{"id":116,"date":"2026-03-31T06:18:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T06:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disport.com.ng\/2026\/03\/31\/itv-and-cheltenham-festival-star-stranded-in-dubai-reveals-terrifying-explosion-nearby\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T06:18:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T06:18:47","slug":"itv-and-cheltenham-festival-star-stranded-in-dubai-reveals-terrifying-explosion-nearby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=116","title":{"rendered":"ITV and Cheltenham Festival star stranded in Dubai reveals terrifying explosion nearby"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_548649\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">A ITV horse racing presenter has been left stranded in Dubai after witnessing a terrifying missile attack &#8211; less than a week before the start of the iconic Cheltenham Festival<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\">09:53, 05 Mar 2026<\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated 10:14, 05 Mar 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"30292341\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Rishi Persad is stranded in Dubai\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article30292341.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/1_Cazoo-St-Leger-Festival-Day-Four-Doncaster-Racecourse.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article30292341.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/1_Cazoo-St-Leger-Festival-Day-Four-Doncaster-Racecourse.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article30292341.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/1_Cazoo-St-Leger-Festival-Day-Four-Doncaster-Racecourse.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article30292341.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/1_Cazoo-St-Leger-Festival-Day-Four-Doncaster-Racecourse.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Rishi Persad is stranded in Dubai\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Rishi Persad is stranded in Dubai<cite aria-label=\"Image: PA\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: PA)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">ITV presenter Rishi Persad has revealed a &#8220;shiver went down my spine&#8221; after he witnessed a missile attack when presenting during a horse racing meeting in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Persad told <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/sport\/38414944\/rishi-persad-stranded-dubai-struggles-cheltenham\/?utm_medium=Social&amp;utm_campaign=sunracingtwitter&amp;utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1772697348\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">The Sun<\/a>: &#8220;The cameramen filming myself and co-presenter Angus McNae were looking into the sky and mouthing, &#8216;Oh s**t&#8217;. So we turned around and saw something looking like a red light fizzing through the sky and then we heard explosions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;There was one particularly loud explosion that really sent a shiver down my spine. But the racing just carried on and we carried on doing our job.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The 52-year-old is expected to return home for his wife Holly&#8217;s 50th birthday on Friday and to undertake presenting duties for next week&#8217;s iconic Cheltenham Festival. &#8220;Holly and my 15-year-old daughter Evie are understandably a bit worried,&#8221; Persad added.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;They&#8217;ve never had to think about my safety when I&#8217;ve been abroad before. I&#8217;d love to be home for Holly&#8217;s birthday and hope that it\u2019s not an issue getting to Cheltenham. ITV are fully aware of the situation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_09d958\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Lindsay Lohan&#8217;s family &#8216;concerned&#8217; as star remains in Dubai despite Iran war<\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_09d958\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Geordie Shore star Sam Gowland flees Dubai as he sends message to UAE government<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Persad had been due to fly home from the Middle East on Sunday, but a series of cancellations have left him stranded amid the conflict there. He does, however, hope to return to the United Kingdom on Thursday afternoon after booking a scheduled flight, adding: &#8220;There&#8217;s no contingency plan.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He had flown out to Dubai last Thursday to present the Super Saturday meeting at Dubai&#8217;s Meydan racecourse for Racing TV. But Persad didn&#8217;t have a clue that war had broken out until fellow presenter Megan Nicholls &#8211; who is also stuck in the United Arab Emirates &#8211; delivered the news.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;I had no idea what was going on until I met Megan in the hotel lobby to get a taxi to the racecourse,&#8221; Persad said. &#8220;She said, &#8216;Have you seen what&#8217;s happening around the Gulf?&#8217; I thought, &#8216;Oh my God, that&#8217;s not great&#8217;.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-36818988\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36818988\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A black plume of smoke rises from a warehouse at the industrial area of Sharjah City in the United Arab Emirates following reports of Iranian strikes in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Altaf Qadri)\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36818988.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_ADDITION-APTOPIX-Emirates-Iran-US-Israel-26060508437333.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36818988.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_ADDITION-APTOPIX-Emirates-Iran-US-Israel-26060508437333.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36818988.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_ADDITION-APTOPIX-Emirates-Iran-US-Israel-26060508437333.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36818988.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_ADDITION-APTOPIX-Emirates-Iran-US-Israel-26060508437333.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Dubai has been targeted by Iranian strikes\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Dubai has been targeted by Iranian strikes<cite aria-label=\"Image: AP\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: AP)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;Then when we got to the racecourse, a few more people were talking about what they&#8217;d heard and seen. Some then started suggesting that the meeting might be in danger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;It was mid-Saturday afternoon and, very quickly, I understand the Dubai Racing Club had spoken to officials in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and then assured us that it would be safe to continue.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;However, they did say that if there was any member of our crew who felt unsafe or anybody that felt that they didn\u2019t want to be there, then they would try and accommodate them as best as possible.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!<\/strong><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MirrorSport#\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"> <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><u>All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-36817955\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36817955\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Emirates airplanes are parked at the Dubai International Airport after its closure in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, March 1, 2026. (AP Photo\/Altaf Qadri)\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36817955.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_APTOPIX-Emirates-Iran-US-Israel-26060357322826.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36817955.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_APTOPIX-Emirates-Iran-US-Israel-26060357322826.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36817955.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_APTOPIX-Emirates-Iran-US-Israel-26060357322826.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36817955.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_APTOPIX-Emirates-Iran-US-Israel-26060357322826.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Dubai has been target by Iran's missiles\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Dubai has been target by Iran&#8217;s missiles<cite aria-label=\"Image: AP\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: AP)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">And it was while Persad was working on Saturday evening when Dubai landmarks including Fairmont The Palm and the Burj Al Arab hotels as well as the airport had been hit by missiles and falling debris.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Despite this, Persad was reassured when Dubai&#8217;s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, 76, arrived at the race meeting. &#8220;I was on air all the time and couldn&#8217;t really get a handle on what was going on,&#8221; he continued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;So you&#8217;re hearing all these things while you\u2019re working and getting a little bit scared, understandably. But then you see His Highness Sheikh Mohammed turn up and that actually just calms the temperature down somewhat because you\u2019re thinking, &#8216;Well, if he\u2019s come to the races, then it must be safe&#8217;.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Last Saturday (28 February), US president Donald Trump announced that the US and Israeli militaries had begun &#8220;major combat operations&#8221; in Iran.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A ITV horse racing presenter has been left stranded in Dubai after witnessing a terrifying<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=116"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}