Danny DeVito booed for making awkward Arsenal joke at NTAs

Hollywood legend Danny DeVito didn’t exactly receive the warmest reception when he appeared to present an award at last night’s National Television Awards.

The Matilda and Batman Returns actor had a painfully awkward moment on stage when his football joke didn’t land with the unappreciative audience, with some sections of the crowd even booing him.

“This is a big week for me this week. It’s really nice for me to be here. I’ve got an Arsenal game on Friday night,” he began, prompting a chorus of jeers, presumably from Tottenham supporters.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. I’m gonna go to the tryouts on Saturday. I’m going to get Petr Cech’s job… The goalie,” said the four-foot-ten star.

But a lot like a football being shot past DeVito, the joke completely went other some people’s heads, triggering another round of boos.

“Ah go on, go Arsenal!” he said, before telling the crowd, “you’re mean”.

DeVito was there to present the best Drama performance award to Richard Madden, but he missed out some of the names from his cue card and seemed to be generally confused about his role at the ceremony.

After realised clips of the nominees were being shown behind him, he was overheard saying: “‘I was told I didn’t need to read the names out?”

However, when he finally handed the award to Madden for his performance in BBC One’s Bodyguard, he told the actor: “‘I really dig your show.”

Some fans, including BBC Breakfast‘s Dan Walker jumped to DeVito’s defence on Twitter.

Elsewhere at the NTAs, fellow Arsenal fan Piers Morgan was mocked by viewers after Good Morning Britain lost out to This Morning in the Best Daytime Show category.

Morgan has been passionately campaigning for the award across television and social media for weeks, but was left stone-faced when the accolade went to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield for the ninth time.

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