As a huge horseracing fan, I – and many others – are really disappointed with ITV’s decision this year. They’ve taken Chris Hughes, who we all love for his coverage of the Cheltenham Festival, and replaced him with GK Barry, an influencer who just doesn’t have the same understanding of the sport. It’s causing a lot of frustration among viewers, and honestly, it feels like a real step backwards.
The former Love Island contestant has shared that he lost the job due to ITV needing to reduce costs in its sports broadcasting. He even volunteered to work without pay in an attempt to keep the position.
Okay, so Chris… he’s just amazing. Seriously, ever since he got that job with ITV Racing back in 2019, he’s become this total expert everyone listens to. He always said it was his dream, and you can just tell how much he loves it. He’s built up such a great reputation, he really knows his stuff when it comes to racing, and honestly, I hang on every word he says! He’s 33, can you believe it? He’s achieved so much already.
He was taken off the air shortly after appearing on Celebrity Big Brother last year, where he finished sixth.
Grace Keeling (GK Barry) and Callum Airey (Calfreezy), a popular YouTuber, are now the hosts at the well-known racecourse in Gloucestershire.
Despite attending the festival, Grace confessed she was more interested in the atmosphere than the actual horse racing, and it seems this hasn’t resonated well with viewers.
A viewer expressed their disappointment on X, stating they weren’t familiar with the current commentators, Barry and Carl Freezer. They believe ITV made a mistake by letting Chris Hughes go, as he was a talented and knowledgeable racing expert who deserved a raise.
Chris himself replied to the comment to clarify the circumstances behind his departure.
He explained that he never requested a raise. He was informed the organization was reducing costs due to broader financial pressures and upcoming events, and he was among those affected. He even volunteered to work without pay at a festival to try and remain involved.
Some people wondered if ITV prioritized online fame over real expertise in the sport.
A racing fan commented that while they support efforts to attract new fans, they felt a recent attempt by ITV Racing fell short. They believe there are many public figures who would have been better choices, as they have at least some knowledge of the sport.
They recalled her mistakenly referring to the town of Lossiemouth using male pronouns. While acknowledging that commentators don’t need to be specialists, they found the mistake embarrassing to watch.
Chris first became well-known on the reality show Love Island, and he’s been a dedicated fan of horse racing for a long time.
Born and raised near Cheltenham, he has attended the famous festival since childhood.
He shared with the Daily Mail that he’s lived in the Cotswolds his entire life and has a lifelong passion for horses and racing.
I’ve been attending the Cheltenham Festival since I was a child. Because I grew up close to the racecourse, I always understood what makes the Festival so unique and exciting.
Chris not only hosts ITV Racing coverage, but he’s also participated in a charity race at York and still occasionally helps out with training rides for Jonjo O’Neill, his local trainer.
Oh my gosh, I used to watch him all the time! He was just amazing co-hosting the biggest racing events – like, seriously, Cheltenham and Royal Ascot? Iconic! And I loved seeing him with Oli Bell on ITV Racing Social Stable – it was the best! I’m so sad he’s not there anymore, but I still remember all those broadcasts so fondly. He just made those races so much more exciting!
Away from racing, Chris has also attracted attention for his personal life.
He’s currently dating JoJo Siwa, a singer and TV personality, after meeting her on the show Celebrity Big Brother last year.
JoJo and Chris became a couple soon after appearing on the show. They recently celebrated nine months together, with JoJo sharing a sweet photo of Chris and her dog, Clyde, to commemorate the occasion.
She shared a photo with a sweet caption: ‘9 months with my favourite boy (and Clyde loves him too!),’ adding a white heart emoji.
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2026-03-11 18:51