ITV faces intense backlash from horseracing enthusiasts after removing popular pundit Chris Hughes from Cheltenham Festival coverage and replacing him with influencer GK Barry. Hughes, a former Love Island contestant, disclosed that the move stems from ITV’s cost-cutting measures in sports broadcasting. He even offered to work for free to retain the position.

Chris Hughes’ Rise in Racing Punditry

Hughes, 33, established himself as a credible racing expert since joining ITV Racing in 2019, a role he once called his dream job. His departure followed his sixth-place finish on Celebrity Big Brother last year. Now, influencers GK Barry (Grace Keeling) and YouTube star Calfreezy (Callum Airey) handle presenting duties at the Gloucestershire event.

Viewer Disappointment Mounts

Grace Keeling admitted attending the festival more for the atmosphere than the racing, drawing criticism. Fans question ITV’s choice to prioritize online celebrities over racing knowledge. One viewer posted on X: “Never heard of Goalkeeper Barry or Carl Freezer but this shows ITV made a real horlicks by getting rid of Chris Hughes because he quite rightly wanted a bit more in wages because he was actually very good at what he did and he knew his racing too!”

Hughes responded directly: “I never once asked for more money, I was simply told they were cost cutting across sport, euros were coming up etc, and I was one of them that was removed to cost cut. I even offered to work for free at one of the festivals.”

Another fan remarked: “I’m all for trying to get new people into racing @itvracing, but this was a big miss imo, there’s plenty of people in the public eye that atleast have an ounce of understanding. I think she called Lossiemouth a he at one stage. Not that they have to be experts but it’s just cringey to watch.”

Hughes’ Deep Roots in Horseracing

Raised near Cheltenham, Hughes has attended the festival since age 10. He has stated: “I have lived in the Cotswolds all my life and have always loved horses and racing. I have been going to the Cheltenham Festival since I was 10 years old. Growing up near the track, you understand why the Festival is so special and why there is such a buzz about it.”

Beyond presenting major events like Cheltenham and Royal Ascot, he co-hosted ITV Racing Social Stable with Oli Bell and rode in a charity race at York. He occasionally trains with local trainer Jonjo O’Neill.

Personal Life Spotlight

Hughes, who gained fame on Love Island, dates American singer JoJo Siwa, met during Celebrity Big Brother in 2025. They confirmed their relationship post-show. Siwa recently celebrated their nine-month anniversary on Instagram with a photo of Hughes and her dog Clyde, captioned: ‘9 months with my favourite boy (Clyde’s favourite too),’ followed by a white heart emoji.