Former England footballer Eni Aluko has said sorry to Ian Wright after she was criticised for saying he was stopping women from getting chances in football broadcasting. Aluko had made the comments during an interview on BBC Radio Four’s Woman’s Hour.

She said that Wright, a famous Arsenal legend, was taking up too much space in women’s football coverage, making it harder for female pundits to find opportunities. She also mentioned that ITV keeping Wright on for women’s football might be hurting the chances of women getting into the industry.

However, after receiving backlash, Aluko posted on Instagram on April 25 to say she was wrong to mention Wright in that way. She wrote:

“Ian Wright is a brilliant broadcaster and role model. He has strongly supported the women’s game. I was trying to talk about how few opportunities women have in football jobs, like coaching and media. But I should not have mentioned Ian’s name in that context, and I’m truly sorry. I have always respected and worked well with him.”

During the radio interview, Aluko had said that the number of jobs in women’s football is limited, and men like Wright need to be mindful of not taking up too much space. She also said it’s not the same for women trying to break into men’s football.

She later shared more on Instagram, encouraging people to listen to the full interview before judging her comments. She said the media twisted her words and that she never attacked or accused Wright personally.

Reports suggest ITV might drop Aluko from future shows after the controversy, but nothing has been confirmed yet.