It’s Royal Awks-cot! How ITV’s horse racing coverage was handicapped by a jolly racy love triangle
It was a scene straight from the pages of a Jilly Cooper bonkbuster. Three famous faces from the world of horse racing, all romantically linked, thrown together on live television.
But few viewers would have picked up on the sexual tension and barbs between two of the presenters and a winning female jockey.
Late last year, broadcaster Oli Bell, the perkiest member of ITV’s horse racing commentary team, split from glamorous fellow commentator Francesca Cumani, 37, after two years.
Late last year, broadcaster Oli Bell, the perkiest member of ITV’s horse racing commentary team, split from glamorous fellow commentator Francesca Cumani, 37, after two years
Mr Bell formed a close bond with 37-year-old jockey pin-up Hayley Turner, a friend he has known for many years
Mr Bell – once memorably described by the Queen as a ‘lunatic’ after he ran on to the Ascot racecourse – then formed a close bond with 37-year-old jockey pin-up Hayley Turner, a friend he has known for many years.
In an apparent attempt to avoid any on-screen unpleasantness during coverage of last week’s five-day festival, held without crowds, ITV bosses arranged for the trio to be kept apart.
While Ms Cumani was at Ascot with her sidekick Ed Chamberlin, Mr Bell, 35, took social distancing to extreme levels by hosting The Opening show – ITV’s pre-race programme – from his London home in top hat and tails. In previous years, he presented from the racecourse.
Mr Bell formed a close bond with 37-year-old jockey pin-up Hayley Turner (right) after splitting with Cumani (left)
In a further sign that ITV bosses feared a chilly atmosphere, Ms Turner was left off its list of pundits, despite being involved during last year’s ITV broadcast from Newmarket. In 2017 there had even been rumours of her being awarded a presenting contract by the network.
But after three days without a hint of any problems at Ascot, Ms Turner found herself the subject of some spiky banter between Ms Cumani, Mr Chamberlin and their fellow pundit Jason Weaver, just before the jockey took to the track for her win in the Sandringham Stakes on 33-1 shot Onassis.
In what could be considered a renewal of hostilities, Ms Cumani sniped: ‘Hayley won’t like me mentioning it, but she has yet to find a winner since resumption. How good would it be to have her first winner back at Royal Ascot?’ Grinning broadly, Mr Weaver observed: ‘Who needs enemies?’
Ms Turner found herself the subject of some spiky banter between Ms Cumani, Mr Chamberlin and their fellow pundit Jason Weaver, just before the jockey took to the track for her win in the Sandringham Stakes on 33-1 shot Onassis
After the race, the commentators noted how Ms Turner had made a show of cupping her hand to her ear towards the stand side of the track.
Mr Weaver asked if she was gesturing about the non-existent crowd, but Mr Chamberlin said: ‘Or was it to Francesca, who said she hadn’t had a winner since the resumption of racing. I reckon that was to you Francesca.’
To make things worse for Ms Cumani, she then had to conduct an awkward interview with the jubilant jockey.
Ms Turner prompted comparisons with a Jilly Cooper heroine in 2010 when she had an affair with married jockey Jamie Spencer.