John McCririck

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John McCririck bigraphy, stories - British horse racing pundit

John McCririck : biography

17 April 1940 –

John McCririck (born 17 April 1940) is an English television horse racing pundit.

Career

McCririck was educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey,Elizabeth College Register, Volume IV (1940-1975), student number 4720, p. 182, compiled by Keith Bichard, published 2000 in Guernsey Victoria College, Jersey and Harrow School. He was originally a racing journalist with The Sporting Life and also wrote for Grandstand; he began his career as a television pundit on ITV’s horse racing coverage in 1981 although he did appear in a debate about fox hunting on the ITV children’s programme Saturday Banana in 1978. During 1984 and 1985, horse racing moved from ITV to Channel 4 as Channel 4 Racing. In October 2012 it was announced by Channel 4 that McCririck would not be included in the team presenting racing from January 2013, which McCririck blamed on ageism.

Beyond racing

Celebrity Big Brother

In January 2005 he was a contestant in the third series of Celebrity Big Brother.

Ultimate Big Brother

John was a housemate in Ultimate Big Brother in August 2010.

Wife Swap

He refers to his wife Jenny as ‘The Booby’, and has been accused of frequent misogyny.

In 2006, McCririck and Jenny took part in Wife Swap alongside Edwina Currie and her husband (also called John).

Other TV appearances

McCririck appeared on the 1991 Bullseye Christmas Special, winning the top prize for his chosen charity. He has also appeared in the Celebrity Poker Club television series, reaching the Grand Final of series one, won by Sir Clive Sinclair.

He competed on the Weakest Link twice: once as a solo contestant on the 2005 Reality TV Special, and on the B list Celebrity Duos Special with his wife, Jenny.

McCririck appeared on an episode of Hell’s Kitchen (season 3, episode 8) in which Head Chef Marco Pierre White refused to serve him after McCririck told him that his consommé was ‘greasy’, in spite of being informed that it contained foie gras and truffle oil. "I know John. He’s awkward, he’s got no taste. All you have to do is look at how he dresses," Marco Pierre White said after the sequence.