Station ‘not happy over McCririck’
McCririck, 73, has taken Channel 4 and TV production company IMG Media Limited to employment tribunal, alleging his sacking last year was motivated by age discrimination.
The companies deny his claim.
Yesterday at a pre-hearing review at Central London Employment Tribunal, Stuart Cosgrove, director of creative diversity at Channel 4, accepted a suggestion by Jennifer Eady QC, representing McCririck, that he had been the face of Channel 4 racing.
“That is accurate,” he said.
He went on to say that McCririck, who has “an independent mind”, had himself been candid to the hearing that he “divides opinion”.
Asked whether Channel 4 was content with him as the face of racing, Mr Cosgrove said: “I wouldn’t conclude that.”
McCririck, of Albert Terrace Mews, Primrose Hill, north London, says in his witness statement that in 1983 he negotiated a deal with a company called Highflyer which was to produce racing programmes for Channel 4.
“The racing on Channel 4 became an immediate success and became a flagship programme on a Saturday afternoon,” he says.
“Due to my perceived extravagant personality, I became one of the main faces of the programme and indeed of Channel 4.
“Again, as part of my contract, I was unable to send in a replacement. I would have to organise my personal life and other activities around Channel 4.”
McCririck says the earliest contract available was his agreement with Highflyer in 1997. A fixed two-year contract was agreed with a yearly payment of £105,000.
“It was quite clear that the contract entered into between myself and Highflyer was for the sole purpose of Channel 4.”
At the high point of his career, he was being paid £180,000 per year.
He did other work, but with permission, he says.
“The racing very quickly became a central part of Channel 4 and in turn I became one of the most recognised faces of Channel 4 racing and was caricatured or impersonated on programmes like Spitting Image and Rory Bremner.”
In January 2008 he was told that the number of days he would be working would be considerably reduced, and was “furious”.
He says: “I had considered Channel 4 to be main employment and was extremely unhappy that my hours and pay would be reduced.”
Channel 4 agreed to make him an ex-gratia payment of £20,000, he says.
In August 2012, Channel 4 awarded the contract for racing to IMG Media Limited for a period of four years.
“I assumed that my contract would simply transfer from Highflyer to IMG Media Ltd on the same terms and conditions.”
While McCririck was on holiday in the United States in October last year, Channel 4 sports editor Jamie Aitchison called to say his services were no longer required.
No notice was given, McCririck had been sacked by his employer, McCririck says.
Some other presenters over the age of 50 were also dismissed at the same time, he says.
“I believe the only motive behind my being summarily sacked by my employer Channel 4’s Jamie Aitchison was my age,” he says.
“My experience, qualifications and work have always been exemplary and remain unimpaired,” he adds.
The £3m he is seeking would comprise £2.5m exemplary damages plus half a million pounds for loss of future earnings, he said.
“I want my job back, I’m not after the money,” he said.
