Rio Ferdinand meets gay footballer Josh Cavallo in new series Tipping Point
"As an industry, we’re at a tipping point and real change needs to be made to safeguard the future of our game."
Josh Cavallo and Thomas Hitzlsperger are talking to Rio Ferdinand as part of the former England player’s new Prime Video series about football.
Rio Ferdinand’s Tipping Point will look at three major issues in football: racism, sexuality, and mental health.
A trailer for the series sees Ferdinand sit down to talk with Josh and Thomas about their experiences.
Last October, Josh became the first openly gay player to come out at the top level of football. He has since inspired Zander Murray and Jake Daniels to come out in the UK.
Thomas Hitzlsperger, a former Aston Villa star, came out in 2014 after he had finished playing professionally.
In Tipping Point, Ferdinand will look at the impacts racism, homophobia, and mental health have on and off the pitch
It will also look at things from the top levels down to the grassroots.
Each episode features intimate interviews with fans and elite players to organisations and governing bodies.
In the trailer we see Ferdinand chat with Hitzlsperger who tells the former England player: “I did meet a lawyer and he said, ‘Look, there’s no problem with you being gay, but don’t ever go public while you’re a football player’.”
He then chats with Josh Cavallo via video call. Cavallo, who recently won Man of the Year at the 2022 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, shares that coming out was an “unsure time” and he wasn’t sure what to expect.
Ferdinand then admits, “This is uncomfortable for me. I’m not in my comfort zone here”.
Speaking of the series, Ferdinand says, “I have spent most of my life in the football world and have experienced racism first-hand, as well as witnessing the impact of homophobia and mental health across the game.”
Continuing he says the series has been an educational journey and that football is “at a tipping point”.
“Real change needs to be made to safeguard the future of our game,” he closes.
Rio Ferdinand’s Tipping Point launches on 11 November exclusively on Prime Video. It will be available in 50 countries and territories worldwide.
Watch the trailer below: