Football fans in Sweden are less than happy after television network TV4 changed the date of a second division match to accommodate a player who has recently become a pop sensation on a reality talent show.
Twenty-four-year-old midfielder Kevin Walker, who plays for GIF Sundsvall is the latest star on TV4 show Idol. To complicate matters further, TV4 owns all the rights to Swedish second division games, meaning they have the authority to move a Sundsvall game if it is set to clash with the talent show.
Niklas Kllingberg, a midfielder for Degerfors, described the situation as ridiculous. He pointed out that when their goalkeeper returns from Swedish Under-21s matches, they have not been allowed to change the dates and he has had to play the following day. He added that now they are changing a fixture date because Walker is singing.
Walker, who was born in Sweden to an Irish father, has been such a hit on Idol that TV4 did not want his profession to interfere with his next live performance.
Emil Osmanbergovic, head of sport at TV4, confirmed that Sundsvall’s next game, away at Assyriska, will not clash with Idol as it has been moved to 20 October.
Walker has compared his life to that of Batman and Bruce Wayne, saying that he plays football in the week and sings on Idol at the weekend. He joked that he is living like Bruce Wayne at present.