Claude Callegari

Claudio Luciano Ricardo Callegari[1][4] (19 October 1962[5] – 29 March 2021) was an English Arsenal supporter and a contributor to the football YouTube channel AFTV.[6] He made his first appearance in 2012 before becoming a regular until 2020. He died on 29 March 2021.[4]

Claude Callegari
Callegari in 2019
Born
Claudio Luciano Ricardo Callegari[1]

(1962-10-19)19 October 1962
Islington, London, England[2]
Died29 March 2021(2021-03-29) (aged 58)[3]
NationalityBritish
OccupationTaxi driver
Years active2012–2020 (on AFTV)
Known forYouTube videos on AFTV

AFTV

Callegari was a contributor to AFTV (originally called ArsenalFanTV), a football fan YouTube channel made by Arsenal supporters.[4] He made his first appearance on the channel in 2012.[7] A critic of the Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, he was known for the phrase "it's time to go" (referring to Wenger and later Unai Emery) that he used in his interview videos.[8] He then became a regular on the channel, offering his opinions.[4] Robbie Lyle, the creator of AFTV, spoke highly of Callegari as someone who "cares deeply about the club", also stating that "he's had some issues, but [that he's] a real character".[9] He was regarded as a cult hero in English football by football fans for speeches he gave in support of Arsenal.[10]

In 2016, he went missing from his home in Essex.[11] However, a few days later he contacted his wife, resulting in Essex Police no longer considering him a missing person.[12] Callegari later explained that mental health issues led to his disappearance.[13]

In July 2020, Callegari was indefinitely removed from AFTV after an appearance on a North London derby "watch-along" stream, where he appeared to refer to Tottenham Hotspur player Son Heung-min as "DVD", a racial slur against East Asians.[14] Callegari responded by claiming he had actually said "another DVD is coming out", referring to a long-running joke that Tottenham make many commemorative DVDs for every big victory, but Lyle removed him from AFTV and apologised for AFTV not acting upon it.[15] Callegari agreed to attend an education programme as a result.[16] Even though he no longer appeared on the channel, AFTV continued to privately support Callegari.[17]

Personal life and death

Outside of AFTV, Callegari worked as a taxi driver and had a daughter. Callegari died on 29 March 2021, aged 58.[3] Former Arsenal player Ian Wright paid tribute to him, as did Arsenal.[4][8] His family later confirmed that he had died of natural causes.[18] He was cremated in May 2021, and his ashes were interred in Italy, alongside his mother, who died in 2009.[1][19]

See also

References
  1. "Gooner Claudes Funeral Service". 22 May 2021 – via YouTube.
  2. "Arsenal pay classy tribute to AFTV legend Claude Callegari in club programme following his death last month". TalkSport. 23 April 2021. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  3. Rathborn, Jack (30 March 2021). "AFTV regular Claude Callegari dies, his family confirms". The Independent. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  4. "Claudio Callegari: Former Arsenal Fan TV star dies aged 58". BBC News. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  5. "Tierney Is Better Than Robertson & Claude Lives On!". AFTV. 2 April 2021. Event occurs at 16:59 – via YouTube.
  6. "Football rocked by sudden death of Arsenal Fan TV cult hero at 58". au.sports.yahoo.com. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  7. Lawless, Josh (30 March 2021). "Claude's Emotional Speech Thanking AFTV Founder Robbie Lyle Has Resurfaced". SportBible. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  8. "Ian Wright leads tributes as former AFTV favourite Claude dies". talkSPORT. 30 March 2021. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  9. "The ArsenalFanTV cast list; In the words of Robbie, the channel's founder". The Telegraph. 13 October 2016. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  10. "Football rocked by sudden death of Arsenal Fan TV cult hero at 58". Yahoo! Finance. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  11. de Menezes, Jack (1 July 2016). "Claude missing: Police appeal for help to find Arsenal fan Claudio Callegari". The Independent. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  12. Mann, Sebastian (3 July 2016). "Missing Arsenal internet star Claudio Callegari contacts family". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  13. Eccleshare, Charlie (13 October 2016). "Inside the football YouTube revolution". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  14. "AFTV remove Claude for racist remark about Tottenham player and apologise for response video". The Independent. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  15. Hawkins, Billy (15 July 2020). "AFTV's Claude removed from Arsenal fan channel after calling Tottenham forward Heung-min Son 'DVD' during north London derby". TalkSport. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  16. "Arsenal Fan TV pundit dropped for racist comment". BBC News. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  17. Hincks, Michael (30 March 2021). "Claude Callegari: Arsenal fan and former AFTV regular dies as Yannick Bolasie pays tribute to YouTube 'legend'". I News. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  18. Blackham, Daniel (2 April 2021). "Claude Callegari's family issue statement after tragic death of ex-Arsenal Fan TV star". The Mirror. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  19. Fraser, Calum (7 May 2021). "Gunners super-fan's hearse to pass club's home in last farewell". Islington Tribune. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
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