Editing Linford Christie (section)

==Retirement==
Following the two-year ban, Christie worked as a presenter on the BBC programmes ''[[Record Breakers]]'' and ''Garden Invaders'', and also had a contract with BBC Sport. He has spent less time as a public figure and has devoted most of his time to managing his company.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0267215/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast Record Breakers at IMDB]</ref> In 1990 he made his acting debut in the [[BBC]] programme ''[[Grange Hill]]''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0834284/ Grange Hill at IMDB]</ref> Later he appeared in another [[BBC]] programme ''[[Hustle (TV series)|Hustle]]''. In 2010, Christie appeared on the UK [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] television channel's ''[[I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!]]'' show, subsequently becoming the sixth person to be eliminated, on 30 November 2010.

During the McVicar case, Christie raised another of his grievances with the media – insinuating comments about the figure-hugging running suits that Christie wore in his races. The term ''Linford's lunchbox'' had been coined by ''The Sun'' newspaper in reference to the noticeable bulge of Christie's genitalia in his [[Lycra]] shorts. He said "''Linford's lunchbox'' is one of my grievances with the media. I don't like it ... Nobody ever goes on about [[Sally Gunnell]]'s breasts ... I think it is disgusting, I don't like it at all."<ref name="autogenerated2">L. Christie & T. Ward, ''Linford Christie: An Autobiography'' (1990, updated 1996 as ''To Be Honest With You'')</ref> In court, the judge [[Oliver Popplewell|Mr Justice Popplewell]], amused some by tactlessly asking Christie to explain the phrase, asking "What is 'Linford's lunchbox?'"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=/archive/1998/06/19/nlin19.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |first=Peter |last=Oborne |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221071019/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/htmlContent.jhtml?html=%2Farchive%2F1998%2F06%2F19%2Fnlin19.html|title=Laughter as judge asks, what is Linford's lunchbox?|archive-date=21 December 2007 }}</ref>
Christie's anger at this unwanted attention led to his infamous "newspaper print" running suit, although he has deliberately drawn attention to his body on occasions: he has remarked that "A lot of people have looked at my physique and two things can come into their mind – admiration and envy."<ref name="autogenerated1">L. Christie & J. Nicholson, ''A Year in the Life of Linford Christie'' (1996)</ref> He also appeared shirtless and flexing his muscles on the BBC youth series ''Reportage'' in 1988. In recent years, however, Christie appears to have come to terms with the 'lunchbox' label, disclosing his preference for briefs rather than boxer shorts, and in 2002 becoming the "face" of [[Sloggi]], the men's underwear brand, posing for advertising wearing only underwear.<ref>[http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/archive/2002/06/12/Wiltshire+Archive/7348070.Showing_his_undies_is_no_hard_Sloggi_for_Linford/ Showing his undies is no hard Sloggi for Linford]. ''Swindon Advertiser'' (12 June 2002) Retrieved on 2009-01-20</ref><ref>Brooke, Simon (30 January 2003) [https://web.archive.org/web/20110615185555/http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/fashion/article857937.ece Real men wear thongs] ''[[The Times]]''; Retrieved on 2009-01-20</ref>

In the successful British bid for the [[2012 Olympic Games]], Christie was absent from the team, even though he has stated that he attempted to get involved. Christie has cited an ongoing feud between himself and former teammate [[Sebastian Coe]], who led the bid committee, as a likely reason for the snub.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/4341074.stm Christie hits out at Olympic snub] [[BBC Sport]] (14 October 2005) Retrieved on 2009-01-20</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/1809821.stm Coe and Christie clash again] [[BBC Sport]] (8 February 2002) Retrieved on 2009-01-20</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/5149910.stm Campbell wants Christie call-up] [[BBC Sport]] (5 July 2006) Retrieved on 2009-01-20</ref> Commenting on the argument, Christie's teammate, [[Derek Redmond]], said he was "a well-balanced athlete; he has a chip on both shoulders."<ref name=Faces>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4784003.stm Faces of the week] [[BBC Sport]] (11 August 2006) Retrieved on 2009-01-20</ref>

However, in April 2006, it was announced that Christie would be a senior mentor for athletes on the national team, along with former athletes [[Steve Backley]], [[Daley Thompson]] and [[Katharine Merry]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/4910440.stm British legends get mentor roles] [[BBC Sport]] (4 August 2006) Retrieved on 2008-01-20</ref> This proved controversial, however, due to Christie's 2 year drugs ban in February 1997. "I don't think he should be in that mentor role," said [[Paula Radcliffe]], the former women's [[marathon]] world record-holder. "We have to make sure that the people in that mentor role have an integrity and strong sense of ethics and morals."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/4788157.stm Radcliffe attacks Christie role] [[BBC Sport]] (13 August 2006) Retrieved on 2009-01-20</ref>

The [[British Olympic Association|BOA]] confirmed that their ban on Olympic accreditation for Christie remained in place.<ref name=Faces/> Christie claimed that he was invited by London Mayor [[Ken Livingstone]] to be one of the carriers of the 2008 [[Olympic Torch]] on its journey through London, although Livingstone denied that he had invited Christie to undertake that role.<ref name=":0">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/7256961.stm Christie will not be torch bearer] [[BBC Sport]] (22 February 2008) Retrieved on 2009-01-20</ref> The IOC reacted angrily to any suggestion that "an athlete who has an Olympic ban" could have been invited to carry the Olympic torch.<ref name=":0" />

In 2011, Christie was convicted of careless driving, after his vehicle crashed head-on into a taxi on 8 May 2010 due to driving on the wrong side of the [[A413 road]] in [[Chalfont St Peter]], [[Buckinghamshire]].<ref name="g21jul2011">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jul/21/linford-christie-banned-driving-crash|title=Linford Christie banned from driving after wrong-way crash|author=Matthew Taylor|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=21 July 2011|access-date=26 July 2011}}</ref> Four people, including a newly-wed couple, were hurt.<ref name="g21jul2011"/>

In November 2023, he appeared in ''[[The Masked Singer (British TV series)#The Masked Singer: I'm a Celebrity Special|The Masked Singer: I'm a Celebrity Special]]'' as Huntsman. He was voted off first.

A documentary film about his life, titled ''Linford'', premiered on [[BBC One]] in July 2024.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2024/major-new-documentary-exclusive-access-olympic-athlete-linford-christie|title=BBC announces major new documentary with exclusive access to Olympic athlete Linford Christie|publisher=BBC|accessdate=16 July 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/new-documentary-on-linford-christie-out-on-bbc-this-summer-1039988303/|title=New documentary on Linford Christie out on BBC this summer|date=6 June 2024 |publisher=Athletics Weekly|accessdate=16 July 2024}}</ref>