Flamboyant racing pundit John McCririck was sacked by Channel 4 because his “pantomime persona” is “unpalatable” to a wide audience, an employment tribunal ruled.
Dismissing the 73-year-old’s age discrimination claims, a London employment tribunal said McCririck could be seen by some as “arrogant and confrontational”.
McCririck said he was dumped from his high-profile role on Channel 4 Racing by “anonymous suits and skirts” as part of a drive to hire younger faces.
The pundit, famed for his deerstalker, tic-tac gestures and gold jewellery, took his former employer and TV production company IMG Media Limited to the tribunal, alleging his sacking was motivated by age discrimination. Both firms denied discrimination in the £3million case.
The panel concluded: “The evidence is Mr McCririck’s pantomime persona, as demonstrated on the celebrity TV appearances, and his persona when appearing on Channel 4 Racing, together with his self-described bigoted and male chauvinist views were clearly unpalatable to a wider potential audience.
“The tribunal is satisfied that the respondent had the legitimate aim of attracting a wider audience to horse racing.”
They added his dismissal arose from the celebrity TV shows plus his work as a racing presenter “where, as he accepted, his style of dress, attitudes, opinions and tic tac gestures were not in keeping with the new aims, and his opinions seen as arrogant and confrontational.”
McCririck said of the judgment: “This is an historic setback for all employees in their 30s to their 70s.
“After such a landmark judicial verdict, my failed legal action ensures that anonymous suits and skirts, who control the media, numerous other businesses and the public sector, will now enjoy complete freedom to replace older employees whatever their unimpaired ability and merit.”
During the hearing McCririck claimed sexist remarks and rude behaviour, especially on reality TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Wife Swap, were a “pantomime” role that had been actively encouraged by Channel 4. But the panel was told by witnesses from the station and IMG that he was dropped because he was “offensive” and “disgusting”.
McCririck was ditched when Channel 4 awarded the racing contract to IMG Media, and unveiled a new presenting team headed by Clare Balding.
Thomas Linden, counsel for Channel 4, told the tribunal a survey suggested McCririck was highly unpopular with viewers.
“Even without data, it’s a reasonable assumption, isn’t it, that the claimant’s profile, whether that is in his reality television programmes or in racing broadcasting, was off-putting to many,” said Mr Linden.
“A lot of racing viewers are right-thinking people who find this sort of behaviour obnoxious.”