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We're recording this episode of The Newsagents on Monday afternoon, 2 o'clock.

We are exactly seven days out from England's first game at the Qatar World Cup.

And usually, at about this time, you wouldn't be able to escape World Cup songs, anthems, bunting, chatter.

This time it feels really quiet.

The dawning realisation, of course, that it's so close, has also had another side effect

that those people who feel deeply uncomfortable about Qatar hosting the World Cup are speaking out.

This is the comedian Joe Lysett with an England football legend in his crosshairs.

This is a message to David Beckham. I consider you, along with Kim Woodburn and Monti

Don, to be a gay icon. You were the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines

like attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl, which is the

gayest thing a human being can do.

But now it's 2022, and you've signed a reported 10 million pound deal with Qatar to be their ambassador during the FIFA World Cup.

Qatar was voted as one of the worst places in the world to be gay.

Homosexuality is illegal, punishable by imprisonment, and if you're Muslim,

possibly even death. You've always talked about the power of football as a force for good,

which suggests to me that you've never seen West Brom. But generally, I agree. So with that in mind,

I'm giving you a choice. If you end your relationship with Qatar, I'll donate this 10 grand

of my own money, that's a grand for every million you're reportedly getting, to charities that support queer people in football.

However, if you do not, at midday next Sunday, I will throw this money into a shredder just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup and stream it live on a website I've registered called

benderslightbeckham.com. Not just the money, but also your status as a gay icon will be

...