BBC actress Sarah Hadland sparked a social media storm after openly admiring Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye during Tuesday's edition of This Morning.
The 55-year-old Miranda star appeared on the ITV programme alongside Stephen Mangan and Ardal O'Hanlon to promote their West End play The Truth, but the conversation soon veered towards the World Cup.
When asked about watching the tournament, Hadland became visibly flustered, declaring: "I will be watching now I've seen the Nigerian goalkeeper. Have you seen him?! Wowee, thank you very much!"
She continued: "I mean, he's absolutely gorgeous. I don't care if he can do Shakespeare. Looking lovely in a tight top, thank you."
Sarah Hadland could not hide her fancy for Nigeria international and Udinese star Maduka Okoye
|THISMORNING
The segment quickly drew criticism from viewers who accused Hadland of double standards.
"If a man spoke about a female athlete like this on national television he would lose his job and be slated as a sex pest by the media," one viewer fumed on X.
Another agreed, writing: "Million percent. He would be classed as a creepy predator but when its a woman doing it, its all [bleeps] and giggles."
A third commenter added: "The double standard in society is real. Women can talk on tv like that but men can't in the same manner."
Others suggested Hadland would be among the first to complain about sexism were the roles reversed.
Not everyone was critical of the actress, however, with some viewers pushing back against the complaints.
Maduka Okoye was labelled "absolutely gorgeous" by Sarah Hadland
|GETTY
"Honestly, get a bloody life, I think it's great that she's got an opinion. Bring it on!" one supporter wrote.
Another pointed out the historical context, stating: "Men have and continue to sexualise and fantasise about women in sport for years. Relax."
The debate highlighted ongoing tensions around gender and objectification in media, with opinions sharply divided on whether Hadland's remarks warranted the level of criticism they received.
Trending video of actress Sarah Hadland admiring Nigeria’s goalkeeper Maduka Okoye. pic.twitter.com/hCBEFyLJ8c
— Emmanuella Terfa (@EmmanuellaTerfa) June 24, 2026
There was one notable oversight in Hadland's enthusiasm, however – Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
The Super Eagles were eliminated in the second round of qualifying after losing to DR Congo on penalties, meaning Okoye will not feature at the tournament.
The 26-year-old Udinese goalkeeper shot to viral fame following Nigeria's friendly against Portugal, where he kept Cristiano Ronaldo largely quiet despite a 2-1 defeat.
Social media users subsequently dubbed him the "sexiest footballer in the world," with Okoye himself admitting to Ahlan Dubai: "Honestly, I think I was not prepared for this because it was quite big."
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