Bradley Walsh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bradley Walsh
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Walsh in 2008
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| Born |
Bradley John Walsh
4 June 1960 Watford, Hertfordshire, England
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| Education | Francis Combe School, Hertfordshire |
| 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 famous English actor, television presenter, comedian, and singer. He was also a professional footballer before his entertainment career.
Bradley Walsh has played many roles on TV. He was Danny Baldwin in the soap opera Coronation Street from 2004 to 2006. He also played DS Ronnie Brooks in the police show Law & Order: UK from 2009 to 2014. From 2018 to 2022, he was Graham O'Brien in the popular sci-fi series Doctor Who.
He is also well-known for hosting many TV game shows. These include The Chase (which he has hosted since 2009) and Blankety Blank (since 2020). Bradley also hosted the variety show Tonight at the London Palladium.
Since 2019, he has starred with his son Barney in the travel series Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad. In 2024, they both started hosting the new version of Gladiators on BBC One. Bradley also performs on stage, especially in pantomime shows.
As a singer, Bradley Walsh has released two studio albums. Chasing Dreams came out in 2016 and reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. His second album, When You're Smiling, was released in 2017 and reached number 11.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Bradley John Walsh was born in Watford, England, on 4 June 1960. His mother, Margaret, was Scottish, and his father, Daniel, was English. He grew up in Leavesden and has a sister named Kerri.
Bradley went to Francis Combe School, which is now called Future Academies Watford. This school is in Garston, Hertfordshire. While he was there, his classmates voted him "most likely to become a TV host."
Career Highlights
After finishing school, Bradley Walsh had an apprenticeship at the Rolls-Royce factory in Watford. He worked on aircraft engines there.
Football Career
Bradley Walsh started playing youth football at Wormley Rovers. In 1979, when he was 18, he became a professional football player for Brentford. He played for their reserve team and also spent time on loan at Barnet. He also played for other teams like Tring Town and Boreham Wood.
Sadly, ankle injuries ended his football career when he was 22, in 1982.
He has taken part in Soccer Aid, which is a charity football match. Celebrities and professional footballers play to raise money. Bradley helped the England team win as a player in 2006 and as a coach in 2012 and 2016. He also appeared in a Soccer Aid episode in June 2022.
Television Beginnings
After his football career, Bradley Walsh had different jobs. For three months, he worked as a bluecoat at Pontins in Morecambe. In October 1982, he entered a talent contest as a new comedian and came third.
Later, the TV channel ITV asked him to present a new game show called Midas Touch. In 1997, he became the host of the British version of Wheel of Fortune. He hosted the show for one year before deciding to try acting.
Acting Roles
Bradley Walsh's first acting job was a small part in the Channel 4 series Lock, Stock.... He also appeared in the TV film Mike Bassett: England Manager in 2001. In 2002, he joined the soap opera Night and Day for a regular role.
In 2004, he joined Coronation Street as factory boss Danny Baldwin. He asked for the character's name to be Danny, after his late father. He left the show in December 2006.
In 2008, Bradley appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off from Doctor Who. He played a scary character who fed on people's fear. He played three parts of the same character: Odd Bob the clown, Elijah Spellman the ringmaster, and the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
From 2009 to 2014, he starred in the ITV crime drama Law & Order: UK. He played DS Ronnie Brooks, a police officer with many years of experience. He appeared in 53 episodes.
In October 2017, the BBC announced that Bradley Walsh would join Doctor Who as a companion to the Thirteenth Doctor, played by Jodie Whittaker. He played Graham O'Brien in the eleventh and twelfth series. He left the show in the 2021 New Year's Day special and also appeared in the 2022 special "The Power of the Doctor".
In 2020, it was announced that Bradley would play Pop Larkin in The Larkins, a new TV show based on The Darling Buds of May. He started appearing in The Larkins in October 2021.
Presenting Shows
Bradley Walsh has become a very popular TV presenter. In June 2009, he started hosting the ITV game show The Chase. This show has become very popular and often beats other quiz shows. Contestants on The Chase answer general knowledge questions against a "Chaser."
Between 2010 and 2011, he presented the panel show Odd One In. He also hosted the Crime Thriller Awards on ITV3 from 2012 to 2014.
In 2014, Bradley hosted Come on Down! The Game Show Story, which looked at the history of British game shows. He also hosted Keep It in the Family for two series.
From 2016 to 2019, Bradley presented Cash Trapped, another game show for ITV. In 2020, he hosted a special festive episode of Blankety Blank for the BBC. The show was then brought back for full series, and Bradley has been the host ever since.
In May 2023, the BBC announced that Bradley and his son Barney would host the new version of Gladiators. This show started in 2024. In December 2023, Bradley also hosted the Royal Variety Performance.
Other Appearances
Bradley Walsh has appeared in many other TV shows and events. In 2005 and 2020, he was a "victim" in the "Undercover" segment of Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.
Since 2015, he has been a team captain on the sports panel show Play to the Whistle, hosted by Holly Willoughby.
Since 2019, Bradley has starred with his son Barney Walsh in the ITV travel series Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad. They travel to different places and try out fun activities.
In May 2022, Bradley appeared on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs. On this show, guests choose their favourite songs, a book, and a luxury item they would take if stranded on a desert island.
Singing Career
In November 2016, Bradley Walsh released his first album, Chasing Dreams. It reached number 10 on the UK Albums Chart. The album included covers of jazz songs and an original song. It became the best-selling first album by a British artist that year.
A year later, in 2017, he released his second album, When You're Smiling. This album also featured covers of classic songs and one new track. It reached number 11 in the charts.
Personal Life
Bradley Walsh married dancer Donna Derby in 1997. They have a son named Barney, who appears with Bradley in the travel series Bradley Walsh & Son: Breaking Dad. Bradley also has a daughter from a previous relationship, born in 1982.
He lives with his family in a converted barn in Epping, Essex. Bradley has said that he attends church and feels "very spiritual."
Awards and Nominations
Bradley Walsh has been nominated for and won several awards for his work.
- In 2006, he won the British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance for his role in Coronation Street.
- He has been nominated multiple times for the National Television Award for Most Popular Entertainment Presenter and Most Popular TV Presenter.
- In 2025, he won the TRIC Award for TV Personality.
Images for kids
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Bradley Walsh in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Bradley Walsh para niños
