logo
Eddie Jordan, former F1 team owner and pundit, dies at 76

Eddie Jordan, former F1 team owner and pundit, dies at 76

Express Tribune20-03-2025

Former Formula 1 team owner and television pundit Eddie Jordan has died at the age of 76. The Irishman, known for his charismatic personality and contributions to motorsport, passed away in the early hours of 20 March 2025 in Cape Town after battling aggressive prostate cancer.
A statement from his family confirmed his passing, describing him as an entrepreneur who "brought an abundance of charisma, energy, and Irish charm everywhere he went."
Jordan was actively involved in sports until his final days, recently engaging in discussions about his role as patron of London Irish Rugby Football Club.
Jordan Grand Prix, the team he founded in 1991, quickly became known for its bold approach and striking liveries. Despite being an independent outfit, it secured four Formula 1 victories and briefly contended for the drivers' championship in 1999.
His team provided career opportunities to several future champions, including Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill.
Jordan sold his team in 2005, paving the way for its evolution into Force India, Racing Point, and its current incarnation as Aston Martin. He later transitioned into broadcasting, working as a pundit for BBC Sport and Channel 4, where his outspoken views and ability to break major news stories made him a fan favourite.
Among his notable moments in F1, Jordan played a key role in giving Schumacher his debut at the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. The team's first win came in 1998 at Spa with Hill, while its final victory was achieved by Giancarlo Fisichella at the chaotic 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix.
In his final major contribution to the sport, Jordan helped broker the deal for legendary designer Adrian Newey to join Aston Martin this year.
Known for his flamboyant lifestyle, Jordan had many showbiz connections and played drums in a band called Eddie & The Robbers. His legacy in Formula 1, both as a team owner and a broadcaster, remains significant.
His family acknowledged the deep void left by his passing but expressed gratitude for the memories he created, stating, "He will be missed by so many people, but he leaves us with tonnes of great memories to keep us smiling through our sorrow.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Game of Thrones' star Liam Cunningham sets sail for Gaza
'Game of Thrones' star Liam Cunningham sets sail for Gaza

Express Tribune

time3 days ago

  • Express Tribune

'Game of Thrones' star Liam Cunningham sets sail for Gaza

Both public figures have been vocal in their solidarity with Palestine. Photos: file Irish actor Liam Cunningham, 64, famous for playing Davos Seaworth in HBO's Game of Thrones series, has announced that he will be joining 11 activists in their attempt to break the Israeli siege on Gaza. Cunningham has been vocal in his support for Palestine since the Israeli bombings began in 2023, and he is joined in the cause by Greta Thunberg, a renowned Swedish climate activist. Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan will also be accompanying the group. The group set sail on Sunday on the boat Madleen, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC). The journey is expected to take seven days if they are not hindered. As reported previously by Al Jazeera, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition had attempted to sail the vessel Conscience in early May, but it was attacked by Israeli drones while passing through Maltese waters. Cunningham has been documenting and sharing their progress on social media. According to a press release by the FFC, the boat is named Madleen after Gaza's first and only fisherwoman in 2014, symbolising the "unyielding spirit of Palestinian resilience and the growing global resistance to Israel's use of collective punishment and deliberate starvation policies." In a press release on the UN Office of Human Rights Commission website, experts called for safe passage for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition's ship carrying essential aid supplies to Gaza. They expressed concern for Israel's disregard for international laws and its constant attacks on humanitarian aid workers. "Aid is desperately needed for the people of Gaza to forestall annihilation, and this initiative is a symbolic and powerful effort to deliver it. Israel should remember that the world is watching closely and refrain from any act of hostility against the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and its passengers," the experts said. "The people of Gaza have the right to receive aid through their own territorial waters even under occupation, and the Coalition ship has the right to free passage in international waters to reach the people of Gaza," they said. "Israel must not interfere with its freedom of navigation, long recognised under international law." Call for solidarity Another Irish supporter of Palestine who made news this week is the Irish MMA Fighter Paddy McCorry, who shouted "Free Palestine" while tackling his Israeli opponent, Shuki Farage, in an act of solidarity with Gaza on Saturday. This event happened at the Cage Warriors 189 event in Rome, Italy, where he also raised the Palestinian Flag after his win. He shared the viral clip of this win and captioned it "Street justice". According to the UN World Food Program, more than 70,000 children and 17,000 women in Gaza need urgent treatment for acute malnutrition. They state on their website that "more than 116,000 metric tons of food assistance – enough to feed 1 million people for up to 4 months – is ready to be brought into Gaza if the blockade is lifted." Earlier, actors, musicians, activists and other public figures wrote a letter calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to "end the UK's complicity in the horrors in Gaza". British-Albanian pop sensation Dua Lipa has been vocal about the war in Gaza and last year criticised Israel's offensive as a "genocide". Other signatories include actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton and Riz Ahmed, and musicians Paloma Faith, Annie Lennox and Massive Attack.

Michael B. Jordan shares Denzel Washington's advice on staying relevant in film industry
Michael B. Jordan shares Denzel Washington's advice on staying relevant in film industry

Express Tribune

time3 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Michael B. Jordan shares Denzel Washington's advice on staying relevant in film industry

Michael B. Jordan has emerged as one of Hollywood's leading actors, thanks in part to a deliberate strategy of maintaining a measured public presence. In a recent New York Magazine cover story, Jordan revealed that he limits his social media activity and avoids sharing much about his personal life to 'create a demand' for himself as a movie star. This approach seems to be paying off, as his latest film Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, has grossed over $350 million worldwide. Jordan credits much of his career guidance to Denzel Washington, who encouraged him to be cautious about overexposure. Washington famously asked Jordan, 'Why would they pay to see you on a weekend if they see you all week for free?' This advice has influenced Jordan to stay relatively offline, contributing to the anticipation and allure surrounding his projects. Before reaching this level of stardom, Jordan's career path was less certain. He began with television roles on shows like The Wire and Friday Night Lights, but he was eager to prove himself in film, especially in an independent movie where he could showcase his talents as a lead actor. That opportunity came with Fruitvale Station, which director Ryan Coogler presented to him, affirming Jordan's potential as a movie star. The film received critical acclaim and helped launch both Jordan's and Coogler's film careers, leading to successful collaborations on Creed, Black Panther, and Sinners. Phillip Sun, Jordan's manager, emphasized that their focus was on quality roles rather than specifically seeking parts based on race. Continuing his careful management of public image, Jordan avoids popular platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok, but maintains an Instagram account with 25 million followers, primarily posting during film promotions. Washington and Jordan's mentor-mentee relationship was also strengthened when Washington directed Jordan in the 2021 film A Journal for Jordan, underscoring the lasting influence of Washington's guidance on Jordan's career strategy.

Sinners review: horror with a dash of soul
Sinners review: horror with a dash of soul

Express Tribune

time6 days ago

  • Express Tribune

Sinners review: horror with a dash of soul

I remember it was a school night. Uneventful. Mundane. Ordinary. Until of course it wasn't. I walked into Sinners knowing absolutely nothing about it. No trailers, no cast announcements, not even a vague plot synopsis. 2025 hasn't been a milestone year for Hollywood so far and my expectations were reasonably demure. In a time where every movie seems dissected by teasers, leaks, and spoiler-filled thumbnails long before it hits the screen, perhaps I was happy to embrace the tiny prick of rebellion that it was to go in blind. I didn't know who directed it, who starred in it, or even what genre it belonged to. All I had was the title, 'Sinners'. So, with little else than the quiet curiosity that the title aroused, we dove in. Seldom does ignorance turn out to be such a gift. 'There are legends of people born with the gift of making music so true, it can pierce the veil between life and death, conjuring spirits from the past and the future." The two hour plus long cinematic experience that unfolded was so wildly unexpected, so unapologetically bold, that I was hooked from the first scene to its very last – post credits and all! Sinners is a story where the Mississippi Delta's revered soul meets fangs, fiddles, and the ghosts of the blues. And because I had no preconceived notions, every twist, every character, and every note of music (!?) hit with full force. They're not wrong when they say, that the best way to experience a story is to let it surprise you. There's a certain magic in the way Ryan Coogler makes a movie feel like both a personal memory and a cinematic epic. With Sinners, he takes that alchemy to bold new territory: a gonzo horror-thriller set in 1930s Mississippi, soaked in Delta blues, with a dash of Irish folk, and the bite of bloodthirsty vampires. On paper, I can imagine that it sounded like a madman's fever dream. On the screen however, it translated into a hypnotic, genre-bending, musical phantasmagoria that redefined what horror — and musical storytelling — can be. For those who might not be familiar, Coogler, known for Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Black Panther, ventures into the deep South for this ambitious tale, intertwining American racial history with folklore and the universal language of music. To put it plainly, Sinners is a vampire movie while also being a heartfelt tribute to blues music. To wax on, Sinners is a meditation on cultural survival, appropriation, and the seductive power of art across time and bloodlines. The Devil at the crossroads At the heart of Sinners are twin brothers Smoke and Stack (the Smokestack twins), both played with remarkable distinction by the luminous Michael B. Jordan. Returning to their rural Mississippi hometown, the brothers venture to open a juke joint, a refuge for Black folks exhausted by the relentless grind of cotton fields and the ever-present threat of Ku Klux Klan violence. Their sanctuary is meant to be a celebration of Black joy and resilience, pulsing with the rhythms of the blues. But once you open a door, you can't be certain of what evil might come barging through. Rather than hooded Klansmen, the true antagonists are a trio of vampires, led by Jack O'Connell's enigmatic Remmick, accompanied by Joan (Lola Kirke) and Bert (Peter Dreimanis). They arrive with fiddles, bodhráns, and the lilting allure of Irish folk music. Bearing them as gifts in honor of the brothers' new music joint. Gifts that might earn them a welcome. Their music is their weapon: hypnotic, foreign, yet eerily familiar. Coogler cleverly riffs on the legend of Robert Johnson, the bluesman who supposedly sold his soul to the devil at a crossroads. But here, the deal is reframed: the vampire Remmick offers freedom from the brutalities of mortal life — eternal youth, power, escape from racism and oppression. His pitch is seductive, precisely because he presents himself as an outsider to America's racial hierarchies, an ancient being who seemed to have witnessed Ireland's own colonisation and sees Mississippi's racial violence with a detached, almost anthropological eye. As defenders of their community Smoke and Stack are drawn into this supernatural conflict, in a marginally pronounced role, as artists grappling with the existential question: Who owns the blues? Is it the people who lived it? Or can it be co-opted, adulterated, transmuted, and commodified by those who neither understand its pain nor respect its roots? As the vampires' influence grows, the juke joint descends into a battleground of culture, memory, and identity (read lots and lots of blood). Blues, blood, and Bodhráns Ryan Coogler's deep reverence for music is evident in every frame. Teaming up once again with composer Ludwig Göransson, the duo crafts a soundscape that is more vital to the storytelling than any dialogue or action sequence. The diegetic music, songs performed on screen by the characters profoundly grounds the film in its historical context. The juke joint scenes are electric, featuring authentic blues performances that feel lived-in: familiar and raw. One standout moment is when newcomer Miles Caton, playing the young singer Sammie, delivers a haunting rendition of the original song 'I Lied to You.' Caton's voice, aged beyond his years, crackles with sorrow and defiance, while the camera dances through the club, blurring the boundaries of time and space. In an unforgettable set piece, the walls of the juke joint dissolve as Coogler blends 1930s plantation workers, ancient African drummers, modern DJs, and even twerking dancers into a transcendent musical tableau. It is a literal eruption of history through sound, culminating in the roof bursting into a plume of flames, a shot Coogler proudly confirms was done practically, not digitally. The scene in itself is a visual and sonic manifesto about the enduring, evolving soul of Black music, brought to life through the director's bravura. And then there's the Irish music. One could imagine the vampires' arrival being heralded with ominous strings, spine chilling and ethereal — but what we get instead are sprightly reels tinged with melancholic airs. Coogler's personal affection for Irish folk, shared by his family, informs this choice. The gimmick cashes in triumphantly; the use of Irish music deepens the film's themes. The fiddles and jigs, while at face value, contrast starkly with the heavier, bass hefty blues, snap right into place — an immaculate union; both echoing similar emotional truths — requiems of sorrow, of exile, and of resilience. Jack O'Connell's Remmick isn't your typical gothic villain either. His musicality is central to his allure. Trained intensively by Göransson, O'Connell plays a credible, if uncanny, folk musician. His companions, Joan and Bert, portrayed by real-life musicians Lola Kirke and Peter Dreimanis, add layers of authenticity to their combined performance. Together, their music becomes a siren song, luring the oppressed with promises of transcendence. Göransson's score threads these disparate musical traditions into a coherent sonic universe. He wields the 1932 Dobro resonator guitar like a time machine, layering it with slide guitar, harmonica, and, in moments of climax, Metallica-inspired power chords. Lars Ulrich himself contributes to the film's heaviest sequences, reminding us of the blues' evolutionary path into rock and metal. The musical interplay between the Delta blues and Irish folk is beyond being merely aesthetic; it is instead, thematic – enhancing both arts to a level transcendent. Both genres emerged from oppressed peoples finding solace and power in subdued reverie and song. Yet in Sinners, this mirrored heritage instead becomes a battleground of authenticity versus appropriation, lived experience versus immortal detachment. Horror, history, and the haunting of America While Sinners is packed with thrilling set pieces and gothic horror tropes, Coogler's ambitions stretch far beyond genre thrills. This is a film about America's original sins that scar its tapestry to this day: slavery, racism, exploitation. Remmick and his vampires are not stand-ins for the Klan or plantation owners. They are something far older, and more insidious: the eternal temptation of man to escape suffering at the cost of one's soul. Their 'offer' is alluring precisely because it feels like liberation from the grinding reality of Jim Crow-era Mississippi. But as the film unfolds, it becomes clear that true freedom cannot be bought or bitten into. Delroy Lindo delivers a memorable turn as Delta Slim, an old bluesman who recognizes the vampires' allure for what it ultimately is: a beautiful lie. His piano lessons with Göransson imbue his scenes with lived-in wisdom, his character serving as both a mentor and a cautionary figure. Coogler also weaves in a modern coda. The post-credits scene, featuring blues legend Buddy Guy, ties the film's century-old events to contemporary realities. Coogler's emotional meeting with Guy, himself a former sharecropper, adds a poignant resonance. This scene is a living testament to the blues' journey, survival, and relevance. A bold, beautiful, bloody ballad Sinners is by all means, a very audacious film. The first half of the film is diametrically opposite in tonality to the latter. It is these shifts, from historical drama to horror to musical fantasia, that might not be for everyone but its ambition, mastery in craft, and sheer passion are undeniable. Michael B. Jordan's dual performance anchors the film with emotional depth, while Jack O'Connell's Remmick is one of the most fascinating vampire portrayals in recent cinema: neither purely evil nor entirely sympathetic; just real, bloodcurdlingly real. The music, however, stands out as the film's true star. Göransson's work here is revelatory, a culmination of his collaborations with Coogler. The score while accompanying the visuals, elevates them, and in doing so, becomes part of the narrative fabric. Every pluck, slide, and beat, tells a story, conjuring ghosts of the past while forging new sonic pathways. Sinners commemorates music. Music is magic. Music is memory. Music is resistance. Whoever thought it could not have been done — Ryan Coogler has crafted a film that is as much about the power of art as it is about vampires. It is about how the oppressed find their voice, how that voice can be stolen, and how, through sheer and indelible force of soul, it can be reclaimed. In the end, Sinners is so much more than a horror movie. It is a blues song come to life. It is a lament and it is a battle cry. It is a haunting and it is a healing. It sings, and oh boy, does it sing. Shahzad Abdullah is a PR and communications strategist, cultural curator and director of communications at Media Matters All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the writer

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store