‘Shut up you f*cking idiots’ - Joey Barton calls out ITV for ‘woke bullsh*t’ after broadcaster condemns ex-midfielder for ‘vindictive’ sexist remarks comparing pundits Eni Aluko & Lucy Ward to serial killers

Barton took to social media on Friday morning, insisting that Aluko and Ward were comparable to the notorious British serial killers Fred and Rose West. ITV subsequently issued a firm rebuttal in a statement reading: "For Joey Barton, an ex-professional player with a significant social media presence, to target two of our pundits, Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, with such vindictive remarks based on gender and to invoke the names of serial killers in doing so is clearly contemptible and shameful on his part. Football is for everyone."

Barton decided to double down on his appalling initial message with another expletive-laden rant that appeared to be some sort of veiled threat.

He said on X: "Shut up you f*cking idiots. Keep them off the tele. They’re ruining the game for everyone of us. It’s what happens when you force under qualified, under prepared, tokenistic people onto us. I will be calling them all serial killers from now on. Every clip you f*ckers put out. Told you, I don’t care anymore. We’ve all had enough of your ‘Woke’, ‘DEI’ bullsh*t. I hope everyone who agrees with me, gets right after your social media every time you force this nonsense on us. I tried to play nice, you didn't listen."

For clarity, DEI stands for 'Diversity, equality, and inclusion'.

Gary Neville, who works for ITV as a pundit occasionally, backed the initial ITV statement with a heartfelt post reflecting on his own family's history.

He wrote: "Well done ITV. It’s gone too far this and mentioning serial killers is quite simply incredible. My daughters have watched Salford City with me for 10 years and like to comment on football, my mum was kicked out of the football team (boys in the 1960’s) and stopped playing due to [misogyny], my sister struggled for funding for her sport for years and my brother was mocked when he took over the England women’s team. I come from a family that has fought these issues for years and I’ve witnessed it first hand. All this does is just discourage and it’s not the way forward. It’s bloody hard work for Women to succeed in sport and media as it is without this stuff."

ITV will air Friday's game between Tottenham and Burnley, and it remains to be seen whether Barton faces any sort of punishment for his comments.