RICHARD Keys last night quit Sky with a grovelling apology for his sexism shame.

But the presenter said “dark forces” helped oust him and Andy Gray. He left after clips emerged of him making lurid remarks to Jamie Redknapp about an ex.

In a radio chat Keys said: “I am deeply sorry.” Gray plans to sue Sky for £3million over his sacking.

WITH his sidekick sacked and a new tape of him making more disgraceful sexist remarks, Richard Keys faced a major struggle to repair his shattered image.

Even a grovelling apology during a rambling radio interview yesterday could not take the heat off the Sky Sports football presenter and he quit his £1million-a-year job.

But the 53-year-old said “dark forces” were behind a campaign to oust him and Sky pundit Andy Gray who was sacked on Tuesday after a tape emerged of him asking co-presenter Charlotte Jackson, 33, to “tuck him in” while he pointed at his crotch.

And Keys said he felt he could not carry on in the job he has been doing for the past 20 years without his pal Gray by his side.

The writing was on the wall for Keys when lurid off-air comments he made to Jamie Redknapp about his ex-girlfriend were put out on the internet.

After he quit, he said: “I am deeply sorry for my remarks and the offence they have caused; it was wrong and should not have happened.

“I have thought long and hard and reached the decision that it is time to move on.

“Going forward without Andy would have been almost impossible.”

Managing director of Sky Sports Barney Francis added: “It is disappointing that Richard’s career at Sky should end in these circumstances.

“However, Richard recognises his comments at the weekend were unacceptable and we note that he has made a full and public apology.

“We thank him for his time in helping make Sky Sports the success it is today.”

Keys had earlier made a desperate bid to keep his job during his 65-minute interview with Talksport. Talking of the remarks he made about Redknapp’s ex – where he asked him if he “smashed it” – he admitted he needed ­professional help.

The former presenter added: “Horrible. Out of order. Wrong. Old-fashioned. No place. ­Behavioural problems that need to be attended to, yeah. Reconstruction, yeah.

“But again it is a very selective moment from that studio that night, read into that what you will. It shouldn’t have happened. It is something I am enormously upset about. It’s obviously something that needs to get sorted out.

“There is a process and I am willing to take it. It will take far more than me coming behind this microphone saying ‘I am changed’.”

Speaking of the “dark forces” he believes were undermining his position, Keys claims insiders at Sky had been looking for more ­embarrassing tapes to plunge him and Gray, 55, who earned £1.7million a year, further into the mire.

He said: “If you dig deep enough you will find what you are looking for. With success comes envy. The clips are fairly ­selective. They have targeted two ­individuals.”

Keys found himself embroiled in the sexism row after he and Gray made remarks about match official Sian Massey before last weekend’s Wolves versus Liverpool clash where she was running the line.

And he told the radio interviewer he feared he could have been fired like Gray, despite apologising to Sian. Asked if there was any reason why he shouldn’t be, he replied: “None I suppose, but that’s for others to make a ­decision on. I have to ask myself, ‘Do I want to carry on without him?’ That’s something I havebeen doing.”

After saying sorry to Sian on Sunday, Keys claimed he was banned from making his apology public. He added: “I was told no, and 24 hours passed by which time the world had gone mad. I don’t know why I was told no.”

The sexism furore exploded after the two presenters made their remarks about Sian off-air. Ex-footballer Gray sneered that she “wouldn’t know the offside rule”.

And Gray found himself in more hot water when he asked co-host Charlotte to “tuck him in” as he fitted his microphone before a ­transmission. He laughed as she ignored him.

Gray was sacked by Sky Sports on Tuesday for “unacceptable ­behaviour”.

The new video of Keys making lurid remarks came as he chatted to Redknapp, Ruud Gullit and Graeme Souness in a studio at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge ground after a match.

Keys also made disparaging remarks about West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady who he called “love”. He said he tried to call her but could not get through.

But Brady last night hit back, branding him a “dinosaur”. She said: “Perhaps Richard thought I was too busy making the tea and washing up to take his call.”