McCririck the Old Boobie played a role for C4
 

C4 'encouraged villain McCririck'
Racing pundit John McCririck insisted today that he had played the part of a "pantomime villain" and claimed he had never been ordered to tone down his on-screen style.
John McCririck: Played a role
Speaking on the first day of his employment tribunal against Channel 4, the 73-year-old said he had lost his job purely based on his age, claiming: "There's nobody better around."

McCririck is taking former employer Channel 4 and TV production company IMG Media Limited to the tribunal, alleging that his sacking last year was motivated by age discrimination.

The case, in central London, started today but was adjourned until tomorrow morning while its panel of judges reads witness statements and watches clips of McCririck's appearances on television, including racing coverage as well as reality TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Wife Swap.

McCririck - known for his bling jewellery, sideburns and deerstalker hat - was dropped when the station unveiled a new presenting team headed by Clare Balding.

He later announced his plans to sue Channel 4 for £3 million, claiming the broadcaster had axed him because he was too old.

Speaking after this morning's brief hearing, the 73-year-old, who was accompanied by wife Jenny, said his apparent sexism was part of a pantomime role he claimed he had been encouraged to continue, especially including his appearance in reality TV shows.

" All the Big Brothers etc, it's a pantomime," he said.

"Because Captain Hook is horrible to Peter Pan and kids in Peter Pan, it doesn't mean the actor playing him goes around abusing kids in the street.

"All this is a pantomime villain thing that Channel 4 encouraged."

McCririck denied he was "anti-women", and said if anyone he had given a nickname to during his time on air had asked him not to, he would have stopped.

"It's a very public school thing, it's a bit immature but it lightens up the programme.

"Channel 4 never, ever said 'Look, we don't like this sexist thing, we don't like it when you call your names, don't wave your arms around'.

"If the producer had said 'Don't wave your arms around', fine, I would not have. They never, ever spoke to me once."

He insisted he was still the best for the job, adding: "There's nobody better around, I have been sacked purely because of my age."

McCririck claimed the decision to axe him had been made by "youth-obsessed bosses".

"We are dealing with ruthless, tough people. We have got anonymous suits and skirts who come into any company, they make their decisions, unattributable, unchallenged, they decide the future of people and no-one can answer against them.

"It is a culture in this country of new people coming into jobs, they have got to change, they can't go in and keep the same people or people say 'What are you doing?'

"It's an age thing, they use the word 'freshen up'. Freshen up is a euphemism for kicking out older people.

"People in their 30s onwards live in fear in this country that the new suits and skirts will come in and just go for new and trendy. It's totally wrong.

"Former home secretary David Blunkett said 'The way TV executives worship the cult of youth seems to be an unstoppable fetish'.

"I am saying it's not an unstoppable fetish. If this tribunal gives punitive, exemplary damages then no employer would ever dare sack somebody because of their age.

"This tribunal, if they act decisively, could end age discrimination."

McCririck said the loss of his job had left him depressed and reduced to watching daytime TV, adding: "I have worked all my life, I have never missed a day's work, I have never been late, I live to work.

"I want to work, I am capable of working and I have been denied work illegally.

"To wake up in the morning and not have a job to go to is awful."

A Channel 4 spokesman said: "We are grateful to John McCririck for his contribution towards Channel 4 Racing over many years.

"However we reject the suggestion that discrimination on the basis of age played any part in the decision not to include John in the Channel 4 Racing team from 2013 and we are vigorously defending this claim."

The tribunal will reconvene at 10am tomorrow.

update btd 8-P

From what i have heard......Hes got a very good case...:scribe:


To be honest he was a bit of an old fool on C4 but everytime i went to Newmarket and he was there the crowds were always around him for autographs and pictures.

he had a contract and the bosses decided not to renew it,seems straight forward to me,think the case is a waste of money but if it makes him happy,hey-ho, I dont watch channel 4 racing anymore, dont seem to enjoy the make-up of the show,cant really put my finger on the reason,I seem to be getting grumpy the older I get regarding such things,since ladbrokes changed there website 6 months ago, i havent placed a bet with them,dont like it,dont use it , is my motto. I think everyone over 60 should be retired, give them a million pound retirement fund with a few provisios like they have to buy a new house, new car , when the pensioners have spent up, extradite them to poland,romania,spain or greece.

McCririck offputting for viewers tribunal told


JOHN MCCRIRICK was "unappealing and irritating" to current and potential viewers of Channel 4 Racing while his outspoken attitude was also a concern, an employment tribunal heard on Wednesday.

The claims were made by Jamie Aitchison, Channel 4's sports editor, who told the tribunal that Channel 4 and IMG decided to axe McCririck due to concerns about his "pantomime" style and outspoken personality, which bosses believed would prove incompatible with the more polished and highbrow direction they intended to take Channel 4 Racing from 2013.

Aitchison was the first witness for Channel 4 and IMG Media Limited in the employment tribunal brought by McCririck following his dismissal last December after 29 years at Channel 4 Racing. The racing pundit, 73, claims he was let go due to his age and is seeking £3 million in damages.

"I and those at IMG believed that John McCririck's exaggerated tone and style and propensity to offend was out of step with the vision for the programme, and also unappealing and irritating to many current and potential viewers," Aitchison said in his witness statement to the central London tribunal.

He added: "There were aspects of his character and presenting style which were not popular and gave the programmes a bit of a farcical tone at times.

"His over-exaggerated gestures and facial expressions to camera alongside occasional extreme views on often controversial subjects riled viewers and colleagues alike."

Noting that it was "critical" that Channel 4 Racing appeal to a wider audience following a successful bid to become the sole terrestrial broadcaster of racing, Aitchison described McCririck's on-screen style as being "incongruous with the more serious, measured and journalistic style proposed for the programme".

In cross-examination with McCririck's representative Jennifer Eady QC, Aitchison said there was no point asking McCririck to change or tone down his style.

"In my opinion if you employ John McCririck you get John McCririck," he said. "You don't employ John McCririck and ask him to present like Terry Wogan."

"That sounds a lot like you can't teach an old dog new tricks," responded Eady.

The hearing continues.

McCririck 'disgusting'
on reality TV shows


A SENIOR manager at production company IMG was on Thursday accused of dismissing John McCririck from his job on Channel 4 Racing because the pundit did not fit the "young, glamorous, sexy" look executives were seeking for the show.

Graham Fry, managing director of Sports Production Worldwide at IMG Sports Media, insisted McCririck had been released due to concerns about his "mainstream appeal", and said he had personally
been "repulsed" and "disgusted" by McCririck's antics on reality television shows.

Fry was giving evidence on the fourth day of McCririck's employment tribunal in London. McCririck, 73, claims his dismissal in December last year was due to age discrimination and is seeking £3 million in damages from Channel 4 and IMG.

IMG secured the contract to produce racing coverage for Channel 4 after the broadcaster's acquisition of all terrestrial rights in 2012. McCririck was among several former presenters - including Alastair Down, Mike Cattermole and Derek Thompson - not retained when IMG began producing the show this year.

During cross-examination, McCririck's counsel Jennifer Eady QC put it to Fry that the reason her client had been sacked was because he did not fit the "young, glamorous, sexy look" executives hoped would attract a younger audience to the programme.

"We weren't looking for a young, glamorous, sexy look," replied Fry. "We were looking for the best presenters."

He added: "A lot of the ways we wanted to change Channel 4 Racing were not about presenters at all. There were an awful lot of things we thought could be attractive to a new audience other than presenters."

Eady also asked Fry why he had written to a colleague requesting a "sexier" picture of Francesca Cumani, daughter of Newmarket trainer Luca, who was being considered for a role in the show during the bid process.

Fry replied: "It was a flippant comment to a colleague. I was looking for a better picture."

In his witness statement to the tribunal Fry said IMG initially proposed retaining McCririck, but planned to reduce his role to that of a celebrity interviewer making a handful of appearances per year.

"We were concerned John McCririck's presenting style was over-dramatic, liable to offend and would not have mainstream appeal," he said.

"I was also concerned about John McCririck's credibility as a betting presenter in the context of a more serious, journalistic style of Channel 4 Racing, given the public persona he had created through appearances on other television programmes."

Fry, who helped prepare the pitch to Channel 4, said McCririck featured in the proposal primarily because of uncertainty at IMG regarding how keen the network was to have him involved from 2013.

Despite bosses' reservations, McCririck was part of plans for the revamped Channel 4 Racing until a week before the new line-up was revealed in October 2013.

Fry said it was Carl Hicks, executive producer of Channel 4 Racing and who gives evidence to the tribunal on Friday, who ultimately made the decisive argument against involving McCririck.

"He thought it was not right to have John McCririck on the programmes at all, given the concerns about his presentation style and audience appeal," said Fry.

Admitting he was not a "racing aficionado", Fry said in his witness statement he found McCririck's betting coverage "difficult to follow" and "delivered in a loud, brash, aggressive and long-winded style".

Fry added he felt McCririck had "lost a lot of credibility" with the general public by appearing on reality shows such as Celebrity Wife Swap and Celebrity Big Brother. He said he had been "disgusted" by the pundit's behaviour on those programmes.

"I was really, really repulsed by what I saw - he had a major tantrum [on Big Brother] about not being allowed his Diet Coke," Fry said, eliciting a guffaw from McCririck.

"With the greatest respect Mr McCririck, you can't say that was you putting on an act," Fry added.

Asked by Eady about McCririck's qualifications for his job as betting expert, Fry said: "He was amazingly well qualified, yes, but with the reservations I mentioned. He had qualifications in betting, not as a presenter."

The new-look team announced by IMG and Channel 4 last October had no place for five former presenters over the age of 50, but Fry rejected a claim decisions about presenters had been influenced by age.

"Age has never been a consideration, age was never once discussed about any of the team," said Fry.

"All we have tried to do is find the best people for the job. That's why we called it [presenting line-up] the dream team. We were looking for nothing but the best."

The hearing continues.

Fry needs to get real ..
 

That Fry bloke,sounds a bit of a twa't to me...
Quote > "All we have tried to do is find the best people for the job. That's why we called it [presenting line-up] the dream team.:'D
We were looking for nothing but the best." < UnQuote

Since Johny Mac along with Thommo, and Johny Francome have left, the show has in my opinion gone right down ..

Also my favouite guy on the show was Alistair Down, his previews, especially for the Cheltenham Festival were brilliant ..:clap:

Nah, this show now, has NO personality, and definately not fun to watch .. And as for being informative ??
Hello :h?: .. Am i missing something .. It's CRAP !!

McCririck axing 'lacked warmth' admits C4 boss


THE Channel 4 boss who confirmed the axing of John McCririck from the betting role he created admitted on Friday that it could have been handled better, before launching into the latest attack on his reality television appearances.

Jay Hunt, Channel 4s chief creative officer, giving evidence on the fifth day of betting pundit McCririck's employment tribunal in central London, said: "It could have been done with greater compassion to a long-serving member of the Channel 4 family. The reasons for doing it were understandable but lacked some warmth."

She revealed that Clare Balding, who was to head up the new "dream team" of presenters, emailed her with concerns about McCririck's demise after the news broke.

Hunt said: "Clare said she had some sympathy with him on one point - that he did it [appeared on reality shows] because he thought Channel 4 wanted him to, and those appearances were linked to the decision not to invite him to appear on Channel 4 Racing in 2013."

While Hunt repeatedly stated she knew nothing about racing or sport and, as such, relied on the decision arrived at by Channel 4 commissioning editor for sport Jamie Aitchison, in conjunction with IMG, that was put before her, she later added her own attack on McCririck's "shouting from the rooftops on his views on women, posh people, sexual attitudes and low-level misogyny."

She referred to a Daily Mail interview with McCririck and his views, of which she said: "I found breathtaking as a woman that they are held by people still, I found them very offensive."

McCririck, 73, claims his dismissal last December was due to age discrimination and is seeking £3 million in damages, of which £500,000 is for loss of earnings. His case against Channel 4 and IMG Media is due to finish on Monday.

McCririck claims his
side came out on top


JOHN McCRIRICK said on Monday there was "overwhelming" evidence he was axed from Channel 4 Racing due to his age as his employment tribunal against his erstwhile employers ended in London.

Speaking following lawyers' closing submissions, McCririck, 73, who is seeking £3 million in damages, described the tribunal experience as "horrendous", but claimed his side had won the argument as the three-strong panel retired to consider their verdict, which could come later this week.

He said: "We were confident when we started bringing this in, back in January; I always said there will never be evidence of age discrimination given in writing but I think the evidence has been overwhelming that that is just what they did."

McCririck was axed after nearly three decades with Channel 4 last December following the acquisition by the network of all terrestrial racing broadcast rights and the appointment of IMG Media as producers. He was one of five presenters, also including Alastair Down, Derek Thompson and Mike Cattermole, to leave the show.

In closing submissions Thomas Linden QC, representing Channel 4 and IMG, said there was "no reason" to think McCririck's age was part of bosses' considerations when deciding upon the make-up of the new-look Channel 4 Racing team last year.

Responding for McCririck, Jennifer Eady QC said her client had been "passionate" about his job with Channel 4 Racing.

"If there was one thing he loved doing it was this, and he had done it for 28 years," she said. "It was hard to draw any conclusion other than this was his life."

"We weren't looking for a young, glamorous, sexy look," replied Fry. "We were looking for the best presenters."

Well there's no doubt they aren't young, glamorous or sexy. But where are the best presenters?
I think they just have yes men now with no personality at all.

All they have done is take all the presenters from BBC who were all bland and poor ...


I believe that audience figures are down over 60% since the new programme has come in....