executives are fond of saying. NA Just more of everything. More investment, more coverage, more fans, more viewership. The sky is the limit at the moment. SD The next Euros in 2029 needs to feature larger stadiums to try to surpass a million spectators, and there are some strong contenders with Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal and a joint Denmark-Sweden bid all in the running. In England, the challenge now has to be to improve the grassroots facilities for girls and women across the country and make sure the huge influx of young girls who have taken up the sport in the past few years can be retained within the sport into their teenage years and adult lives, for a long-lasting legacy. Lastly, the Women's Super League needs to capitalise on the national team's success by reversing last season's decline in average attendances. TG It's been fantastic to see how Switzerland as a nation has embraced women's football this summer. Hopefully we see the same with other nations. Given the success of the Lionesses once again this year it would also be great to see a steady increase in TV viewing figures and attendances across England. EH This is a thornier question than it appears. Huge levels of interest at big events do not necessarily translate to mass appeal at domestic or grassroots level. But as long as the funding is there (and fairly distributed), and as long as the institutional will to grow the game remains (looking at you, Jim Ratcliffe and Daniel Levy), we can anticipate another few years of cautious, optimistic growth. JL Hopefully this Euros win will see attendances in the WSL rise again and for other leagues across Europe to reap the same reward with most teams impressing one way or another at the tournament. But the next step now is to focus on and celebrate the football and the players. This Euros win for the Lionesses felt like it was all about the football rather than having to prove something to others. SR The sky's the limit. The impact of the win in 2022 was evident in the support for England this time round. That will be elevated again. This team has changed the face of women's football and society for the better. Their platform is bigger than ever and there can be little doubt that they will take full advantage of that increased authority to challenge things and fight for more for women and girls. SW
Daily Mirror
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Cat Deeley found moving back to the UK 'really hard' before split from Patrick Kielty
This Morning host Cat Deeley and her husband Patrick Kielty, who announced their separation today, moved back to the UK in 2020 after having lived in the US with their children Presenter Cat Deeley admitted that she found moving back to the UK with her husband Patrick Kielty and their two children "really hard". The former couple, who announced their separation this week, had lived in the US for years. Cat, 48, and Patrick, 54, relocated from Los Angeles to London in 2020, after having lived abroad for more than a decade. She later teased that she would be back stateside each summer for her role on So You Think You Can Dance. The former couple, who have been married since 2012, were said to have made the decision in part due to concerns over gun violence. Cat, who took over as host of This Morning after returning to the UK, has also said that other factors included wanting to be closer to family and friends. Speaking to the Sunday Times last year, Cat recalled them relocating after an incident saw Patrick and one of their kids ordered to take cover at a shopping mall. The outlet reported that there rumours of a shooter in the area but it turned out to be over a suspect package. Cat said in the interview that she found the experience to be "really scary". It was further stated at the time that she found their subsequent return to the UK, with its lack of sunshine, "really hard". Cat however said told the outlet that the Los Angeles she visits now is different from the place she first knew. She said: "It doesn't feel as safe as it used to be. There's an edge, which wasn't there before. The health system is failing miserably." Cat added that after the Covid pandemic there are "lots of vulnerable people" with "severe mental health issues" that have ended up falling "through the net". Speaking on ITV 's Lorraine in 2020, Cat said that the mall incident was the "catalyst" for returning to the UK. She however shared that the couple had "always" planned to live close to their families for the sake of their kids at some point. She said: "Our boys they've got grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins that they adore, and they adore them right back. For us, it was like, it's such a special moment in time and you don't get those times back again. So we had always thought we would bring them back here so they could know everybody in the family and friends." Cat and Patrick are thought to have been living separate lives lately, years on from their relocation. It's been speculated that their time apart due to conflicting schedules, with Patrick working in Ireland, for example, may have contributed to their break-up, which was announced today. The former couple shared the news in a joint statement to the PA news agency. Cat and the Late Late Show host Patrick said that there is "no other party involved" and that they will now co-parent their children after having split up. They said in the statement: "We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated. There is no other party involved. We will continue to be united as loving parents to our children and would therefore kindly ask for our family privacy to be respected. There will be no further comment." Cat and Patrick met while hosting the BBC 's Fame Academy in 2002. They are said to have been friends prior to developing a romance and went on to get married in 2012, after going public with their relationship the previous year.
