LONDON - Former Sky Sports presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys, who lost their jobs last month amid a sexism scandal, have been signed up to present a radio show on talkSPORT, the station said on Tuesday.

The pair will host a three-hour show every weekday on the British commercial speech station starting on Feb 14, it was revealed, just two weeks after the presenters left Sky in disgrace.

Their appointment comes after Keys spent nearly an hour on talkSPORT to apologize for his remarks last month.

"It's an ideal opportunity for Richard and me to do what we do best, and that's talk about sport," said Gray.

Keys said it was "the start of something new and exciting for Andy and myself".

"Andy and Richard are iconic broadcasters with massive TV careers who I know will have an impact on national radio, so it's great for the industry," said Moz Dee, talkSPORT program director.

The sexism scandal erupted in January after details emerged of an off-air conversation between the men, in which they disparaged lineswoman Sian Massey.

The men said she was unlikely to know the offside rule as she prepared for a Premier League match between Wolves and Liverpool.

Former Everton and Scotlabd striker Gray lost his job, for which he was reportedly paid $2.7 million a year, after the comments about Massey emerged.

His dismissal was also linked to a lewd comment he made to Sky Sports News presenter Charlotte Jackson in December.

Referring to his microphone, Gray held his trousers and said: "Charlotte, can you tuck this down here for me?"

Keys quit a day after Gray was sacked. He had telephoned Massey to say sorry for the comments but felt undermined by Sky's initial refusal to let him make that apology public.

The veteran broadcaster conceded his highly-paid role was untenable after further footage of him asking lewd questions about Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp's relationship with a former girlfriend emerged.

After questioning Redknapp about the unnamed girl, Keys said: "Mind you, that is a stupid question, if you were anywhere near it. You definitely smashed it."

Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 02/10/2011 page22)