Five truly memorable moments during John McCririck's TV career

Booby swap for Currie

In 2006, McCririck and his wife Jenny, who is better known as The Booby, took part in Channel 4's Wife Swap show, exchanging spouses with former MP Edwina Currie and her husband John Jones.

It was five days that seemed to last forever for the loudmouthed tipster, who was called a pig by his temporary partner, who also threw champagne in his face and sabotaged a fusebox so he'd miss the FIFA World Cup.

"It was a life-changing experience," a seemingly traumatised McCririck would later say in a radio interview. "To all your listeners, whatever problems you're having at home and however you might feel about kicking them out, always remember outside there, there is the equivalent of Edwina Currie."

Curley takes aim at Harvey and McCririck

John McCririck was never one to take a backseat in an on-screen tussle, but he came off second best to legendary gambler and former trainer Barney Curley, who had taken offence to the broadcaster and his At The Races colleague Luke Harvey at Folkestone in 2005.

"You are talking absolute rubbish, absolute rubbish," a ballistic Curley said before he called Harvey an underachiever in life and, on turning to McCririck, retorted: "I saved your bacon one time – you were gone."

Luke Harvey: had John McCririck in his corner during a memorable verbal duel with Barney CurleyCredit: Dan Abraham

A contrite McCririck – later labelled a take-out merchant by Curley – ended the broadcast on a lighter note, saying: "The worst thing was I had to stick up for Luke as a rider!"

'Only one moron should be on TV'

McCririck's bread and butter was his on-course betting updates and he would regularly joust with racegoers who tried to muscle in on his piece to camera.

The renowned pundit said on one occasion that "only one moron was allowed on TV and that's me".

On King George VI Chase day at Kempton in 1996, he came close to losing it when running through the betting for the big race only to be interrupted.

"And you will behave – grow up," he roared at them before singling one lady out for special attention and barking. "What is wrong with you? How old are you? You're 55 and look at you!"

Big Brother is watching

McCririck regularly slipped into the mainstream with appearances on chat shows and news programmes and his place in the 2005 version of Celebrity Big Brother was justified.

John McCririck: a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother in 2005Credit: Channel 5

He did not, however, last long, taking a three-day vow of silence after bosses refused his demands for Diet Coke, while viewers were also treated to the now iconic image of the opinionated chauvinist in his Y-fronts before he was the second person evicted.

McCririck appeared in the studio for future Big Brothers but shocked many on the show last year with a gaunt and frail appearance – the result of weight loss after he contracted the flu.

Dressed to impress

McCririck has always had a penchant for eccentric clothing – it is among his trademarks – and his appearance on Thames Televsion's current affairs programme Today in May 1977 was no different, as he sported dark sunglasses, a mop of brown hair accompanied by thick sideburns and a checked jacket that may have left viewers attempting to retune their TVs.

As animated as ever, he took on Jan Rennison, a former Miss Australia and then-new chair of the League Against Cruel Sports, complaining of his treatment at a meeting of the group.

"I was jeered at, howled at, spat at, and manhandled out of the meeting," he said, claims dismissed by Rennison.

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