John Hunt reveals cruel 'joke' made by Kyle Clifford before he murdered family

John Hunt has pinpointed the subtle change that may have offered clues as to what evil killer Kyle Clifford was capable of before he slaughtered his family.

The much-loved BBC commentator has spoken publicly for the first time since his wife Carol, 61, and daughters Hannah, 28, and Louise, 25, were killed at their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, in July last year. Louise’s former partner Clifford, fatally stabbed Carol, raped Louise, then used a crossbow to kill both sisters.

He described the murderer as “callous, cowardly and vindictive”, and in a new interview with the BBC, Hunt has bravely opened up about his torment, the lasting impact - and detailed when he noticed the "turning point" of Louise and twisted Clifford's relationship.

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Mr Hunt recalled something Clifford - who will die in prison after being sentenced to a whole life order - said when the couple went away for a friend's wedding. The evening before the ceremony, he said Louise had struggled to work the oven in their accommodation.

Mr Hunt said other wedding guests asked Louise what she did for a living the next day, and Clifford cut her off with a mean joke, saying "one thing she doesn't do is know how to work an oven properly".

Following her death, her father looked through the couple's message and noticed signs of "gentle manipulation". However, the family didn't see any suggestion that things had turned abusive. "At the point of Louise ending [the relationship], there was absolutely evidence that he had turned out not to be a nice person," surviving sister Amy told BBC's Victoria Derbyshire in the heartbreaking interview.

"But I want to put it very bluntly now. Did we have any indication that this man was capable of stabbing my mother, of tying Louise up, of raping Louise, of shooting Louise and shooting Hannah? Absolutely not.

"He's often been referred to as 'crossbow killer' and 'crossbow maniac' - but that takes away from the very real issue we know to be true. He was just a person, just a man... who went to the gym, had a family, had a relationship, watched TV. I know it sounds crass, but we often say we wish we'd had some hint that he was capable of this."

Mr Hunt, did, however, described Clifford as a “psychopath” in his 1900-word victim impact statement read out in front of him in court. Addressing the murder of his wife, Carol, he said: “Carol still displayed compassion right up until the moment she answered the door to you on July 9.

“Do you remember her kindness, Kyle? How she urged you to get some relationship help and guidance for fear that you would never be able to sustain a lasting relationship? You calmly accepted that advice on the doorstep and then literally seconds later, savagely stabbed her eight times and ended her life.

“When I challenged myself about how you were able to deceive us all, I simply say that you are a psychopath who, for the duration of your time together with Louise, was able to disguise yourself as an ordinary human being.”

The Hunt family have always been extremely close. In the first few years of their marriage, Carol encouraged John - who was working as a police officer at the time - to pursue his dream of becoming a racing commentator. That same belief and support ran through the family and was passed on to their three daughters - Amy, the eldest, their middle daughter Hannah, and Louise, “the baby”.

The tight-knit family shared everything with each other and lived together in their home in Bushey, Hertfordshire. Louise ran a dog-grooming business from a pod in the garden, while Hannah worked in aesthetics and beauty.

Returning to the Radio Five Live airwaves in March, Hunt began with a friendly discussion with presenter Mark Chapman. Introducing him to listeners, Chapman said: “John is in his usual commentary position yet again.”

Hunt responded by saying: “Yeah, absolutely. I am just thinking about the individuals who illuminate this sport. Nothing else matters Mark. Galopin des Champs is the Antoine Dupont of horse racing. He has looked magnificent. His form is rock solid.”