Millie Bright and Rachel Daly’s podcast issues apology over use of Lauren James picture

Millie Bright had no involvement in the selection of the image (PA Wire)

Millie Bright and Rachel Daly’s podcast, Daly Brightness, has issued an apology after using an image of Bright’s Chelsea team-mate Lauren James being sent off against Nigeria at the Women’s World Cup as an episode thumbnail.

In the episode, former Lionesses players Bright and Daly discussed the most memorable games of their England careers and brought up the last-16 victory against Nigeria at the 2023 tournament. England progressed on penalties, having been reduced to 10 players after James was sent off for stamping on the back of an opponent in the second half. Daly said the match was the “hardest game” she had been involved in as an England player.

The thumbnail of the episode feature an image of Lauren James being sent off (Rest is Football: Daly Brightness)

Fans of the podcast criticised the inclusion of James’s red card in the episode thumbnail, however, after the forward, who was 21 years old at the time, was on the receiving end of abuse following the match. The production team said Bright, who is James’s captain at Chelsea, and Daly had no involvement in the selection of the photo, which has subsequently been removed and changed to another image.