Key vs Beckham: Still no comment

Prime Minister John Key is refusing to confirm or deny his comments about footballer David Beckham. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Prime Minister John Key won't confirm or deny reports that he called football superstar David Beckham as "thick as batshit".

Key has made headlines across the world for the alleged comments about the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar in front of a group of school students.

But this morning he refused to comment about whether or not he insulted Beckham.

When asked by TV One Breakfast host Rawdon Christie if he made the comment, Key replied: "What I'm saying is somebody has overheard a personal conversation and that's their recollection of it.

"I'm not going to engage in the discussion about it - it's their view. It wasn't an open forum, the person thought they overheard me say something."

Key told Newstalk ZB all is not what it seemed over his reported comments and he didn't owe anyone an apology.

Talking to Mike Hosking, he again would not deny the "batshit" comments and would not be drawn into discussing the issue.

"It's probably not quite the way you see it in the paper. It was a private conversation, I was talking to a few people and that's what he thought he heard."

Key allegedly made the comments about the LA Galaxy midfielder while talking to students at Dunedin's St Hilda's Collegiate on Friday, according to a Radio New Zealand report.

The story has been widely reported on in the UK, but also in Australia, the US, India and Malaysia.

Britain's best-selling tabloid newspaper The Sun led with the story.

"The PM said Becks, 37, had been very friendly, but then cruelly claimed that the LA Galaxy star wasn't particularly bright," Gary O'Shea wrote.

- nzherald.co.nz