Employment tribunal rules in favour of Channel 4
Channel 4 racing stalwart John McCririck has lost his age discrimination claim against the station.
McCririck, 73 years old, claimed he was dropped from his presenting job on Channel 4 Racing because of his age, contrary to the Equality Act 2010. Channel 4 said they wanted to change the style and tone of their racing coverage to appeal to a wider audience. McCririck, who is famed for his pantomime chauvinism, hairy whiskers and deerstalker hats, did not fit with this style and put off many viewers, it said.
However, McCririck said Channel 4 had never asked him to tone his character down, and had not consulted him about the new programme.
Central London employment tribunal unanimously held that the channel had demonstrated a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.
Delivering their judgment, the tribunal panel said: “The tribunal have taken into account that the evidence in this case is that the aim was to bring horse-racing to a wider audience.
“All the evidence is that Mr McCririck's pantomime persona, as demonstrated on the celebrity television 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 wide potential audience."
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