Overview
- The female-focused Halo channel launched on Thursday and was pulled by Saturday night, with Sky stating it had "listened" and "didn't get it right."
- Early posts used pink graphics, wellness catchphrases and clips of male stars such as Erling Haaland, prompting widespread ridicule and parodies online.
- Sources described heated staff meetings where senior figures Mark Allford and Andy Gill faced pointed questions, with women at the broadcaster said to be particularly upset.
- Allford publicly noted the project was built by a young, all-female team and initially defended the approach before the apology, with reports he later scaled back his social media presence.
- Industry criticism focused on a lack of audience research and weak oversight despite months of development, heightening reputational risk for a major investor in women's sport.