FOOTBALL fans were delighted to hear Laura Woods will present today’s FA Cup coverage.

The ITV and TNT Sport presenter will address viewers during the early kick-off of the FA Cup quarter-finals.

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That sees Wolves host Coventry at Molineux before kick-off at 12.45pm.

Coventry are the last Championship team left in the competition and will be desperate to get to Wembley.

Laura is joined at Molineux by experts Eni Aluko and Joleon Lescott.

Realizing Woods was commenting, a Wolves fan wrote on X: “Laura Woods presenting. What a Saturday.”

There was a slightly awkward moment for Laura when she interviewed Gary O’Neil before the match.

The presenter was nervous after offering O’Neil’s hand for a handshake.

The Wolves manager then walked away and left her hanging.

She then said, “Did I get piped there?

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‘I was thinking of withdrawing it! But it was too late.’

FOOTBALL fans were left with an FA Cup broadcast dilemma after realizing who the presenting teams were on ITV and BBC coverage of the FA Cup.

The BBC showed live cup matches between Bournemouth v Leicester and Blackburn v Newcastle, while ITV showed Luton v Manchester City.

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ITV pundit Jason Bell broke down in tears live on TV.

The former NFL defensive back worked with Craig Doyle, Efe Obada and Osi Umenyiora on ITV's coverage of the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII victory against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

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After Usher's halftime show, the NFL debuted a moving advertisement for the Born To Play initiative, led by Super Bowl champion Umenyiora, who has long been at the forefront of the league's International Player Pathway.

In the ad, a young Ghanaian boy named Kwesi, obsessed with American football, runs through the streets of Accra playing an imaginary game with NFL stars Saquon Barkley, Cam Jordan, Justin Jefferson and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah.

His journey leads to him losing his ball to a dog, which he accidentally chases into an NFL Africa camp.

Reunited with his ball thanks to Umenyiora, the former New York Giants star tells him: “I know that look, I know that dream, I had the same one.

“See Kewsi, it doesn't have to be a dream anymore. It doesn't matter where you were born, as long as you were born to play.”

After the ad, ITV went back to their set at Allegiant Stadium, where tears rolled down Bell's face, while Umenyiora seemingly tried to hold back his own tears.

'I can't stop crying' Bell admitted.

“I remember he called and said he was going to do this, and he did it, and it changed so many lives.

“I'm just so proud of him. I saw how hard he worked. He worked so hard for this.

“He spent so much of his time, his money and so much effort on this.

“It means so much to so many people, and he does it heartlessly. He doesn't expect anything.

“And now the world sees that it was all him.”

And Bell wasn't the only ITV analyst moved by Umenyiora's ad.

Washington Commanders defensive end Efe Obada, who made his way to the NFL through the IPP, said“I resonate with that ad so much.

'I was once a Kwesi, I had that dream. And what Osi has done has honestly changed my life.

“He is a pioneer of international football and his legacy is bigger than football. It is bigger than what anyone could imagine.

“And I'm really grateful.”

In a press release of the NFL, Umenyiora said: “Talent is global, but opportunity is not.

“Opening doors for international athletes is not only a passion of mine, but it is a way to give back to future generations of athletes.

“The NFL is life-changing, and the path to playing the sport is now truly global.

“The league's international football development programs help transform the lives of young people and grow the game around the world.

“This campaign shows young people around the world that it doesn't matter where you were born, you were born to play.”

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Taylor Swift won the Super Bowl and ended it with a sloppy kiss!

Oh no, wait… Patrick Mahomes won Super Bowl 58, but I'm sure Taylor's caffeinated fans and Joe Biden's desperate White House will give her all the credit for the Kansas City Chiefs' win against the 49ers.

It was a true yawn-a-thon that culminated in a nerve-wracking overtimer and Peppy Patrick gambled big and defeated the on-paper better team in sunny Vegas.

Enjoy confetti-drenched hugs, steroid Travis Kelce heaving the Vince Lombardi shouting “Viva Las Vegas” and super sexy Brock Purdy crying into his jockstrap.

It all almost got out of hand for the slow-starting Chiefs when Tantruming Travis ran like a hulk and shoved his 65-year-old coach Andy Reid.

Note to Mr. Kelce: As a 34-year-old soon-to-retire, you know better than to attack the coach who benched you apparently because your tight end wasn't that tight. Boo hoo, big ham.

In fact, the 49ers spent the first half so busy scoring and embarrassing Calamity Kelce that Taylor probably wondered if her carbon-belching grace back from Tokyo had been worth it after all.

Besides, whatever drink they pumped into her on that long flight needs to be taken straight to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Was it the billions? Was it a glam team in flight? She looked impossibly well-rested and smoking hot in her $720 corset and schoolgirl bangs.

In fact, it was an evening of unbridled WAG-a-licious delight in the C-Suite. Blake Lively cosplays as a teen cheerleader, Brittany 'Spears' Mahomes pressed in red latex, Ice Spice… her bob still styles in a ridiculous Cheetos glow.

Camera-shy hugs, puffing matches and noticeably tight midriffs. I think we all need to shake off a Taylor hangover today!

Speaking of shaky, Usher rolled out on his roller skates and put on one of the worst halftime shows ever.

As he stumbled over his “hits” (don't ask me to name them) and wobbled his parts, he sweated like Whitney Houston in a heat wave (side note: sorry Reba McEntire, but your timid anthem was not worthy of Whitney).

Not even a sudden strip show could save this moment of peace. Neither could Alicia Keys, who parachuted in from Hamas headquarters in her ruby-encrusted jumpsuit to deliver more hobo notes.

The skates, that gruesome, blinding chest plate with fake abs, the sheer lack of melody…all a big Not Xanadone for my money.

When the cameras weren't on Team Tay, some mild relief came in the form of every hackneyed Hollywood type lining up to ogle and jeer in a parade of commercials for the cast.

There was the plague of the Wicked movie trailer…. bouncing Beyoncé's Verizon country album drop… and Ben Affleck-Lopez looking happier than ever while dancing in front of his Dunkin' millions — even if his annoying wife was shamelessly flirting with Tom Brady.

From Victoria B to Jennifer A and Addison Rae, the complete alphabet overview of the A to Z list was covered.

But my favorite was an irritated Christopher Walken having to endure a barrage of Christopher Walken impressions that made me want to go buy a BMW. (Michael Cera who sells CeraVe moisturizer also gets a special mention.)

When they weren't on screen, they were in the stands: Jay and Bey, Crazy Kanye and the Kardashian clan, Gaga decked out in kitty eye sparklers, Jon Hamm and ham-head Justin Bieber.

Normal people get tired of ubiquitous humans making everything on earth about themselves (sorry, Taylor) – so thank goodness the slow-crawling Chiefs found their mojo and started the second half.

When things got tense, Taylor covered up and bit her nails – but a saved Chiefs equalizer in the last three seconds (you know how to keep a girl waiting, guys!) took us to the glory of overtime.

In the end, it all came down to a coin toss cocktail, as bumbling 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan elected to receive the ball, giving Macho Mahomes the rocket fuel he needed to prove he's the Joan Collins of this football dynasty .

If it weren't for Mahomes' virile sprints and dodges to cover more yards than his teammates combined — and no thanks to Testy Travis — San Francisco might have maintained their early double-digit lead.

This down-to-earth quarterback, six years Kelce's junior and a doting young father, could teach Mr. Taylor Swift a thing or two.

Now all Taylor has to do is get Travis on a sore bent knee and offer up some matching finger hardware to match her #87 diamond pendant. After all, she doesn't want J-Lo to get him!

Jason Kelce knows that all eyes are on his brother Travis Kelce's games anytime Taylor Swift is present, and he sees the spotlight as something positive.

“The attention is there because the audience wants to see it. If people didn't want to see it, they wouldn't show it, I know that,” Jason, 36, joked during an interview with Cincinnati's ABC affiliate. WCPO 9 on Friday, February 2. “She is a global star and the ultimate artist in the world right now.”

Jason continued: “[She’s] extremely talented, an incredible role model for young women all over the world, so I think the NFL would probably be foolish not to feature her and show that she is a role model for all the young girls out there.

Swift, 34, has been dating Jason's younger brother, Travis, since the summer of 2023. Swift and Travis, also 34, made their romance public in September when she attended her first football game.

During the NFL broadcasts, Swift was occasionally seen on camera celebrating Travis' touchdowns and big plays. The reporting angered several die-hard football fans, claiming that Swift's on-screen performance is being prioritized over the actual game. Swift hasn't let the criticism overshadow her game day presence.

“I don't know how they know which suite I'm in.” There's a camera about half a mile away, and you don't know where it is, and you have no idea when the camera puts you in it. the broadcast, so I don't know if I'm on seventeen times or once,” she said TIME in a December 2023 profile. “I'm just here to support Travis. I have no idea if too much of me is being shown and I'm pissing off some dads, Brads and Chads.”

Swift has attended 12 of Travis' NFL games during the regular season and playoffs, several of which she joined his family in a private suite. Swift met Jason and his wife, Kylie Kelceduring January's divisional playoffs against the Buffalo Bills.

“Everyone knows how close Travis is to his family. So it really means the world to him how seamlessly Taylor fits in with all of them,” a source shared exclusively We weekly of Swift watching the game with Jason and the brothers' parents, Donna And Ed Kelce. “She is really down to earth and gets along with everyone.”

The insider added, “His family is all about hanging out, joking around and having a great time. It's almost like she's known his family forever, and he loves that about her.”

Swift reunited with the Kelces at the NFC Championship on Jan. 28, where she was seen hugging Kylie, 31, after the Chiefs won the game. Swift later joined Ed and Donna on the field to greet Travis and celebrate his team's victory. (Travis notably called her “sweetheart” and they shared a post-match kiss in front of cameras.)

The Chiefs will take on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, February 11, and Swift is rumored to be in attendance despite playing a concert in Tokyo, Japan, the night before. The Japanese embassy confirmed on Friday that there is enough time for Swift to get to the kick-off despite the time difference.

ABC’s annual New Year’s Eve coverage has infuriated viewers. They have criticized the broadcaster for spoiling a supposedly joyful celebration with angry political statements and “amateur” performances by musicians.

Hosted by Charlie Pickering, Zan Rowe and Concetta Caristo, the show featured a variety of acts including Angie McMahon, Mark Seymour and Grent Perez.

But it was Brisbane indie-electro-pop band Confidence Man who drew the ire of many at home.

“It’s like a sixth year talent search,” one viewer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“What kind of s*** is this…” wrote another, while someone else added: “Why do these dopes even bother with it when they’re straight up lip-syncing horribly.”

‘This techno, synth, prancing, fake, lip-syncing, narcissistic, empty bullshit is awful!!! Throw them into the harbor! added another.

“Is this a Rock Eisteddfod high school national competition?” another viewer asked again, “Is that Sacha Baron Cohen punking us?”

Earlier in the broadcast, Melbourne singer Angie McMahon took to the stage to sing an inspired version of Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares To you, alongside an original song called Pasta.

However, it was her views on the Israel-Palestine conflict that bothered some viewers.

“Get Angie McMahon, the wannabe activist, OUT!!!” wrote one viewer, before adding: “What a shame.”

‘What happened to a fun night out for everyone without a painful political statement? It’s hard to believe this ‘unbiased’ station still exists when it is taxpayer funded and costs billions annually,” wrote another.

‘What a shame!! Political activism everywhere,” a third commented.

“Worst NYE broadcast ever, turn that nonsense off. ABC what a joke and whoever organized the whole fireworks display on NYE it’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen. I immediately turned it off when I realized it was just another woke show,” wrote another.

Others supported the political message, with one person saying: ‘Gosh. I suspect the ABC will lose the rights to fireworks coverage on NYE if any artist says the P-word and by that I mean Palestine.

“Everyone talks about freedom of speech, but it seems the real snowflakes are the ones who can’t even tolerate the utterance of a word ‘cough’.

While others were bored by the acts and some complained that there were too many ballads for such a festive event.

‘Is ABC trying to put us to sleep?!? I’ve heard better music at a funeral!’ wrote one person.

“At the rate we’re going I think everyone will fall asleep and miss the fireworks this year,” said another.

“Will anyone be singing happy, feel-good party songs tonight??? What about the ballads??’ added a third.

However, not all reactions were negative.

Mark Seymour’s stirring rendition of Talking Heads’ Once in a Lifetime was met with a chorus of praise.

‘Oh, this was inspired by Mark Seymour!!! wrote one viewer.

He gained even more admiration when the former frontman of Hunters & Collectors sang their most endearing hit Throw Your Arms Around Me.

“Mark Seymour is simply a national treasure!” wrote another.

Elsewhere, viewers enjoyed Grent Perez’s spirited performance.

‘What a great surprise it was to see Grent Perez. I’ve never heard of him tonight, but he’s got talent!’ wrote one satisfied viewer.

‘Grant Perez, what a talent! Legend,” wrote another.

• Term was seen on Fox Sports’ image early in the match
• Was quickly changed as soon as the error was discovered
• Australian star Usman Khawaja has suffered from blemish before

By Shayne Bugden for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 10:35 PM EST, December 5, 2023 | Updated: 00:01 EST, December 6, 2023

Dozens of pro-Palestinian demonstrators have gathered outside the ABC to protest the broadcaster’s coverage of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The group held large “Free Palestine” banners and sang outside the ABC headquarters in Ultimo, in Sydney’s CBD, about 5pm on Friday.

Footage uploaded to Twitter showed supporters waving Palestine flags while chanting “shame on Guardian, shame on SMH, shame on ABC.”

A woman using a megaphone was heard shouting “shame, shame Albanian” as supporters chanted “in our thousands, in our millions, we are all Palestinians.”

Twitter group ‘ASU Members for Palestine’ posted footage of the protest on Twitter with the caption: ‘I wonder if the ABC will report on the protests outside their studio and hold them to account for parroting IDF talking points …’

In another post, the same group accused the ABC of providing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) with a platform on which to post their “propaganda.”

“Everyone can see that Israel is deliberately killing civilians and cutting them off from medical aid and communications. Collective punishment and war crimes,” the message said.

“Yet our national broadcaster comes up with IDF talking points or we let them go.” undisputed.’

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the ABC for comment.

The demonstrators moved to the Grand Concourse at Central Station, where they called out Anthony Albanese for his government’s response to the conflict.

A NSW Police spokesperson told Daily Mail police had not been informed of the protest.

The protest comes after the ABC aired a controversial episode of Q&A on Monday night discussing the war between Israel and Gaza without a live audience.

Instead, panellists heard questions from members of the public via video link.

Host Patricia Kavelas acknowledged the “difficult and sensitive discussion” that will take place, given the sensitive topic.

There was also a “very important police contingent” stationed outside the ABC Melbourne studios, she told viewers.

The discussion became tense when the national chairman of the Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council, Mark Leibler, and the head of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network, Nasser Mashni, clashed over the protests being held in Australia.

The panel was asked whether the popular chant heard at pro-Palestine rallies, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” was actually a call to “wipe out Israel.”

Mr Leibler said the saying was a “racist comment” and implied there was “no room for a state of Israel”. He accused pro-Palestinian protests of celebrating violence, but his comments were immediately criticized by Mr Mashni.

Mr. Mashni said Mr. Leibler “smeared our entire people.”

“We’re being killed, we’re being blamed, we’re being smeared,” he said.

“The reality is we have 75 years of oppression and 75 years of denial. Palestinians are just people.

“We have the right like everyone else to live in peace and holiness.”

Since the war began on October 7, a series of pro-Palestinian protests have been held across Australia.

Thousands gathered on the steps of Sydney’s Opera House last month in chaotic scenes as Palestinian protesters lit flares and chanted “f*** the Jews.”

At one point there were even chants of ‘gas the Jews’.

Israel has since launched a devastating attack in Gaza, killing more than 11,000 people, including more than 4,500 children. At least 1,200 people are estimated to have been killed following Hamas’s attack on Israel last month.

Ita Buttrose offers semi-apology for ABC’s ‘disrespectful’ coverage of King Charles’ coronation after the network focused on the royal family and colonialism

• ABC chairman apologizes to ‘disappointed’
• Monarchist League said apology ‘exceptionally hollow’

By Padraig Collins for Daily Mail Australia

published: 05:53 EDT, Jul 23, 2023 | Updated: 07:57 EDT, Jul 23, 2023