Joe Lycett reveals shredded 10k was fake after calling out David Beckham for role in Qatar World Cup 2022

Joe Lycett appeared to make good on his threat and shredded £10,000 after David Beckham did not meet his demands to pull out of his role as Qatar ambassador for the 2022 World Cup. On Sunday (November 20), Lycett released a video of him putting money into a large red shredder on camera.

Many members of the public were shocked that the comedian actually did it, and he received backlash for shredding money amid the cost of living crisis.

However, the comedian has now explained the stunt in a video addressing how he shredded £10k: “Or did I? I haven’t quite told you the whole truth.” Lycett went on to explain that the money he threw in had been real, but what came out was fake.

He said: “I would never destroy real money. I would never be so irresponsible,” he said, adding that the £10,000 had already been donated to LGBT+ charities before he sent his first tweet to Beckham.

“I never expected to hear from you. It was an empty threat designed to get people talking,” Lycett explained. “In many ways, it was like your deal with Qatar, David. Total bulls*** from the start.”

The comedian pulled out David Beckham’s cover of Attitude Magazine, from 2002 which marked the first ever cover of a gay magazine with a Premier League footballer on it, and proceeded to shred it. He clarified that he’d asked Attitude for permission and they were “more than happy to oblige”.

This comes after Lycett shared a video calling David Beckham out for his role in the controversial Qatar World Cup. The former Man United midfielder has come under fire as he penned a deal with Qatar to be their ambassador, and is reportedly receiving a £10 million payday for the role. Homosexuality is illegal in the gulf state, and Beckham has previously been viewed as LGBT+ ally.

Di Cunningham, co-founder of the Three Lions Pride group, saying he should no longer be considered a great ally because of his paid ambassador role.

On November 13, Lycett shared a video of him sitting behind £10,000 and said: “This is a message to David Beckham. I consider you, along with Kim Woodburn and Monty Don, to be a gay icon.

“You’re the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl, which is the gayest thing a human being can do.

“But now it’s 2022. And you signed a reported £10m deal with Qatar to be their ambassador during the FIFA World Cup. Qatar was voted as one of the worst places in the world to be gay. Homosexuality is illegal, punishable by imprisonment and, if you’re Muslim, possibly even death.”

Lycett continued: “If you end your relationship with Qatar, I’ll donate this £10,000 of my own money, as a grand for every million you’re reportedly getting, to charities that support queer people in football.

“However, if you do not, by midday next Sunday [20 November] I will throw this money into a shredder just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup and stream it live on a website I’ve registered called benderslikebeckham.com.”

Beckham has yet to respond to Lycett and stayed silent on his role in the World Cup and association with Qatar and their values.