A Sunday Times columnist from Ireland sacked over allegations his column was antisemitic and misogynistic has issued an apology.

Kevin Myers said he was sorry for causing offence but denied he was motivated by antisemitism and said he was a friend of the Jewish people and of Israel.

Speaking on RTE radio and BBC Radio Ulster, Myers said he had become an international hate figure since the controversy over his comments flared up at the weekend.

As a result of the furore, Myers said he believed his career in journalism was over. He said he deserved to be sacked for the column, which raised the religion of the BBC presenters Vanessa Feltz and Claudia Winkelman in his column, which discussed equal pay.

In his column for the Irish edition of the Sunday Times, under the headline: “Sorry ladies, equal pay has to be earned,” Myers wrote: “I note that two of the best paid women presenters in the BBC – Claudia Winkleman and Vanessa Feltz, with whose, no doubt, sterling work I am tragically unacquainted – are Jewish. Good for them.



“Jews are not general noted for their insistence on selling their talent for the lowest possible price, which is the most useful measure there is of inveterate, lost-with-all-hands stupidity.”

On Monday, the Jewish Council of Ireland partially defended Myers, saying his previous record showed great support for Jews and Israel.

Myers said on RTE radio on Tuesday: “My Jewish audience will understand that I am a great admirer of Jewish people, I think they are the most gifted people who have ever existed on this planet and civilisation owes an enormous debt to them.

“One of the great qualities about them is their sense of dignity and self-worth, the only way that can be expressed in the world of celebrity is getting the right financial package, you don’t know how long celebrity is going to last.

“I foolishly referred to their religion as being a motivator. Actually there is a good article to be had about that but it’s not to be done in a throwaway line that will not be understood.

“It was stupid of me, the encapsulation of such a complex issue in a single sentence ... one of my flaws is to deal with major issues with throwaway lines,” he said.

“I really mean this because I am not rescuing anything – it is over for me professionally as far as I can see – I am very, very sorry that I should have so offended them,” he said. “I do utter an apology, not for any reason other than out of genuine contrition for the hurt I had caused them.”