Ben Stokes was dropped by New Balance, "hours after he issued an apology" to TV personality Katie Price and her son for "impersonating them in a video that was published last month," according to Sam Dean of the London TELEGRAPH. The news that the 26-year-old’s contract with NB was terminated "emerged shortly after Stokes spoke publicly for the first time since he was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm" in an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September. The England vice-captain’s deal with NB, which is also the kit manufacturer of the England team, is understood to have been worth around £200,000 ($265,000) per year. In a statement posted on Twitter, Stokes said that he was "so sorry" and added that it was "absolutely not my intention to offend" Price or her son Harvey. He added, "Earlier this year I was shown a clip of Harvey being asked on ‘Loose Women’ how he responds to internet trolls. ... I loved Harvey’s directness with his response. ... I foolishly attempted to copy the clip after I saw it a few times. I should never have done this and I am so sorry." The loss of his NB contract "is the latest twist in a saga that began with Stokes being placed under investigation" by police after he was arrested in Bristol (TELEGRAPH, 10/11). The PA reported NB said in a statement, "New Balance does not condone behaviour by our global athletes that does not match our brand culture and values, and therefore we have ended our relationship with Ben Stokes, effective October 11, 2017. We will not provide further comment" (PA, 10/11).
