LEIGH LEOPARDS owner Derek Beaumont has claimed that he was stood down from a BBC interview after preparing to reveal “honest truths”.
Beaumont is well known for his outspoken views and was at the forefront of the sport’s decision to bring back Nigel Wood as interim chair of the RFL to replace Simon Johnson.
Both he and Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington released a statement last week saying: “The majority of clubs, including clubs from all levels of the professional game, were clear that they wanted a “club led strategic review” of policy and direction.
“To achieve this, it was necessary that the chair and next in line at the RFL were replaced on an interim basis by the person who would chair the strategic review. The clubs overwhelmingly supported the proposal of Nigel Wood OBE, who served with distinction at the RFL for 17 years, to chair a committee to undertake this work, addressing the challenges we all recognise the sport is facing, and demonstrated that support by way of completing proxy votes to be presented to the RFL.”
The Leigh owner and chairman has also been willing to speak out against the Salford Red Devils debacle which has seen the Super League club have a £1.2 million sustainability cap reimposed, owners fail to pay the players and staff on time and a number of stars having left or being linked with exits.
However, it seems a BBC Radio Manchester interview with Beaumont over the weekend was scrapped, much to the chagrin of the Leopards mogul who took to social media to announce his displeasure at the incident.
Beaumont posted on X: “When @BBCRadioManc stand you down from an interview because they might not like hearing some honest truths about positions that are in the public interest. No problem will choose a different outlet. It’s ok for them to chuck questions at me unknown at the round 1 game though! Don’t bother sticking a Mike in front of me should we make the final again!”
When @BBCRadioManc stand you down from an interview because they might not like hearing some honest truths about positions that are in the public interest. No problem will choose a different outlet. It’s ok for them to chuck questions at me unknown at the round 1 game though!…
— Derek John Beaumont (@derek_beaumont) March 16, 2025
