RUGBY LEAGUE pundit Danika Priim has revealed the horrific abuse she received after being on air last year stretched to some people messaging her telling the ex-Leeds Rhinos prop that they wanted to ‘slit her throat’.
Priim was part of the much-loved Channel 4 punditry that hit television screens in 2022 and 2023, but it wasn’t all a bed of roses for the 39-year-old, who retired from playing the game at the end of 2021 season.
After retiring from rugby league, Priim made her way into the broadcasting world and impressed with her insight as well as witty humour alongside the likes of Sam Tomkins and Adam Hills on Channel 4 for the past two years.
However, there were times that the Challenge Cup and Grand Final winner contemplated quitting given the extent of online abuse she received.
“I love what I do, I absolutely love ever second of it. I’ve had a phenomenal opportunity where I’ve got to do new things but is it worth the day or two when I have cried or thought what’s the point?” Priim told ITV.
“The hundred phenomenal messages you get, you read the five horrible ones. I thought about stopping at the end of last year but then you remember the people you employ you are the peoples’ opinions that matter.
“90 per cent of the time, it is fine but 10 per cent can be a really rough ride. When you’ve got high profile people making their comments very well known that are quite negative, then people feel they’ve got the right to follow suit.”
Priim went further, explaining that the messages came to a head when someone threatened to ‘slit her throat’.
“We are in a privileged position where we can become role models and have an opinion. Have an opinion, but don’t be rude or derogatory about it.
“I’ve played in World Cups, I’ve played at Headingley, I’ve been at the top teams, I’ve won trophies and lose trophies but nothing was as hard as last year.
“Getting inbox messages from people saying they want to slit my throat because I didn’t like their team. Is it worth waking up to people telling you they are going to slit your throat? It’s crazy.”
The 39-year-old wants, sometime in the future, to not be bothered by such messages and is on track to be able to achieve that.
“I’m not sure if it’s made me stronger because I’ll do an interview and the first thing I do is watch it back and look at the comments.
“The day I don’t look at the comments is the day I move on. The fact is that I’m still bothered, I am getting stronger but real strength will be me not being bothered about them.”
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