Joey Barton has issued a formal apology to radio presenter Jeremy Vine and has agreed to pay him £75,000 in damages. This settlement comes after Vine sued the former footballer for libel and harassment related to derogatory social media posts.

Barton, 41, faced legal action in the High Court for his online conduct where he used slurs and made baseless allegations against Vine, 59. The posts in question, which were published between January 8 and 12, 2024, falsely accused Vine of having a sexual interest in children and included a hashtag that propagated these claims. These posts were viewed millions of times, causing significant distress.

In his apology posted on X, Barton stated: “I recognise that this is a very serious allegation. It is untrue. I do not believe that Mr Vine has a sexual interest in children, and I wish to set the record straight.”

Additionally, Barton acknowledged his mistake regarding posts that misrepresented Vine as an advocate for forced vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. He admitted that the video clip he referenced had been edited and did not accurately reflect Vine’s stance.

Barton has also agreed to cover Vine’s legal costs and promised not to repeat the allegations.

Sky News reports that this case was described by Vine’s lawyers as a “calculated and sustained attack.” The use of a specific phrase by Barton as part of a hashtag even led to it trending on the platform.

In light of this settlement, Barton expresses his regret for the distress caused and hopes to move forward from this incident.