Death of horse racing legend caused by looting of C4, not cigars, says beloved wife

JENNY McCRIRICK remains as loyal and formidable as ever.

You had to be both – and much, much more – to keep your distance in what was a 48-year marriage to Big Mac.

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She told me, ‘People said John’s smoking caused his cancer.

‘But I am convinced it was his dismissal from Channel 4 and then the resulting tribunal that cost him his life. It hurt him so much.

“I knew him better than anyone and nothing anyone says will convince me otherwise.

“We used to be a big family with Channel 4. But when he was forced off the air, it was devastating for him.”

Jenny, of course, found her own fame when she appeared on Celebrity Wife Swap with Big Mac and John and Edwina Currie.

Race viewers only knew Jenny as ‘The Booby’, the nickname Big Mac gave her. She was rarely seen but was always mentioned on air.

She said: “People always said it was derogatory to be given that name, but I loved it.

“John had his way. I let him think he was the boss, but he knew I was in charge at home.

“His on-air character was just a show – and he was very good at it.”

John completely relied on Jenny. Just before midnight on Friday evening she drove to King’s Cross Station to buy the first editions of all the newspapers for his TV review the next day.

He was fully prepared, while John Francome and Alistair Down were able to appear on the program for a few minutes and talk their way through the programme.

She added: ‘After his death I found the Cheltenham Festival quite disturbing. Too many memories.”

Big Mac was into more than just the whining. Jenny said: “He loved all our dogs and cats.

“When John died, I sold a lot of his hats and caps. All the money went to animal charities. He would have wanted that.

“One day I opened the car door at our hotel in Cheltenham and a little kitten jumped in. She lived a rough life.

“Of course John and I ended up taking her home – and to this day I still have Gertrude.”

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