Bradley Walsh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bradley Walsh
Walsh in 2008
Born	Bradley John Walsh (1960-06-04) 4 June 1960 (age 65) Watford, Hertfordshire, England
Occupation	Actor, television presenter, singer
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Donna Derby ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	2, including Barney

Bradley John Walsh (born 4 June 1960) is a well-known English actor, television presenter, comedian, and singer. He even used to be a professional footballer!

You might know Bradley from his acting roles in popular TV shows. He played Danny Baldwin in the soap opera Coronation Street (2004–2006) and DS Ronnie Brooks in the crime series Law & Order: UK (2009–2014). More recently, he was Graham O'Brien in the exciting sci-fi show Doctor Who (2018–2022).

Bradley is also famous for hosting many TV game shows. These include The Chase (which started in 2009 and is still going strong!), Keep It in the Family (2014–2015), and Blankety Blank (since 2020).

He has also hosted variety shows like Tonight at the London Palladium (2016–2019). Since 2019, he has starred with his son Barney in the travel show Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad. In 2024, they both started hosting the new Gladiators show on BBC One. Bradley also loves performing in pantomimes on stage.

As a singer, Bradley has released two albums: Chasing Dreams (2016) and When You're Smiling (2017). Both albums were very popular in the UK!

Bradley's Early Life

Bradley John Walsh was born on 4 June 1960 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England. He grew up in Leavesden with his parents and sister.

He went to Francis Combe School. When he was 16, he left school and started working as an apprentice at a Rolls-Royce factory.

Bradley's Career Journey

Football Days

Before he became a TV star, Bradley Walsh was a talented football player. He started playing youth football at Wormley Rovers.

In 1979, when he was 18, he became a professional player for Brentford. He also played for other teams like Barnet and Boreham Wood. Sadly, ankle injuries ended his football career when he was just 22 years old in 1982.

Bradley has also played in Soccer Aid, which is a charity football match. Celebrities and professional footballers play to raise money. He helped England win as a player in 2006 and as a coach in 2012 and 2016.

Becoming a TV Star

After football, Bradley tried different jobs. He even worked as an entertainer at Pontins holiday park. In 1982, he tried stand-up comedy and came third in a talent show!

Soon, the TV channel ITV noticed him. They offered him a job as a presenter on a new game show called Midas Touch. In 1997, he became the host of Wheel of Fortune.

Acting Roles

Bradley decided to try acting. His first acting job was a small part in the TV series Lock, Stock.... In 2002, he got a regular role in the soap opera Night and Day.

In 2004, he joined the famous soap opera Coronation Street as factory boss Danny Baldwin. He stayed on the show for two years.

From 2009 to 2014, Bradley starred as DS Ronnie Brooks in the crime drama Law & Order: UK.

In 2017, the BBC announced that Bradley would join Doctor Who as a companion to the Thirteenth Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker. He played Graham O'Brien in series 11 and 12, and returned for a special episode in 2022.

In 2021, he started playing Pop Larkin in The Larkins, a new TV series.

Hosting Game Shows

In 2009, Bradley became the host of the very popular ITV game show The Chase. On this show, contestants answer general knowledge questions and try to beat a "Chaser" who is a quiz expert. He also hosts celebrity versions of the show.

From 2010 to 2011, he hosted the panel show Odd One In. In 2014, he hosted Keep It in the Family, a fun game show for families.

Since 2016, Bradley has also presented Cash Trapped, another daytime game show for ITV. In 2020, he started hosting a new version of the classic game show Blankety Blank for the BBC.

In 2023, the BBC announced that Bradley and his son Barney would host the new Gladiators show.

Singing Career

Bradley Walsh is also a successful singer! In 2016, he released his first album, Chasing Dreams. It reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. The album had covers of jazz songs and one original song. It was the best-selling first album by a British artist that year!

In 2017, he released his second album, When You're Smiling, which also did very well, reaching number 11 in the charts.

Bradley's Personal Life

Bradley Walsh married dancer Donna Derby in 1997. They have a son named Barney. You can see Bradley and Barney together in their travel show Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad. Bradley also has a daughter from an earlier relationship.

He lives with his family in a converted barn in Epping, Essex. Bradley has said that he is a "very spiritual" person and attends church.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre Shows

Bradley Walsh has performed in many theatre productions, especially popular pantomimes.

Music Albums

Here are Bradley Walsh's studio albums:

Awards and Nominations

Bradley Walsh has been nominated for and won several awards for his work in television.

See also

In Spanish: Bradley Walsh para niños