David Beckham at risk of revealing too much with new punditry show

Emmy award win on Sunday, a visit to St Andrew’s on Monday, Champions League pundit on Tuesday, then a seat next to Anna Wintour for Hugo Boss in Milan on Wednesday. It is an odd re-write of Craig David’s 7 Days but it is an odd life, being David Beckham.

His level of fame makes his every act seem inevitable. Even 20 years ago the idea of Beckham winning a TV award or sitting front row at fashion week would have been plausible, the only real surprise is he remains tethered to football matches like Birmingham City vs Wrexham. Even then, his presence there is merely because some wealthy celebrities have made leftfield investment choices.

Coming soon(ish) is the latest brand Becks extension, Beckham and Friends, an adjunct to CBS’ Champions League coverage. The show is categorised as an “altcast”, a format popularised by the NFL’s Manning brothers, Peyton and Eli. They have provided something between commentary and a podcast for ESPN since 2021, an alternative to the traditional coverage of Monday Night Football. You still watch the game but with the Mannings’ faces alongside it. The sound of the sport is turned right down, the voices of the stars to the fore.

This is presumably the idea for Beckham’s latest wheeze, aping the Mannings’ mix of Louisiana charm, teasing megastar guests and freewheeling live analysis. During breaks in play they sometimes jump up to illustrate the intricacies of quarterback play. Beckham may struggle here, other than for demonstrations of dead balls or how to trip over irritating Argentinian midfielders.

What else could he offer as a broadcaster? He was deferential to CBS regulars Jamie Carragher, Thierry Henry and Micah Richards when announcing the new show, suggesting he lacked their punditry chops.

So Beckham and Friends will likely be a personality play, with the Friends doing much of the heavy lifting. And what a cast Beckham will have to call upon: His Inter Miami FC employee Lionel Messi, his wife Victoria and between one and four further Spice Girls, or Tom Brady, the man hosting him in Birmingham for a League One game on Tuesday, although judging by Brady’s start as an NFL co-commentator he will need to get some practice in.

Plenty of time for that as Beckham and Friends does not debut until the semi-finals of the Champions League, and even then just for the second legs then the final. Yet in those three games we might learn more about Beckham in 270 minutes than we have for the past three decades.

It could be interesting to hear him live and potentially less polished. You imagine he has enough natural charm to thrive, but how would we know really? All we have seen of him off the pitch has been intensely honed, rehearsed and approved. There was last year’s self-described ‘unprecedented’ Netflix documentary, theoretically warts-and-all but only after a visit to a world-leading Harley St dermatologist.

The modern Beckham achieved his perfect form 12 years ago, in the opening ceremony to the London 2012 Olympics. Driving a speedboat, wearing a tuxedo, untouchable and mute. But no matter your reach and influence, everybody must give a little more of themselves now. Even the King is doing hugs.

There is a tough balance to strike here. Beckham’s rare level of fame maintains its value with a certain distance. If Beckham and Friends becomes a runaway success it could be a different sort of over-exposure to his endorsements for AliExpress, Nespresso, Tudor watches and Tempur mattresses.

We all know the feeling of discovering a new podcast, devouring it, then beginning to get annoyed by its host and moving on. Too much content breeds contempt, unless you are constantly surprising your audience.

So without the safety net of an edit suite are we about to enter Beckham’s gunslinging shock jock era? Unlikely. He is the proud owner of the highest engagement numbers of any international account on the Chinese platforms Weibo and Douyin. You do not jeopardise lucrative positions like that by saying anything unexpected.