Jeremy Vine sues ex-footballer Joey Barton over "bike nonce" tweet

Broadcaster and pro-cycling figure Jeremy Vine is suing ex-footballer Joey Barton following a series of social media posts on the platform X (formerly Twitter).

Vine, who uploads videos from his cycle journeys around London and regularly addresses cycling-related topics and debates on his Channel 5 show, filed the defamation claim last week, The Sun reports, although it is not yet known how much the former Manchester City footballer, who was sacked as manager of League One side Bristol Rovers in October, is being sued for.

> Joey Barton's latest unhinged cycling-related social media rant tackles "road tax, insurance and MOT" for cyclists

Vine joins retired England footballer and current TV pundit Eni Aluko in taking legal action against Barton for his social media comments, the 41-year-old who has ramped up his social media activity since losing his job not yet submitting any documents in his defence, although he has set up a crowdfunder for legal fees.

It has been reported by numerous national newspapers that the claim relates to posts in which Barton used the term "bike nonce" and compared Vine to Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris.

Barton had previously asked Vine to stop mentioning him during his broadcast work, tweeting on January 8: "Oi, bike nonce! Stop talking about me on your s**tty show."

The pair have had numerous exchanges on social media, in another Barton claiming the broadcaster is "one of the many Government Stooges trying to pressure people to play Russian Roulette with those Covid vaccines".

In other cycling-related posts, Barton called cyclists "pedalphiles" and asked for "a petition to charge 'Pedalphiles' Road tax, need to have insurance and an MOT.....to ride in London".

Vine wrote on social media about Barton's criticism of female pundits such as Aluko: "Genuinely, is it possible we are dealing with a brain injury here?" Barton replied by saying, "No brain injury here pal. You just don't like the truth".

Aluko — who won 102 caps for England during her 18-year professional career, 101 more than Barton whose sole national team appearance lasted around 15 minutes — said she is taking legal action due to "a post on X which made untrue, inaccurate and defamatory allegations about me and my family".

"It is particularly harmful that Mr Barton involved my family in that post, suggesting my late father, a distinguished Nigerian senator, was in receipt of 'dodgy money' and that I had benefitted from his corruption which paid for my lavish lifestyle including Rolls-Royce cars and a private education," she said in a statement.

"Mr Barton also publicly stated he knew where my family lived. These, and the other allegations he made in the post, are all entirely untrue and have caused me extreme harm and distress."

Barton's social media activity has been widely condemned, one post comparing Aluko and ITV broadcaster Lucy Ward to serial killers Fred and Rose West. Sports Minister Stuart Andrew spoke out about Barton's comments, saying they are "dangerous", before Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the idea that female pundits should not be commentating or working in the men's game is "completely ridiculous".