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4 unusual facts about John McVicar


John McVicar

In 1998 he lost a libel action brought by sprinter Linford Christie over his claim that Christie was a "steroid athlete".

In 2002, McVicar published a book about the Jill Dando murder, Dead on Time, in which he paints the convicted killer Barry George as a sophisticated liar, trying to appear too stupid to carry out a difficult mission.

After his release from prison he studied for a postgraduate degree at the University of Leicester.

He wrote his autobiography, McVicar by Himself, and scripted the 1980 biographical film McVicar, which starred The Who's lead singer Roger Daltrey in the title role and also co-stars Adam Faith.


Ron Roddan

Speaking in a High Court libel hearing in 1998, Roddan told the jury that a magazine article by John McVicar alleging Linford Christie took drugs to get to the top was a "fairy story", describing a suggestion that the Olympic gold medallist's impressive physique may have been due to taking steroids or other performance-enhancing banned substances as "ridiculous".


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