‘Sorry for being a d***’: Laurence Fox apologises for saying he wanted England to lose in Euros

Actor called players ‘weak men’ for taking the knee

Laurence Fox has apologised for claiming he wanted the England football team to lose at the Euros after players took the knee.

The gesture is made in order to highlight racial inequality and discrimination.

Fox has been vocal about his criticisms against the England squad for taking the knee, which they have continued to do during the ongoing Euros tournament.

In one Twitter post shared earlier this week, the Lewis star said he was “embarrassed to be British” and called the England players “woke babies” and “weak men”.

The 43-year-old added that: “I hope any team but ours wins in any future sporting endeavour.”

Following England’s win against Denmark in the semi-finals on Wednesday (7 July), Fox has now apologised for his comments.

In a series of tweets shared yesterday (8 July), the actor wrote: “Right. It’s hard to admit when you’ve made a mistake, but as I tell my kids it’s important to acknowledge it when you think you have.

“So here goes. I have always been behind England in any sport and any English team in any competition.”

He went on to state he thinks “England is the most fantastic country on earth”.

“We have done so much to promote equality in this nation that people long to come here and make the UK their home,” he wrote. “It was therefore disheartening to see the England football team kneeling for ‘equality.’”

He continued to say he believes the gesture is a “deep insult to those who work tirelessly for all the things we have achieved to become the genuinely inclusive, warm and welcoming society we are all part of”.

“But to say that I want England to lose just because of their kneeling, is a step too far,” he wrote. “I should just have said what I felt about the kneeling and got on with supporting the team.”

The White Lines star said that the players’ “intentions are no doubt noble, even if I continue to categorically disagree with what they are doing” and added that “saying I want them to lose doesn’t serve any purpose”.

“You can hate the kneeling and love the team, so that’s what I shall do,” wrote Fox. “I would love to see politics taken out of football, even politics I like.

“I hope we can go back to just enjoying the beautiful game. It brings us together.”

Despite apologising, Fox doubled-down on his criticism of taking the knee, calling the gesture “sad, pointless and divisive”.

“So there we go, I’m sorry for being a d***,” concluded the actor.

England will play Italy in the Euros final at Wembley stadium this Sunday (11 July).