Kate Abdo and Jamie Carragher calmed the tension behind the scenes at CBS within minutes of broadcast on Wednesday night as the presenter delivered a brutal takedown of the Liverpool legend in her opening monologue.
It came 24 hours after Carragher made pointed comments about Abdo’s loyalty to her partner Malik Scott while at the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal’s victory over Porto in the Champions League.
The former Liverpool defender suggested Abdo wear the Arsenal shirt he requested after the dramatic penalty shootout in north London.
“No, I’m loyal,” Abdo quickly replied, before adding: “Manchester United, thank you very much,” when Carragher asked who she was loyal to.
“You are not loyal to Malik,” the former Liverpool defender fired back, referring to Abdo’s friend Scott.
Kate Abdo delivered a cheeky monologue on Wednesday and put Jamie Carragher in his place
The former Liverpool defender suggested Abdo was ‘disloyal’ to her partner 24 hours earlier
She responded by calling Carragher ‘that one annoying family member we still love and accept’
The joke did not go down well with the CBS host, who responded, “What? How can you even say that?’, while fellow experts Thierry Henry and Micah Richards smiled awkwardly.
Carragher was heavily criticized in the aftermath of the incident, but all indications are that tensions have thawed following a brilliant opening segment from Abdo on Wednesday night.
She said, ‘You know what, this group has been together for three and a half years now, I think, and I grew up with a brother and on this show I feel like I’m here at the agency.
‘I’ll introduce you to the group again. Thierry Henry, of course, the golden child who can do no wrong. Always says the right thing and sets an example for the rest of us.
‘Can he be intimidating? Yes he can. But he is the big brother we all look up to and aspire to.
“Then there’s the middle child. Jamie Carragher. A chip on his shoulder, who can say anything to get attention.
‘Does he sometimes go too far? Absolute. Does he apologize? Yes, he does. But we all have that one annoying family member that we still love and accept.
“And then there’s little brother. Loud but likable, Micah Richards. Easy to choose, impossible not to love and everyone’s favorite.
‘You know what? We stick together like a good family. So here we are, another day and another show. Nice to be with all of you.’
Carragher (third from left) made an awkward joke about Abdo’s relationship with the Emirates
The Liverpool legend suggested Abdo was ‘disloyal’ to her boyfriend Malik Scott
Abdo recently announced that she is dating Deontay Wilder’s boxing trainer Scott after her on-screen colleagues at CBS Sports playfully teased her about the subject for months.
It also came after Arsenal legend Henry is often the subject of light-hearted ridicule on social media, with fans joking that he is in love with Abdo, and his reaction to hearing about his ‘work wife’s new relationship earlier this month ‘. led to hilarious reactions online.
The CBS Sports presenter previously saw her partner’s name revealed on air by Carragher and Richards in December last year, after she joked about the presenter’s new relationship during broadcasts since the start of the season.
During CBS’ coverage earlier this month, Carragher asked Abdo how she enjoyed a trip to Alabama before adding, “Are we going to meet Malik?”
And last week Abdo revealed that her partner officially wants to tie the knot.
On Wednesday, some fans dug up an old clip from a CBS Sports broadcast in which the ex-Liverpool star made a similar comment.
Abdo made her relationship with Scott public on social media two weeks ago
During one of their Champions League shows earlier this month, the four pundits were all on air discussing that match week’s matches.
In a clip that appeared on Xthe conversation then focused on the group’s on-air chemistry, as Henry said, “Work is a talent.”
Abdo replied, “That’s why we’re so good, honey.”
Carragher immediately responded to the comment, saying: “I hope Malik isn’t looking!”
Abdo looked embarrassed as she waved the comment away and continued the broadcast.
Richard Keys, who previously presented for Sky Sports before joining beIN SPORTS in Qatar, believes the former Liverpool defender has gone too far, while also slamming CBS Sports’ reporting for being ‘too bland’.
“I think Kate Abdo is a top professional,” Keys wrote on X. “I have no idea what Carragher is insinuating, but he crossed the line again. How many more times?’
‘That show is just like so much else these days: too ‘pally’. It was an accident waiting to happen. Abdo deserves much better.’
Last week, Abdo announced live on air that her partner officially wants to tie the knot
But speaking to The Athletic this week, Abdo emphasized that the out-of-the-box nature of CBS’ reporting is what made it so special.
“The freedom to be off-script (that’s why it works), the freedom to be our authentic selves,” she said.
‘We all have very different personalities and bring different assets. But I think as a whole we all complement each other in some way.
‘Working in television is such a source of frustration for me, because so often you go to a program and have to justify every minute, even though you know exactly what is going to happen in the next hour.
‘For something to happen spontaneously, all the air in the room is needed.
“We go into segments knowing that we have an overall vision for each segment, but if we deviate completely from that vision, that’s OK.”