Ferdinand calls radio DJ Moyles 'a faggot'

Manchester United and England star Rio Ferdinand turned the airwaves blue today after calling DJ Chris Moyles a “faggot” live on air. Moyles, who has been in hot water himself in the past for swearing during live broadcasts, was given the rebuke during a light-hearted exchange on his BBC Radio 1 breakfast show. The DJ had been questioning the defender about who he thought was most attractive out of his Manchester United team-mates – Alan Smith and Paul Scholes. Moyles, referring to the two players’ nicknames, said: “If you had to, who would you rather go out with – Smudger or Scholesy?” Ferdinand replied: “That is not my bag that, that is not my game, talking about going out with geezers.” But when Moyles, a Leeds United fan, jokingly declared that he would always prefer Smith, an ex-Leeds player, Ferdinand said: “You’re a faggot.” As others in the studio expressed shock, the England defender said: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I’m not homophobic.” Moyles said “you can’t say that” before joking that the comment was “footballing terminology for a funny lad”. The conversation had started with Ferdinand defending his England team-mate Peter Crouch after Moyles cast doubts over the Liverpool player’s looks. “He is a half decent-looking geezer,” said Ferdinand. “I am not feminine or gay in any way but he is not ugly and a few birds like him.” But as Moyles pushed for more from Ferdinand, the player quipped: “I don’t want to start talking about going out with players. Let’s move on.” A spokeswoman for Radio 1 described the exchange, which was followed by jokes from Moyles about Ferdinand “flirting” with him, as “banter”. A Radio 1 spokeswoman said just two phone complaints had been received about Ferdinand’s interview. She said: “Rio Ferdinand appeared on Chris Moyles’s show this morning and they entered into some friendly banter about which football player (Smudger or Scholesy) they would go out with. “After Rio’s comment, he immediately apologised and Moyles acknowledged that he had meant no offence by commenting: ‘I know you didn’t mean anything by it, you’re just messing’.”