Sunil Patel’s tribute to Eddie Jordan

Eddie – EJ to his many friends – was an absolute one off. And that was probably for the best, as he was an absolute handful!

To me he was more than a friend. At times a father figure, mentor, colleague and collaborator. But, more than anything, he was the epitome of someone who lived life to its very limit. Taking as many people with him as he took chances. You always felt good things would happen when in EJ’s company.

No one comes close to what EJ could conceive, offer and deliver. Front beyond belief, mischief behind a smile to unlock any situation, and generosity that I’ve not seen before or since. His most precious gift though was his time. He took the time to get to know you, or just to shoot the shit and take the piss. He loved taking time to plan, whether that was breaking the next big news story - remember Schumacher’s return or Bernie leaving F1 – or the next wind up or night out.

EJ loved being at the heart of it all. Deal maker, mischief maker and dream maker. That was EJ.

EJ was a rock star of Formula 1. I was in awe of him when we first met at BBC Television Centre in 2008. His presence was immediate and intoxicating as he walked in entertaining and abusing everyone in equal measure. We then spent several years travelling the world together whilst I was a producer on the BBC F1 coverage – listening, learning, living and loving every moment as a colleague and increasingly, a friend.

He loved to push the limits. Where most normal folk wouldn’t even think about it, EJ would be doing it. One time we were flying back from the Brazilian Grand Prix and getting on the plane with EJ, I turned right to economy as anyone on a BBC budget would. EJ grabbed me by the arm, turned me left and marched me through business into first. ‘Sit down and look like you belong here’ Part terrified and part intrigued, I played along. As the plane took off, I looked around to see me and EJ in the middle of Schumacher and Ross Brawn. Bonkers. But that was peak EJ. Always pushing the limits on and off track.

In 2010, when I left the BBC to set up Whisper , EJ was keen to invest in our little start up. At the time I remember how chaotic it was directing Jake Humphrey, EJ and DC (David Coulthard). So, the thought of trying to run a business with the three of them was too much even for me to take on. DC had already beaten EJ to it, and it’s something he never let me forget. ‘You owe me, Sunil’ he’d growl every time we met!

Credit to EJ, he never let that get in the way of working together at Whisper when he joined the Channel 4 F1 team or when we launched the FFS Podcast. It did give me an insight into doing business with EJ though. No matter the size of the deal, EJ just loved scrapping for every element. At 5ft 4in, he certainly punched way above his weight. He was a winner, and a huge influence on making me want to be the same.

His sense of mischief and fun was infectious, and we were trouble together. As the former head of F1 at the BBC, Ben Gallop , said to me at the weekend: “The combo of EJ and you = nightmare wind-up merchants 🤣”.

From racing around Silverstone on a golf buggy breaking all the rules to having an ice cream fight all in the name of great TV, Eddie was up for it all.

But it wasn’t just his extrovert personality and thirst for adventure that made EJ special. He had a warm and unbelievably generous heart too. He anonymously bought a present for our first child, Ela, and then, feeling bad having not done the same for Sachin, he stuffed some cash down my shirt whilst we were on a dance floor together one night out at an F1 race in Abu Dhabi . ‘Look after the boy’ he said.

And yes, it was glamorous being on the journey with EJ, but he made sure he took people with him. More than once inviting the entire BBC F1 production team onto his yacht for drinks in Monaco. He knew how to make people feel special.

In the moment, I was just loving life being around EJ and his unique aura. ‘Main character energy’, as Ela now puts it.  But on reflection I was in the midst of a master operator, all the while learning how to take risks, look after the people around you, and remain true to yourself.

Last Thursday morning I woke randomly at 3:00am, and I knew something wasn’t right. I picked up my phone to see a message from DC in Shanghai letting me know EJ had passed away. While we knew EJ was ill, and it wasn’t looking good, nothing quite prepares you for the finality of that moment. What comes next? The messages and tributes started, and you take a degree of comfort knowing that EJ meant so much to so many.

We had a weekend of F1 coverage to deliver, which gave us the opportunity to produce a definitive and personal tribute for EJ. One that he would proud of and capture his character, zest for life and achievements.

What I will continue to carry with me from EJ – in life and in business – is that will to win, to deliver the impossible, not to compromise on who you are for anyone or in any situation, to be generous with the gifts life has afforded you, and – most importantly – to do it all with a sense of fun and mischief.

EJ, I love you and I will miss you.

You were right all along. I do owe you. And I always will.

This article was originally published on LinkedIn, and was republished here by permission of Sunil Patel