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28 Dec 12
16:06
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05 Jan 10
http://www.sportinglife.com December 28 2012,
John McCririck is clinging to hope that he might appear on Channel 4 Racing at some point in the future as the curtain comes down on a colourful era.
Saturday sees the final day of the long-standing Channel 4 team, with the Morning Line and racing from Newbury, Doncaster and Leopardstown bringing down the curtain.
IMG Media takes over from Highflyer in producing Channel 4 Racing which will be solely responsible for the sport on terrestrial TV after BBC coverage came to an end.
McCririck, 72, is one of several familiar faces who will not be on the new team along with Derek Thompson, Mike Cattermole and Alastair Down.
Although bitterly disappointed, McCririck described his time at Channel 4 as a "privilege".
"It's been a fantastic experience to do what you love doing for 30 years," he said.
"Nearly every other sport has someone on that has done that sport - Gary Lineker in football, the cricketers, the golfers etc.
"I'd worked in betting shops before going on to television and tried to pass on what was happening in the betting ring.
"It's been a privilege.
"There are two things different about it. There is no-one else on television who is regularly among the public, hour-in hour-out.
"There's no point putting prices on the screen. You have to be in the ring, see what's happening and try to pass on what the betting jungle is like.
"That's been a motivation and a difficult thing, but the benefit it brings is no-one can compare how bad I am. I've been lucky enough in that there's no-one else going round the betting ring like me.
"Strange things happen in life and I'm still hoping they will have a re-think and they might call me back. I know I'm being optimistic, but you never know.
"My New Year's resolution is to get back on the Channel 4 team, but it's been a great time.
"If I was sitting at home what I would want to know is what is happening in the betting ring, that's the motto I've always had.
"That is always how I followed it and it's been fantastic working with Tanya Stevenson bringing in all the exchanges. It's important to inform all punters what is happening on the machines and in the betting ring.
"It's been great fun. There's been one or two disasters but it's been a privilege to do and I'm very sorry for it to be unfairly taken away."
McCririck recalled the first time he faced the cameras from the betting ring.
"My very first programme was Shergar's Derby in 1981 with ITV," he said.
"We had no practice run and this was the heat of the Derby. In those days it was a real mass production, being put in the betting ring for the very first broadcast ITV had and no-one had done it from there before.
"Then in 1983 Channel 4 took over the racing so I've been with them ever since.
"A lot of the team are working for the new IMG Media which is a very good thing, but I'm very sad for people like Mike Cattermole, Alastair Down and Derek Thompson, who have been sacked because they are generally regarded as being too old. I think it's unfair.
"Whenever new people come in they have to kick people out because they are in charge now.
"I am still hoping Channel 4 might think of finding a spot for me and bring me back. You never know, life is very strange.
John McCririck is clinging to hope that he might appear on Channel 4 Racing at some point in the future as the curtain comes down on a colourful era.
Saturday sees the final day of the long-standing Channel 4 team, with the Morning Line and racing from Newbury, Doncaster and Leopardstown bringing down the curtain.
IMG Media takes over from Highflyer in producing Channel 4 Racing which will be solely responsible for the sport on terrestrial TV after BBC coverage came to an end.
McCririck, 72, is one of several familiar faces who will not be on the new team along with Derek Thompson, Mike Cattermole and Alastair Down.
Although bitterly disappointed, McCririck described his time at Channel 4 as a "privilege".
"It's been a fantastic experience to do what you love doing for 30 years," he said.
"Nearly every other sport has someone on that has done that sport - Gary Lineker in football, the cricketers, the golfers etc.
"I'd worked in betting shops before going on to television and tried to pass on what was happening in the betting ring.
"It's been a privilege.
"There are two things different about it. There is no-one else on television who is regularly among the public, hour-in hour-out.
"There's no point putting prices on the screen. You have to be in the ring, see what's happening and try to pass on what the betting jungle is like.
"That's been a motivation and a difficult thing, but the benefit it brings is no-one can compare how bad I am. I've been lucky enough in that there's no-one else going round the betting ring like me.
"Strange things happen in life and I'm still hoping they will have a re-think and they might call me back. I know I'm being optimistic, but you never know.
"My New Year's resolution is to get back on the Channel 4 team, but it's been a great time.
"If I was sitting at home what I would want to know is what is happening in the betting ring, that's the motto I've always had.
"That is always how I followed it and it's been fantastic working with Tanya Stevenson bringing in all the exchanges. It's important to inform all punters what is happening on the machines and in the betting ring.
"It's been great fun. There's been one or two disasters but it's been a privilege to do and I'm very sorry for it to be unfairly taken away."
McCririck recalled the first time he faced the cameras from the betting ring.
"My very first programme was Shergar's Derby in 1981 with ITV," he said.
"We had no practice run and this was the heat of the Derby. In those days it was a real mass production, being put in the betting ring for the very first broadcast ITV had and no-one had done it from there before.
"Then in 1983 Channel 4 took over the racing so I've been with them ever since.
"A lot of the team are working for the new IMG Media which is a very good thing, but I'm very sad for people like Mike Cattermole, Alastair Down and Derek Thompson, who have been sacked because they are generally regarded as being too old. I think it's unfair.
"Whenever new people come in they have to kick people out because they are in charge now.
"I am still hoping Channel 4 might think of finding a spot for me and bring me back. You never know, life is very strange.
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"I am still hoping Channel 4 might think of finding a spot for me and bring me back. You never know, life is very strange.
Too long riding the 'gravy train' bye, bye |
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gravy train derailed...
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gutted
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he aint that bad compared to the other lot
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will always be better than rishi ffs, how that twunt gets a job I will never know
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And replaced with rishi persad
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that's what I said Duffy
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He wont be able to mention dining out at the 'Ivy' etc.
Bet he got a 'freebie' for that. Always telling 'bookies' how to run their business , but failed at it himself, and had to be bailed out by Barny Curley, who "saved his bacon" |
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I'd rather see a "character" like him with a big gob ,than the bland,short haircut,suited mob who are frightened to say anything controversial.
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a bit like the colossus that is Thommo
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he did say some idiotic stuff like ban the whip
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Bet now he has to pay HE WILL NOT BE SITED,
MANS TOOK PLENTY OUT WITHOUT EVER PUTTING ANYTHING IN PARASITE GOOD BYE AND GOOD RIDENCE |
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He is an old man, his time has come and it has gone.
He will still get the crumbs from the table though. |
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who else did channel 4 get rid of, i know francome is another
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Cattermole
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Good at spelling and punctuation though.
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Cattermole too old?
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Big mac is a dinosaur..............and no loss to our sport an anachronism if you like.
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John McCririck makes his final appearance on Channel 4 at Newbury
John McCririck, the ever-controversial pundit who has been the face of racing on British television for more than three decades, makes his final scheduled appearance on Channel 4 at Newbury on Saturday. By HOTSPUR (J A McGrath)telegraph.co.uk 28 Dec 2012 McCririck, believed to be 72 but not admitting to it, has been dropped by Channel 4 in their efforts to build a fresh, younger team, headed by Clare Balding. Sadly for his fans, the old, whiskered face in the pith helmet did not fit any more. In truth, 'Big Mac’ must have been aware of what was coming. In recent years, under the old regime, he was marginalised. He has been in the team for the big meetings, but on the subs bench for the bread-and-butter stuff. The Harrow-educated failed bookmaker started in television by compiling results for BBC’s Grandstand in the 1970s. He first appeared in vision when reporting from the betting ring for ITV on Shergar’s Derby in 1981, and was then recruited for the new Channel 4 Racing team three years later. He held down the job until the latest new broom started sweeping. His oddball appearance and outrageous views on a variety of topics have incensed and entertained even those outside of racing over the years. He was excellent on Celebrity Big Brother – he was one of the few contestants, who could string together a sentence and express an opinion – and he and his long-suffering wife, Jenny, 'The Booby’, saw off Edwina Currie and partner in some style on Wife Swap. The on-camera McCririck is very similar to the off-camera man. Having worked alongside him on At The Races for several years, it hard to separate the two, particularly as his bizarre dress sense extends to everyday life. He is likely to roll up to an official lunch at The Savoy wearing a fez – and will always summon all diners at his table to pass their plates to him, so that he can scrape them clean and stack them for the waiter. He has never forgotten his days working in the kitchens of London hotels. He continues to dress like a 1950s country and western singer and on a racecourse his behaviour is a cross between Benny Hill and Prince Monolulu. He never refuses an autograph-seeker and after having his photograph taken with a fan will always bellow: “No children must ever see that picture!” But McCririck is not a media personality with only the bravado and front to be different. He is clever and has an acute news sense. He can see a headline developing a mile off, and, curiously, for one who acts the buffoon, there is a certain integrity to his comment, although he often tends to find hobby-horses for the sake of it. He is also a first-class interviewer, which is hardly surprising given that he was a 'Campaigning Journalist of the Year’ during his days at the now-defunct Sporting Life. Over the past 30 years, no member of the racing media has been more successful in self-promotion, which has been personally lucrative for McCririck. This has been his making – and his downfall in the new scheme of things. Racing For Change, having identified that his was the face that resonated most widely with the public, tried to brush up his image. But those who have a hand in these matters ultimately took the easy option. They axed him. There will be no big farewells as this media giant leaves centre stage |
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Ageism was banned in the last century.
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I don't know what's worse, a career freeloader, whose commitment to the truth comes a distance behind doing what's best for himself, begging to be able to continue misleading punters, or his Press Room buddies stirring up a ham fisted PR campaign to get him back on the gravy train...
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Channel 4 racing is gonna be dull with Balding and Persad. Tjey need some new fruit cakes.
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Reading the original post it seems as though he's going/gone senile ;the same points were being reiterated time and again....Down has recently brushed up his act but is full of pomposity ,Cat is a useless interviewer although his interview of the Malaysian ladies associated with The Gold Cheongsam was hilarious and will stay in my memory for ever.Thompson's nothing more or less than a buffoon but to be fair he's a street better than that token idiot Persad.
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Thought Tommo has come across well latterly and almost felt sorry to see him go after the last Kempton coverage, wasn't a fan of his morning gallops tipster line sideline but suppose they have all been at it over the years, or most of them anyhow. Think the time is right for a change from Big Mac as he does seem to be a bit of a relic of yesteryear, will prob still be on Attheraces I would imagine.
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I liked Big Mac, and Alastair Down and John Francombe - certainly way better than Balding and Persad.
Balding has her nose up Sheik Mo's arse and as he basically funds CH4 racing she was always going to get the gig. |
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Balding will be good, smart and articulate.
Persad just makes me cringe whenever his goofy face appears on my TV. He is to racing what Savile was to child minding. |
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bit harsh and completely the wrong analogy.he probably tries his best and dosent deserve nasty comments like that.
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There is no try, it's do or don't.
Persad will prove me right, he belongs on QVC and even that's a close call. |
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comingupthathill
that is the most positive comment I have seen on here about pershad are you a fan of his ? seems a trifle bland and superficial lacking any real raing knowledge pisspoor interview technique too tbf |
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clearly someone thinks hes ok - seems pleasant enough - its panorama is it -
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he wasn't all that bad. going to miss him that thing he did at the end of a race when he was telling us the odds of the first 3 or 4 home and then dropped in a bit of history ie first irish winner since xxxx in 19xx and the xth fav in x runnings to win etc etc. that was pretty cool. other stations don't do that.
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Pershad is an Educated Man who has non-white skin.A broadcasters dream....
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Did`nt know he was 72, bout time he was moving over then and giving a young un a bite at the cherry.
Would he have been getting the old age pension whilst working at ch4 as well? |
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oh yes
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remeber a guineas where he was screaming - this is buying money - it cant be beat - the biggest cert ever,it was pennekcamp or ma biche
cant remeber but remember him stating it was bettor than money in the bank. |
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apparently he won a lot when zafonic won the guineas
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He has never won feck all..
There are Bookmakers from the Seventies who still have not been paid.... Rancid chancer who just happened to be in the right place at the right time.... |
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they all retired finically(the C$ team) off lemond in usa 18/1 on their tote for a even money shot - they couldnt get enough on it ,had to special cargo the winnings home,.
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Would he have been getting the old age pension whilst working at ch4 as well?
indeed and he will also get the free bus pass and winter fuel allowance it doesnt get much better than that. no wonder hes upset at being thrown off the gravy train |