“I get the point you’re making, it’s valid, but shedding £10,000 is a total waste because it’s not going to force anyone to change. That money could’ve gone somewhere where it WOULD make a difference,” one Twitter user said.

“Shredding £10,000 no matter how legitimate your point when millions are using food banks in the UK is not progressive,” tweeted another. Others were quick to jump to Lycett’s defence, arguing that it was a sacrifice worth making.

“If you feel uncomfortable about Joe Lycett shredding £10,000, that’s exactly the point,” wrote one defender. “It’s a statement on discomfort and money: at Qatar’s oppression of gay people and David Beckham profiting from them.”

“I don’t understand how so many people don’t get the economics of this. There’s no way he could buy this much publicity for £10k. If Joe had taken out massive billboards to plug his message, few would’ve considered it a waste of money, and it would’ve cost more. This is *cheap*,” someone else tweeted.

Joe Lycett has defended his own Qatar comedy shows after facing criticism in David Beckham World Cup row