Jamie Carragher returns to Sky Sports after spitting scandal

  /  autty

Jamie Carragher has resumed his role as a football pundit for Sky Sports after his suspension for spitting at a car was lifted by the broadcaster.

Carragher appeared alongside Gary Neville on the 'Premier League Launch Show' on Tuesday and will resume full punditry duties when the 2018-19 season kicks off on Friday.

He was in jovial mood throughout the comprehensive preview show as he talked tactics with Brighton manager Chris Hughton, Manchester City defender Kyle Walker and Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves among others.

The former Liverpool stalwart was suspended until the end of the season back in March, after he was filmed spitting at a car carrying a 14-year-old girl and her father.

A video of the incident, which shows Carragher spitting through the man's window while driving, was published by The Mirror.

It left Carragher, 40, clinging on to his £1million job. But following a full and frank apology on Sky News in the immediate aftermath as well as sessions with renowned psychiatrist Steve Peters, as revealed by Sportsmail, the former defender has been reinstated to his role.

He conducted a comprehensive interview with Sky News the day after the footage emerged and fought back tears as he admitted his behaviour when he spat at the girl, who he has always claimed not to have seen, was 'disgusting'.

After being forced to watch the footage, Carragher said: 'A moment of madness which is difficult to explain.

'Watching those clips back it feels like an out of body thing - just that moment of madness for four or five seconds. No matter what the circumstances for anyone you can't ever behave like that. That is just unacceptable.

'My biggest regret is for the 14-year-old girl to be caught in the middle of it. That devastates me more than anything.

'I have a young daughter exactly the same age and if somebody had done that it's difficult for me to find the words to how I would react.'

Announcing their decision not to sack Carragher earlier this summer, Sky insisted he had taken the 'appropriate steps to make sure that the (road rage) incident will not be repeated'.

Carragher also spoke to the family, including the 14-year-old girl, after they themselves became the target of vitriol from fans. The father was warned by police widely criticised for using his mobile phone while driving.

Even so, the parents of the youngster said at the time that they did not want to see Carragher lose his position at Sky Sports and insisted he showed sincere remorse when contacting them to apologise.

Despite not being sacked by Sky, Carragher made a surprise return to punditry just three weeks after his suspension for Danish broadcaster TV3 Sport, who brought him in for their Champions League coverage.

Related: Jamie Carragher
Latest comments
Download All Football for more comments