ITV had to apologise after Tyson Fury swore twice on-air during their live coverage of Soccer Aid 2025.
The former unified world heavyweight boxing champion was among the biggest names competing in the annual charity football match that raised more than £15million for UNICEF this year, managing England’s mix of football legends and celebrities alongside Harry Redknapp, Robbie Williams, Vicky McClure, David James and the injured Sam Thompson.
Fury - a lifelong Manchester United fan - could not contain his excitement as he addressed his players in the Old Trafford dressing room ahead of the match on Sunday night, before the England starting lineup was then read out in humorous fashion by football management legend Redknapp.
“Let them know how good we are,” Fury bellowed. “We are England. We are f*****g Spartans. We are Spartans.”
The expletive came well before the 9pm watershed, leading to an inevitable apology from ITV hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alex Scott.
“What can I say about Tyson Fury? We do apologise for the swearing, but it is Tyson Fury, we don’t know what’s going to happen,” said former England international Scott.
O’Leary said: “We do profusely apologise.”
Fury’s language then led to another apology during the match itself, when the boxer said he was shouting instructions and “s**t like that” when giving an update on his management style to Scott, who once again apologised to viewers.
Fury’s England led the World XI 3-0 early in the second half at Soccer Aid after goals from Wayne Rooney, Toni Duggan and Jermain Defoe, but ended up losing 5-4 on the night as substitute Carlos Tevez scored four times after coming on at the break and Big Zuu then popped up off the bench to net the winner with just minutes to spare.
