Who is Jamie O’Hara? ‘Love Undercover’ star got in a physical altercation with a young supporter
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jamie O'Hara, a former Tottenham midfielder, is set to appear in Peacock's new reality series called 'Love Undercover.' Over the years, O'Hara has been in the spotlight for various reasons.
The reality TV star was fined in 2017 for punching a 14-year-old boy in the face after being pranked with a fake handshake at a match. O'Hara reacted angrily towards a teenager following a loss with his then-current team, Billericay Town, in April.
After Leatherhead defeated the Essex team, a boy pretended to shake hands with midfielder O'Hara but pulled away as he approached. Subsequently, O'Hara reportedly punched the boy before grabbing him by the shirt, according to the Daily Mail.
Following the altercation, O'Hara was instructed to compensate the boy with £50, fined £400, and directed to cover additional costs amounting to £85, along with a victim surcharge of £40.
The incident occurred when the boy, accompanied by his father, attended the match and stood near the players' tunnel at the end of the game. Prosecutor Darren Matravers stated that the boy witnessed O'Hara, a player for Billericay, as the players were exiting the pitch.
The prosecutor stated on the boy's behalf and said, "As the defendant was heading towards the tunnel I leaned over the railing that separates the crowd from the pitch towards him. I then offered my right hand out towards him to see if he would shake it. Surprisingly he offered his hand back in return to shake mine."
The boy claimed he pulled his hand away from O'Hara as a joke. The prosecutor went on to say, "He then reacted by grabbing hold of the middle of my shirt with his left hand and punched me in the face with his right hand. His fist was clenched and he made contact with my left cheekbone."
The boy, who did not appear in court, stated that he was hurt and surprised by O'Hara's response. O'Hara was pulled along the player's tunnel by his teammates, according to the court testimony.
'Love Undercover' star Jamie O'Hara defended his actions after the physical fight
Jamie O'Hara was questioned by authorities on May 22 and claimed that the atmosphere at the game was consistently hostile. He stated that he reacted in such a manner because a fan had allegedly spat at him as he was exiting the field.
Matravers said, "'He was receiving personal abuse throughout the game and had items thrown at him. He felt unsafe leaving the pitch and that's not something he has felt before."
Michael Neofytou defended O'Hara by acknowledging that O'Hara admitted to striking the young boy but denied punching him. Video evidence shown in court showed the victim's right hand reaching out towards O'Hara over the barrier before quickly retracting it when the player attempted to shake it.
O'Hara was then shown extending his right hand towards the boy amid a torrent of abuse from fans, who chanted: "What a waste of money." "He specifically denies any allegation of the punch to the face, which is supported by the video footage," Mr. Neofytou said.
O'Hara has admitted to other charges by the Football Association and has been given an eight-match ban. The judge, Michael Slee, stated that they had considered the discrepancy between the prosecution's case and the defendant's admission of guilt.
"We have assessed the difference between the prosecution case and the basis of plea. In our view this would not make a material difference to the sentence. As a footballer you are someone young people look up to and that makes it more aggravated," Slee said.
He added, "We take into account also the age of the victim, however there's nothing in what we have heard that says you deliberately targeted him because of his age. It was a single blow which you now regret and have shown remorse for. It is clear you have already been penalised by your employer and the professional body."
O'Hara chose not to provide a statement as he exited the courtroom.
Why did 'Love Undercover' star Jamie O'Hara divorce wife Danielle Lloyd?
On another front, regarding Jamie O'Hara's personal life, he was previously married to Danielle Lloyd, a television host, model, and beauty pageant winner. The two tied the knot in 2012 and are parents to three children together: Archie, Harry, and George.
Unfortunately, their marriage ended just two years later, reportedly due to Jamie's infidelity. Danielle was devastated to discover Jamie's unfaithfulness, and with multiple instances of cheating coming to light, she realized their relationship was irreparable.
Their divorce was finalized in December 2014, with Danielle citing Jamie's infidelity as the reason for their separation. "The doctor put me on anti-depressants and quite strong sleeping pills. I had to be strong for the sake of my boys," she disclosed to Hello Magazine, as reported by Mirror.co.uk.
Lloyd further added, "They’re the only things that have been keeping me going over the past year.”
Jamie O'Hara seeks love in Peacock's dating series 'Love Undercover'
Jamie O'Hara is looking for love in Peacock's show 'Love Undercover,' where five well-known athletes hide their identities to find true love. In this unscripted reality series, former top soccer players from Europe will date women who are unaware of their fame and wealth. The athletes are set to embark on a journey to Los Angeles for this distinctive dating experiment.
Soccer players are finding it difficult to date due to their fame, so they will pretend to be someone else to form deeper connections with women. Eventually, they will have to reveal their true identities before pursuing a relationship. The first season of 'Love Undercover' features former and current Premiere League players Ryan Babel, Marco Fabián, Sebastián Fassi, Lloyd Jones, and Jamie O'Hara, trying to find love among a group of 18 women.
'Love Undercover' premieres on Thursday, May 9, 2024, on Peacock.