Anneka Rice facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anneka Rice
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Rice in 2013
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Anne Lucinda Hartley Rice
4 October 1958 Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom
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| Occupation | Television presenter |
| Years active | 1980–1995 2001–present |
Anneka Rice (born Anne Lucinda Hartley Rice on 4 October 1958) is a famous British television and radio presenter, journalist, and painter.
She started her career at the BBC World Service before moving to children's television. Rice is most famous for being the "skyrunner" in the popular Channel 4 game show Treasure Hunt. She also created her own hit show, Challenge Anneka.
In 1995, Rice took a break from television to raise her family and study art at the Chelsea College of Art. She later returned to TV and radio, hosting shows like Secrets of the National Trust and a weekend breakfast show on BBC Radio 2. In 2023, she brought back Challenge Anneka for a new series on Channel 5.
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Early Life
Anneka Rice was born in Cowbridge, Wales, and grew up in Surrey, England. When she joined the actors' union, Equity, she had to change her first name from Anne to Anneka because another actress was already registered as Annie Rice.
Career in Television and Radio
Rice's career began as a trainee for the BBC World Service. At age 19, she moved to Hong Kong and worked for a TV station as a news sub-editor and later a news reader. She also hosted a radio show and even dubbed kung fu movies into English.
Treasure Hunt
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In 1982, Rice returned to the UK and got her big break on the Channel 4 show Treasure Hunt. Wearing her famous jumpsuit, she was the "skyrunner" who flew around in a helicopter solving clues. The show was a huge success, with over 7 million people watching each week.
Challenge Anneka
After Treasure Hunt, Rice created her own show called Challenge Anneka, which started in 1989. In each episode, she was given a challenge to complete in a very short time, usually to help a charity or community.
The show completed over 60 projects in the UK. It also took on international challenges, like fixing up an orphanage in Romania and helping a refugee camp in Malawi. Many of the projects helped by the show are still running today. The show was so popular that other countries in Europe made their own versions. In 2023, Challenge Anneka returned to TV on Channel 5.
Other TV and Radio Work
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Rice presented travel shows like Wish You Were Here...? and Holiday, visiting more than 50 countries. She also appeared on many other shows, including Children in Need and Strictly Come Dancing in 2019.
In 2006, she took part in a show called Extinct, where she travelled to the North Pole to help track polar bears. She has also been a guest on shows like Celebrity Mastermind and Richard Osman's House of Games.
Rice has also had a successful radio career. She hosted the Weekend Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 for five years. Since 2017, she has presented the Christmas Day show Junior Choice.
Other Activities
Painting and Writing
After taking a break from TV in 1995, Rice studied art at the Chelsea College of Art. She is now a painter and shows her work in galleries. She has also worked as a journalist, writing travel articles and columns for newspapers like The Mail on Sunday and The Independent.
Stand-up Comedy
Rice also writes and performs stand-up comedy. Two of her shows, where she tells funny stories about her life and career, were recorded for BBC Radio 4.
Personal Life
Rice married theatre boss Nick Allott in 1988, and they have two sons. She also has another son, born in 1997, with TV executive Tom Gutteridge.
Famous Television Shows
- Treasure Hunt (1982–1989)
- Challenge Anneka (1989–1995, 2006–2007, 2023)
- Wish You Were Here...? (Presenter)
- Holiday (Presenter)
- Hell's Kitchen (Contestant, 2007)
- Celebrity Mastermind (Contestant, 2010)
- Secrets of the National Trust (Presenter, 2016)
- Celebrity Hunted (Contestant, 2017)
- Strictly Come Dancing (Contestant, 2019)
See also
In Spanish: Anneka Rice para niños
