Katherine Ryan mocks David Beckham's literacy just two weeks after she apologised for Victoria Beckham BBC joke

From the Newshound archive · first published 9 October 2026 · last updated 10 October 2026.

Katherine Ryan, 43, returned to the Beckham controversy during a stand-up show in Chelsea on Thursday night, quipping that she had been 'cancelled by the BBC' for allegedly calling Victoria Beckham the C-word. She then joked that David Beckham knows it as 'the K-word, because bless him, the alphabet is hard', before declaring she 'actually loves' Victoria. The gag came just a fortnight after Ryan apologised 'unreservedly' for a joke on 'Have I Got News For You' that the BBC ruled had no editorial justification.

The BBC's Executive Complaints Unit found Ryan's original quip — implying Victoria Beckham was a 'c**t' — lacked justification, though a co-panellist's use of the word was cleared.

Ryan's November 2025 joke referenced David Beckham's 2013 leaked emails, in which he allegedly called the honours committee 'a bunch of c***s' after missing out on a knighthood.

David Beckham sent Victoria flowers after Ryan's apology, publicly showing his support for his wife following the row.