Julian Wilson (commentator)
Julian Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Julian David Bonhote Wilson 21 June 1940 |
| Died | 14 April 2014 (aged 73) |
| Nationality | English |
| Education | Harrow School |
| Occupation(s) | Television presenter Sports Commentator |
| Employer | BBC (1966-1997) |
| Parent | Peter Wilson (Father) |
| Relatives | Frederic Wilson (Grandfather) |
Julian David Bonhote Wilson (21 June 1940 – 20 April 2014) was BBC Television's horse racing correspondent from 1966 until his retirement in 1997. He was succeeded by Clare Balding.[1] Between 1969 and 1992, he was one of the commentators for the Grand National and for a time he had editorial control over the BBC's midweek racing coverage.[2] He was born in Sidmouth, Devon;[3] his father was the Daily Mirror sportswriter Peter Wilson and his grandfather the Times and Mirror sportswriter Frederic Wilson.
Outside his presenting career, he was a racehorse owner and racing manager. His winners as an owner included Tumbledownwind, a two-year-old winner at Glorious Goodwood and Tykeyvor, a winner in the Bessborough Stakes at Royal Ascot in 1996, trained by Lady Herries. He was a racehorse manager to Clement Freud and Walter Mariti.[2]
Wilson was a former pupil of Harrow School. In his autobiography Some You Win, published in 1998, he revealed a rift with Peter O'Sullevan, his long-time colleague at the BBC. Wilson felt that he had been misled as to whether or not he would succeed O`Sullevan as chief BBC race commentator. He also said that he had a strained relationship with Balding.[4]
Wilson died of cancer on 20 April 2014. He was twice married: firstly to Carolyn Michael in 1970, then to Alison Ramsay in 1981. He had one son, Thomas, with his first wife.[2]
References
- ^ "BBC SPORT | TV/Radio Schedule | Clare Balding". BBC News. 2007-01-23. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
- ^ a b c Paul Eacott. "Former BBC racing host Julian Wilson dies at 73". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 2014-04-23. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
- ^ Julian Wilson obituary The Guardian, 22 April 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2014.
- ^ "Racing: O'Sullevan and Wilson in rift - Sport". The Independent. 1998-09-23. Retrieved 2014-04-21.