Joe Brolly forced to apologise for ‘Baywatch babe’ barb

Controversial RTÉ GAA pundit Joe Brolly has been forced to apologise to Rachel Wyse after branding the Sky Sports GAA coverage ‘TV3 meets Baywatch’.

The former Derry football star and barrister has been very vocal on his opposition to the GAA’s deal with Sky Sports, branding it “a breach of principle”.

However, on Tuesday the pundit upped the ante again by appearing to take a veiled swipe at Sky Sports GAA anchor, Rachel Wyse, by tweeting: “SKY = TV3 plus Baywatch babe.”

The comment provoked a backlash on Twitter, with both men and women taking Brolly to task for singling out Ms Wyse.

One tweeter reminded Mr Brolly that Ms Wyse had a degree and had represented Ireland in show jumping, while a succession of tweeters accused him of casual sexism.

RTÉ last night said the views expressed by Mr Brolly “are not those of RTÉ and he has been asked to desist from making such comments”.

Mr Brolly stuck by his comment for a period of time yesterday, tweeting that he had never heard of Ms Wyse and was “not a show-jumping fan”.

He also labelled Sky Sport’s “entrenched, beautiful, anchor formula” as “shamelessly sexist” and designed for its overwhelmingly male audience.

However, late yesterday afternoon Mr Brolly acknowledged his comments were unfair and tweeted Ms Wyse apologising for what her termed his “crass” remarks.

“Rachel, I apologise for the remark about a ‘Baywatch babe’. It was not meant to be personal but it was crass & wrong of me.”

He added: “It was no reflection on your abilities as a presenter or at least I didn’t mean it to be. I apologise. It will not be repeated.”

@RACHEL_WYSE It was no reflection on your abilities as a presenter or at least I didn't mean it to be. I apologise. It will not be repeated

— Joe Brolly (@JoeBrolly1993) May 21, 2014

Ms Wyse, who has a degree in business studies and arts management from the Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dún Laoghaire, said on Twitter that: “I’m well aware of his remarks over the past few weeks.”

She will be joined on the Sky panel by former Clare hurler, Jamesie O’Connor and former Tipperary star, Nicky English. The line-up also includes former rugby league star, Brian Carney, Tyrone legend, Peter Canavan and former Roscommon and Aussie rules player, Paul Earley.

In his Gaelic Life column last week, Mr Brolly criticised the Sky deal stating that claims it will increase audience figures and encourage global participation in the games were “fallacies.”

“The core of the GAA has always been that it is of the people, by the people, for the people.” he said.