Iain Stirling has been slammed for making an ‘out of touch’ comment during his football commentary yesterday (9 June).
The comedian and a whole host of other stars including Usain Bolt, Danny Dyer, Jill Scott and Paddy McGuinness were involved in this year’s Soccer Aid for UNICEF.
Celebrities and football legends all took to the pitch at Stamford Bridge yesterday for England vs the World to raise money to provide humanitarian and developmental aid to children around the globe.
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And for another year, Stirling joined Sam Matterface in the box to commentate on the popular match on ITV.
Of course, amongst the football commentary (and obviously a couple of jokes), the stars made appeals for viewers to donate to UNICEF.
To help raise money for the charity, viewers are able to donate either £10, £20, £30 or £40 and at one point during the match, Matterface began reminding people how to do this as he began ‘please, if you can get involved’.
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But after he had finished reading out those options, Stirling added: “And £40, what’s that?
“A takeaway for the whole family? How about you cook at home one night and chuck is £40 if you can stretch it. Because that money goes such a long way and it goes to the children that need it the most.”
However, despite the Love Island narrator adding the ‘if you can stretch it’, viewers slammed him for being ‘out of touch’ as they said he was 'acting like it’s spare cash and people aren’t living in a financial crisis'.
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Another echoed: “Does Iain Stirling know how utterly classless this sounds?”
Others also agreed: “Well Iain I’m sure you’re a nice bloke but £40 is a lot of money to people right now. Just completely out of touch with reality and people’s struggles. Very distasteful.”
One added: “I’m not one of those ‘why don’t the celebs give them the money’ pr*cks, but Iain Stirling saying ‘40 quid, what’s that?’ has p**sed me off.
“40 quid’s not nothing to a lot of people. Acting like the country’s not on its arse.”
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Meanwhile, plenty pointed out £40 ‘isn’t even a week’s shop for a family anymore’ as people said he’s ‘detached from reality’.
And others simply answered his ‘what’s 40 quid anyway?’ with ‘a lot, actually’.
Of course, with Stirling being a comedian, there’s some chance he was meaning to be sarcastic, but many said asking for £40 is a lot of cash for many viewers anyway.
“You’ve got actual millionaires on the pitch but Iain Stirling is there asking the butcher, baker and candlestick maker to give £40 for the pleasure,” one wrote.
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LADbible has contacted Stirling’s reps for comment.
Topics: Charity, Social Media, Celebrity, Football, ITV
Jess Battison