Christine

Williard (Bill) Christine Jr., a multiple award-winning journalist who spent 23 years covering horse racing for the Los Angeles Times, died on Monday (Aug. 25) after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia three years ago. He died at his home in Hermosa Beach, with family by his side. He was 87.

While Christine was known in Southern California as the Times’ voice of horse racing, it was really just the end of a storied career that saw him at seven different newspapers over 42 years that also contained a stopover in racing pubic relations.

Former Los Angeles Times reporter Bill Christine.

(Christine family)

He was the author of three books, one on Roberto Clemente, another on jockey Bill Hartack and one on a pair of songwriters. After leaving newspapers, he liked to investigate and write about true crime, especially in his hometown of East St. Louis.

Christine won Eclipse Awards for outstanding writing about horse racing, in 1984 and 2004. In 2000, he was given Walter Haight Award for career excellence in turf writing. He won the David F. Woods Memorial Award in 1991 and 1992 for his coverage of the Preakness Stakes.

He was also president of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, a group that also includes public relations people, from 1990 to 1992.

“Bill was an old school journalist,” said Mike Willman the former longtime media relations executive at Santa Anita. “He kept copious notes and was a contrarian by nature. He was fair and extremely knowledgeable.

“He really enjoyed being around the people in racing. You could take issue with something he wrote and then debate it and there was never any animus. I really respected him for that.”

Even after he retired, Christine would write emails to friends and colleagues recounting people and events from his career in racing and baseball.

Born in Illinois, he attended Southern Illinois Carbondale where he graduated in 1963 and wrote for the college newspaper. His first job out of college was at the East St. Louis Journal, where he covered baseball among other sports. After two years he moved to the Baltimore News American, followed by the Louisville Times, Pittsburgh Press, Chicago Daily News and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where he was briefly the sports editor.

It was then that he switched to public relations taking the top media job at Commodore Downs in Pennsylvania, followed by four years as the assistant to the executive vice president at the National Thoroughbred Racing Assn.

The Times rarely hires people from the public relations side, but then sports editor Bill Dwyre decided to take a chance.

“Bill Christine was my first hire as sports editor of The Times, and being the first, it was a big deal not only for me, but for people watching me and trying to figure out what I was thinking and how I would cover each sport,” said Dwyre, who later went on to cover horse racing for The Times.

Former Los Angeles Times reporter Bill Christine receives an Eclipse Award honoring his horse racing reporting.

(Christine family)

“It was 1981. I interviewed some of the best national turf writers, including Maryjean Wall, Jennie Rees and Jack Mann, as well as Christine. I knew Bill better than the others because I had been his roommate at API (American Press Institute). … I liked that Bill was a great story-teller and that his newspaper experience went beyond just turf writing — he had covered lots of baseball on deadline and had also been the sports editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“When he came to The Times, Santa Anita and Hollywood Park and Del Mar were booming and he worked tirelessly to give the sport the coverage it deserved.”

Bob Mieszerski, who has reported and handicapped horse racing in Southern California for many years and worked alongside Christine after Mieszerski came to the Times and added a full page of racing daily, echoed Dwyre’s sentiment about his abilities and presence.

“He was very welcoming to me when I joined the Times and I always appreciated that,” Mieszerski said. “He was a great storyteller and I Ioved hearing him recall anecdotes about different people — both in and out of racing — that he encountered.”

Dan Smith, the retired marketing and media head at Del Mar, remembers Christine for his very distinctive laugh.

“It was like ghee, ghee, ghee,” Smith said struggling to duplicate the sound. “It was very distinctive and very unique.

“He was also a big movie buff. He and his wife went to a lot of movies. And we loved to discuss movies. He followed all of that very closely.”

Christine was known for his strong opinions, which sometimes put him at odds with the people he covered.

Christine’s most notable feud was with Wayne Lukas, who didn’t speak to the reporter for several years after something Christine wrote.

“He wasn’t reluctant to discuss his opinions, which a lot of people didn’t agree with, but that was OK,” Smith said.

Dwyre, who would often change beats every year, once offered Christine the Dodgers job, arguably the best job in the department, because Christine had been complaining about needing something new. But in the end, Christine decided he would rather cover racing.

“He really knew his baseball and had a Hall of Fame ballot,” Willman remembers. “You might have your own opinion and if it disagreed with Bill’s, he had all the ammunition to show you why he was right.”

Even if Christine’s daily coverage was often buried on a page deep in the section, surrounded by handicapping and small-type results, Christine would rise to the occasion and give you a well crafted non-obvious story.

“I remember often doing critiques for my staff, especially those who had put out the previous morning’s paper,” Dwyre said. “I would hold up the sports section and ask which story that was in the section should have been on the front page and wasn’t. Invariably, it was a Christine horse racing story.”

The press box at Del Mar, named in honor of Dan Smith, has a wall where the pictures of deceased turf writers go.

“I guess his picture will go on the wall soon,” Smith said. “We’ve still got a few spots left and hope we don’t fill them anytime soon.”

Christine is survived by his wife of 43 years, Pat, and two twin daughters, Laura and Leslie, his first wife, Dianne, and stepson Chris.

Christine asked that his body be donated to USC for medical research. After the cremains are returned, there will be a small celebration of life.

CHRISTINE McGuinness was seen breaking down in tears tonight, as she quit Celebs Go Dating and said she just “wanted to go home”.

The model – who was married to comedian Paddy McGuinness, 51, until their split in 2022 – made the shock decision to leave the show on the latest episode.

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Tonight Celebs Go Dating viewers watched a tearful Christine, 37, announce she “wanted to go home”

Speaking to the show’s agents, she said: “Well, I’ve been thinking quite a lot whilst we’ve been in Ibiza and I think I need to date in more of a natural environment.

“I think I just would love to meet somebody and date more privately. It’s where I’m kind of feeling myself going back, when I want to go freely forward.

“Right. And I’ve made the decision to leave the agency.”

Continuing she said: “But as much as I am very, very comfortable talking about my sexuality and being me, and I know that I want to continue dating women, I’ve found that outside attention far too much.

“And I’ve found myself feeling like I’m hiding more. And I don’t want that. That’s not what I want.”

Christine then began to cry as she revealed she just wanted to “go home” and “be with her children”.

The tearful star said: “”I’ve been missing the kids loads this week. I think all the love I need right now is waiting for me at home.”

AGENTS SPEAK OUT

Meanwhile, one of the Celebs Got Dating agents recently shed more light on why Christine decided to walk away from the show.

In an exclusive interview with The Sun earlier this month, love guru Anna Williamson opened up Paddy’s ex-wife’s sudden exit.

The star admitted Christine’s decision to join the show after her public split was a “brave” move, and it equally took courage for her exit the process after discovering it “wasn’t the right time” for her.

Anna explained: “It wasn’t the right time for Christine to continue her journey in the agency.

“I think this is the absolute beauty of what the Celebrity Dating agency does – yes it’s a TV show, but it’s also real.”

Anna added: “She realised that perhaps this actually wasn’t quite the right time for her to be doing that and took a great deal of confidence and bravery inside to recognise and actually now is not the right time.”

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The Sun were first to reveal in May that Christine decided to quit the show during filming.

In a statement, she said at the time: “I joined Celebs Go Dating with great intentions but have realised that dating on a public platform and the attention that brings is just too soon for me.

“They’ve said the door is always open for me, which I’m so grateful for, but for now I’m returning home to my family.”

PADDY SPLIT

Christine and her ex, comedian Paddy announced they had separated in 2022 after 15 years together.

The couple first met through a mutual friend in 2007, when she was 19 and he was 33.

Two years later, he popped the question and they married in 2011 at Merseyside’s Thornton Manor Estate.

However, they have now been divorced three years, but continue to live together for the sake of their three kids.

Celebs Go Dating 2025 cast

Tonight, fans saw Christine McGuinness leave Celebs Go Dating after a rollercoaster week of emotions – as a PR expert explains why it was a great decision for the mother of three

Earlier this year, Christine McGuinness signed up for E4 dating series, Celebs Go Dating, almost three years after her shock split from TV host, Paddy McGuinness, 52.

Before the series aired – it was revealed Christine had left the series, but despite her short stint, PR expert Rebecca May, founder of RM Publicity, says the star “won’t be short of offers” due to the strength and resilience she showed throughout.

From the first episode, it was evident that the 37-year-old mum of three was uncomfortable dating in the public eye – as she struggled to decide on who to take to Ibiza after the first mixer.

However, the star pushed through and ended up having a great date with mother of three Leanne, although she admitted she wasn’t sure if the relationship could flourish.

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In emotional chat with dating experts Anna Williamson and Paul C Brunson, Christine made the decision that it was time for her to leave the process.

Despite only being onscreen for a week – Christine made a huge impact in the agency, as she opened up about the reasoning behind her divorce with Paddy for the first time. In her emotional deep dive with agents Anna Williamson and Paul C Brunson, Christine confirmed there had been a “breach of trust” with Paddy, and she was the one to end things.

After the episode aired last week, the star’s social media was filled with positive comments.

And PR expert Rebecca May, founder of RM Publicity, says this is just the beginning. “Christine has seen her profile soar because she wears her heart on her sleeve in a very authentic and natural way, which is why people can relate to her.

“Fans are rooting for her and brands will be drawn to her because they see she is real. Her strength and resilience also shines through, and after recent events she has gained even more followers. She has great TV presence – and after Celebs Go Dating she certainly won’t be short of offers.”

Appearing to suggest Paddy had made ‘mistakes,’ during her deep dive, Christine said: “Anyone can make mistakes but I think the trust was broken,” she explained. “I’ll always love him, he’s the father of my children and I think he’s the only man that I’ll ever love.

“A lot of people make mistakes and mess up, and when you’re in a couple who is quite well known in the industry, obviously then everyone knows your business. He was getting a really, really difficult time in the press,” she continued – although she didn’t expand on the ‘mistakes’.

After meeting in 2007, at the Liverpool International Tennis Tournament where Christine was modelling, the couple went from strength to strength.

Christine was just 19 at the time, and described meeting Paddy as “perfect timing” as she “struggled a lot” as a teenager, not knowing where she fitted or belonged.

They tied the knot just four years later, and went on to have three children, twins Leo and Penelope, 12, and eight year old daughter Felicity.

However, things came crashing down in 2022, when the couple released a shock joint statement informing the public on their split.

The couple have remained amicable, and are still living under the same roof. Recently, the couple jetted off on a family holiday with the kids, while Christine’s stint on the dating show airs on E4.

On the timing of the holiday, PR expert Rebecca added: “Interestingly, the timing of the holiday suggests it may have been tactfully timed just before the episode airs.

“This underlines that family is important to her and she wants to show a strong bond still with her ex husband by going on a big family holiday together.

“It suggests she most certainly wants that narrative to stand out before the episode drops, highlighting that they remain amicable and that co-parenting is a real priority for them.

“Ultimately – it is this balance of vulnerability and strength that makes her not only relatable, but deeply admired by her fans.”

Despite the two remaining amicable, and even still living together, it hasn’t stopped Christine from dating after the split.

Christine, who dated women before and after Paddy, has been romantically linked to a number of high profile partners including singer Chelcee Grimes and model, rapper and DJ Roxxxan.

In June 2024, Christine revealed she had started dating someone and was the ‘happiest she’d ever been.’

Things didn’t quite work out, and Christine turned to reality TV to help her find love, however, the process of Celebs Go Dating was a completely new experience for the mother of three.

During her first date in Ibiza with Leanne, Christine mentioned that she’d never been on a date with someone completely new before, revealing that she’d already been familiar with everyone she’d been linked to prior to the split – before opening up about her autism and ADHD diagnosis

Christine informed her date Leanne that finds it difficult to make decisions, as we saw during the first mixer.

However, just a day before her exit, Christine was told she’d be going on a blind date. Although she didn’t have to make the decision herself, she revealed she also “hated surprises,” and it was evident she was having second thoughts about the process.

Christine was diagnosed with ADHD and autism in her early thirties, after her three children were also diagnosed with autism. She received the diagnosis in 2021, when she was 33 years old, and has been open about her diagnosis ever since.

“Routine is a huge part of our life. It gives them structure and comfort,” she said about her children. “Even small changes can feel really big for them, so we plan everything carefully.”

Before her own diagnosis, Christine told OK!: “I felt very distant, like I didn’t understand people – and like I didn’t really understand myself.”

“I now feel so connected, so in-tune, so intuitive… I understand myself completely.”

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Loose Women was pulled off air for the rest of the week as host Christine Lampard made an announcement at the end of the ITV show

Loose Women star Christine Lampard dropped a significant update at the end of the programme.

On Wednesday’s (July 9) episode of the popular ITV show, Christine joined panellists Coleen Nolan, Jane Moore, and Mariella Frostrup to discuss current affairs from the UK and beyond.

Yet, as the live show wrapped up, Christine delivered a key announcement about changes to the show’s schedule for the week.

The presenter announced to the audience and viewers at home that Loose Women would be taking a brief hiatus to accommodate ITV Racing: Live from Newmarket.

Christine made the unexpected revelation, stating: “That’s all we’ve got time for today and indeed the rest of the week because the racing is on.”, reports Belfast Live.

She then hinted at what fans can look forward to when Loose Women returns to our screens next week, adding: “But we’ve got some great stuff coming up for you including a catch up with Coleen’s brother Brian.

“Big Brother legend Brian Dowling and we’ll be celebrating Janet Street Porter 50 years on our screens, can you believe that? We’ll see you soon.”

Loose Women is set to make its comeback next Monday, July 14, at its regular slot of 12.30pm.

This follows an emotional moment on Tuesday’s (July 8) show where Denise Welch expressed her desire to “re-do” her son Matty Healy’s upbringing.

The 67 year old television personality has previously been candid about her struggles with addiction in her youth, and made the decision to become sober 13 years ago.

During a heartfelt conversation about living in the present, Denise was visibly moved as she admitted: “When you do reflect you have to forgive yourself for realising… I always get emotional because I wish that I could re-do bits of particularly Matty’s (Healy) childhood, because I was coping with addictions and self-medication..”

Tears welled up as Nadia consoled her, praising Denise as “the most proud, present mum”, prompting Denise to reply: “Matty and I talk about it, and we’re so close I just wish I could do it again”.

As Christine brought up Matty’s success headlining Glastonbury with his band The 1975, Denise expressed: “I’m incredibly proud, it’s just when I look at things, why couldn’t I? You know..”

Loose Women airs weekdays from 12.30pm on ITV1 and ITVX

CHRISTINE Lampard has given a rare glimpse of her children Patricia and Freddie during a luxury family holiday.

The Loose Women anchor and husband Frank, both 46, jetted to Dubai with little ones for half term.

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And Christine – who keeps her children out of the spotlight – couldn’t resist giving fans a little glimpse inside their fun.

She posted a video montage from the break, showing Patricia, six, swimming while dressed as a mermaid.

The video also saw Freddie, four, copying his famous dad’s pose as they went out for dinner.

Posting the clip on Instagram, Christine wrote: “A half term dose of sunshine and mermaids.”

Frank is also dad to Luna, 19, and Isla, 17, from his relationship with Elen Rivas.

Christine and Frank tied the knot in 2015.

As well as her work on Loose Women, Christine often steps in for Lorraine Kelly on her chat show.

During a recent run as guest host, Christine interviewed Kate Ferdinand – and was quick to ask the former Towie star about life with a blended family and made a rare revelation about her own.

She said: “What do your two little ones think about the big ones in your household?

“Because I know my two little ones, their big sisters walk in, and it’s like god-like female creatures have walked into the house.”

Celebs Go Dating have made a late addition to their lineup for the upcoming E4 series, adding a Celebrity Big Brother star following the surprise withdrawal of Christine McGuinness

A Celebrity Big Brother star has become a late addition to the latest Celebs Go Dating lineup – and made a bold promise. Donna Preston is ready to swap one reality TV show for another and dip her toe in the on-screen dating world on the E4 show.

However, she has admitted she won’t be easily pleased and will make her feelings known if she feels her match isn’t up to scratch. Donna, 38, is set to appear alongside Atomic Kitten’s Kerry Katona, The Chase’s Mark Labbett, S Club 7’s Jon Lee, Love Island’s Olivia Hawkins and Too Hot To Handle’s Louis Russell.

Donna’s late addition comes following the shock exit of Christine McGuinness. The ex-wife of Paddy McGuinness had initially signed up, but quickly realised she wasn’t ready for the scrutiny that came with it.

Donna’s fellow CBB housemate, Chris Hughes, had also been lined up to take part, but shunned the opportunity shortly after leaving the house.

Opening up about her inclusion, Donna said: “I’m buzzing to be joining the show and finally crack the code on what men really want, besides snacks and not being asked what they’re thinking.

“I’m intrigued to meet new people, but let’s be honest, if a date’s boring, I won’t waste anyone’s time. Life’s too short to sit through tales of someone’s coin collection, I’ll be gone before the starter arrives.”

While she was a late name to join the series, there had been talk of her taking part prior to her spell in ITV’s Big Brother house. Before last month’s show, a source had said: “Donna was toying with dipping her toe in the dating pool on TV and had been in talks with bosses on the E4 show, but then she was also offered CBB.”

Speaking to the Sun, the source added: “She felt it was the better career move.”

Earlier this month while speaking to the Mirror at the BAFTA TV Awards, Christine opened up on her decision to step back from the show. She also teased her inclusion in a new project.

Speaking on the red carpet at the event, she admitted she focusing on work which takes her mind off wanting to find a companion in the future.

She went on to add: “There’s going to be an announcement in a few weeks which i’m very, very excited about for a new project I’ve been working on.”

She had previously said: “I joined Celebs Go Dating with great intentions but have realised that dating on a public platform and the attention is brings is just too soon for me.”

Without ruling out the possibility of returning to the show in the future, she added: “They’ve said the door is always open for me which I’m so grateful but for now I’m returning home to my family.”

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