MATHS genius Rachel Riley has reportedly called full time on football TV presenting after suffering online abuse for remarks she made about Tottenham Hotspur.
Trolls kicked off on social media when the Countdown host called Spurs’ performance in their crucial loss to West Ham a “proper bottle job”.
The 31-year-old was speaking on a show immediately after Spurs' hopes of catching Chelsea were dashed when they lost 1-0 at the Olympic Stadium.
Rachel said on screen: "It's deja vu for Spurs isn't it, a proper bottle job."
This was a reference to Spurs spending the majority of last season in second place chasing Leicester City before finishing third behind bitter rivals Arsenal.
MOST READ IN NEWS
The remark sparked a huge backlash on social media from Spurs fans and the club was said to have raised the matter with Sky Sports.
A source told the Mirror said: “It was made clear that Spurs weren’t happy at all.”
Mirror Online reports Rachel has stepped down from Sky Sports’ Friday Night Football, which she presented alongside ex-Countdown host Jeff Stelling.
Sky and Rachel are said to have mutually decided to not renew her 12-month deal despite the big excitement generated when she joined Stelling on the couch last year.
A Sky Sports source told the website: “At the end of the season she contacted the head of football, saying she felt it wasn’t right to be part of that programme.
"This was something she was considering in advance of the West Ham-Spurs match.”
The Strictly star, a maths graduate of Oriel College, Oxford, took to Twitter to defend herself from the abuse.
She tweeted: "Didn't mean any offence to Spurs or their fans tonight just a surprise to slip v WHam with their form on paper. Personal abuse is hideous."
The Man United fan also tweeted: "I love football, always have, always will, banter is fun, abuse is not."
Rachel's agent declined to comment on the story.
Got a story? email digishowbiz@the-sun.co.uk or call us direct on 02077824220
Leave a comment