Jamie Carragher leaves viewers ‘cringing’ with awkward on-air joke about Kate Abdo’s boyfriend

Jamie Carragher has come in for criticism after the ex-Liverpool defender’s joke about CBS Sports presenter Kate Abdo’s love life spectacularly backfired on live TV.

Carragher was a pundit on CBS Sports’ coverage of the Champions League last-16 tie between Arsenal and Porto at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night alongside Thierry Henry and Micah Richards.

Speaking after the match, Carragher was seen wearing an Arsenal shirt the trio had been passing around.

READ MORE: Thierry Henry stunned into silence by Kate Abdo putting Jamie Carragher in his place

The ex-Reds defender said: “You [Henry] can wear it next and for the last part you [Abdo] have to wear it!”

However, when Abdo refused to wear the shirt, saying she’s “loyal”, Carragher quipped back: “To who?”

“Manchester United, thank you very much,” Abdo replied, before Carragher added: “Not to Malik!”

Henry and Richards were stunned into silence by the joke, with the pair smiling awkwardly while Carragher was the only one laughing.

“What? Why would you say that?” a visibly frustrated Abdo said before Carragher attempted to explain himself. “He hasn’t had a mention in the show yet, has he?”

The trio of pundits have previously teased Abdo over her relationship with her boyfriend Malik Scott, trainer to boxer Deontay Wilder, and fans on social media have a long-running joke that Henry has a romantic crush on Abdo.

Viewers at home took to social media to share their opinions on Carragher’s awkward joke, with some labelling the former Liverpool defender a ‘bellend’ for the awkward quip.

Declan Rice of Arsenal speaks to Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards and Kate Abdo following the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Arsenal FC and FC Porto at Emirates Stadium on March 12, 2024 in London, England

“Everybody else talking about football. Jamie Carragher: You’re cheating on your partner. What an absolute bellend,” wrote one person.

“Jamie Carragher, classic example of behaviour we accept because ‘that is just what Carra is like’, rationalisations we make instead of going, ‘no actually that is not ok’ – he needs to be put in his place instead of being enabled because he used to kick a ball for a big club,” said another.

A third person wrote: “Just sat here laughing thinking about the HR meeting that Jamie Carragher is having to go through today,” while another added: “I just died of cringe watching that Jamie Carragher ‘joke’. He tries to be a top tier comedian way too hard. Watch out lads, we might have the next Ricky Gervais on our hands.”

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