Angela Scanlon facts for kids

Angela Marie Scanlon (born 29 December 1983) is an Irish television presenter and broadcaster for RTÉ and the BBC. She initially broadcast on Irish television, presenting a number of programmes on RTÉ including the documentary Oi Ginger! in 2014.

Since 2016, she has appeared as a reporter on The One Show, and presented in the absence of Alex Jones. She undertook her first role on a major British show as a co-host of Robot Wars with Dara Ó Briain (2016–2018).

In 2023 she was a contestant on the twenty-first series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with professional dancer Carlos Gu and finishing in sixth place.

Early life

Scanlon was born in Ratoath, County Meath, Ireland. Her father worked in construction and her mother worked in administration. She has three sisters. She attended school in Dunshaughlin, Meath. Scanlon then went on to study business at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin). After graduating, she travelled for a period of time, including six months in New York (where she worked in an Irish pub), in Australia, and South East Asia. Scanlon planned to set up a fashion shop upon returning to Ireland.

Career

Scanlon has worked as a stylist and a journalist, before moving into television. She wrote for Tatler, Grazia, Company, U Magazine, and Sunday Times Style magazine. She also wrote the column "Out of the Closet" for the Irish Independent's Weekend magazine.

In 2012, The Irish Times described Scanlon as one of "10 Irish Instagrammers You Need to Follow". Scanlon was named as the "one to watch" by Vogue in 2013, and was cited in The Observer's regular Why We're Watching feature as the UK's new onscreen fashion queen. The Daily Telegraph also commended Scanlon's talents in Who's That Girl. In 2013, she fronted a campaign for Louis Vuitton.

After working on fashion shows Xposé and Off the Rails for RTÉ and on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch, Scanlon went on to join RTÉ's The Movie Show as a reporter, and on The Love Clinic in 2012. In 2013 and 2014, she appeared on the popular The Saturday Night Show with host Brendan O'Connor.

Scanlon joined the panel of Next Week's News in February 2014 and also put together a Yahoo! 12-part series Work the Look demonstrating how to pull off key essential looks.

Her first major documentary Oi Ginger! was broadcast in 2014. Angela Scanlon: Full Frontal was her follow-up series airing in October 2014, addressing subjects sometimes considered taboo. Scanlon was featured on Republic of Telly's Ginger is the New Black in October 2014.

In 2014, she hosted London Fashion Weekend for a third time, a job she took over from Caroline Flack after hosting the Vodafone Live Lounge for the British Fashion Council at the event for two years. Scanlon co-hosts BBC Northern Ireland/RTÉ's popular holiday programme, Getaways, having taken over from Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin. Scanlon also launched Marks & Spencer's pop-up Halloween shop with Joanna Lumley in aid of Oxfam. In 2016, she presented Angela Scanlon's Close Encounters!, and the documentary, Trump's Unlikely Superfans, for BBC Three. Scanlon, along with Michelle Ackerley, provided maternity cover for Alex Jones and co-presented The One Show with Matt Baker in early 2017.

In 2017, Scanlon was appointed as a Garnier ambassador, alongside Holly Willoughby and Davina McCall. She did not appear as part of the advertising campaign in 2018, leaving Willoughby and McCall to continue to work with the brand. From 2018 to 2021, Scanlon hosted her own BBC Radio 2 show on Sunday mornings from 4 to 6am. Her final show aired on 25 April 2021. She covered for Sara Cox while Sara was covering for Chris Evans on The Radio 2 Breakfast Show in 2018.

In 2019, Scanlon started presenting for BBC Two Your Home Made Perfect, a home renovation series. In 2022, Scanlon appeared on BBC1's The Wheel as a guest expert on redheads.

In 2023, Scanlon competed on the twenty-first series of Strictly Come Dancing and was partnered with professional dancer Carlos Gu. In week 10 she finished in sixth place after performing the Cha-cha-cha to Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive". The judges verdicts after the dance off saved Layton Williams to dance again in the quarter-finals. Head judge Shirley Ballas was alone in voting for Scanlon to remain in the dance competition. Scanlon said she was "really gutted" to leave the competition.

Scanlon is due to present 7am-10am shows on Saturdays and Sundays on Virgin Radio UK following the resignation of Graham Norton.

In 2024, Scanlon is the current face of Verisure television advertisements.

Personal life

She has been married to Roy Horgan since 2014; they have two daughters. They reside in North London.

Filmography