Chris Tarrant facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Tarrant OBE
Tarrant doing stand-up comedy in 2009
Born	Christopher John Tarrant (1946-10-10) 10 October 1946 (age 78) Reading, Berkshire, England
Education	King's School, Worcester
Alma mater	University of Birmingham
Occupation	Broadcaster comedian television personality
Years active	1972–2024
Known for	Tiswas Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways
Spouse(s)	Sheila Robertson ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1982)​ Ingrid Dupre-Walsh ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 2007)​
Partner(s)	Jane Bird (2008–present)
Children	4, including Toby

Chris Tarrant (born 10 October 1946) is a famous English TV and radio presenter. He is well-known for hosting the fun children's TV show Tiswas from 1974 to 1981. He also hosted the super popular game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? from 1998 until 2014. Chris Tarrant retired from television in 2024 after more than 50 years.

Chris Tarrant started his career in 1972 at ATV. He presented a news show called ATV Today for the Midlands area of England. He became very famous when he joined Tiswas, a children's show on Saturday mornings. Chris was also part of a music group called the Four Bucketeers. Their song "Bucket Of Water Song" was a hit in 1980.

After Tiswas, Chris Tarrant hosted a late-night show called O.T.T. in 1982. It was like an "adult" version of Tiswas. Even though it didn't last long, many adults enjoyed it.

From 1984 to 2004, Chris was a radio host for Capital Radio. He presented the popular morning show Capital Breakfast. This show helped Capital Radio get many more listeners in London.

Chris Tarrant hosted Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? from 1998 to 2014. He recorded 592 episodes of the show. Five contestants won the top prize of £1 million during his time as host. He also narrated a travel show called Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways, where he explored train journeys around the world.

Chris Tarrant also presented other TV shows. These include Tarrant on TV, which showed funny clips from TV shows worldwide. He also hosted Tarrant Lets the Kids Loose, where young children got to try out adult jobs. In 2004, he received an OBE award for his amazing charity work. He especially helped children who were not as lucky as others.

Early Life and Education

Chris Tarrant was born in Reading, England, on 10 October 1946. His father, Basil, was a soldier who fought in World War II. He was part of the Dunkirk evacuation and the Normandy landings.

Chris went to a boarding school called King's School in Worcester from 1960 to 1964. He played hockey and cricket for his school. After school, he studied English at the University of Birmingham and finished in 1967.

Before becoming a TV star, Chris Tarrant worked as a schoolteacher. He also briefly directed films for the government. In 1972, he joined ATV as a newsreader for their show ATV Today.

Career Highlights

Tiswas and O.T.T.

Chris Tarrant became very well-known as a presenter on Tiswas. This children's TV show aired on Saturday mornings from 1974 to 1981. He hosted it with Sally James. Other famous people like Lenny Henry and Bob Carolgees (with his puppet Spit the Dog) were also on the show.

In 1982, Chris hosted O.T.T. with some of his Tiswas co-stars. It was a late-night show for adults. Even though it was short-lived, it was quite popular.

Capital Radio

In 1984, Chris Tarrant joined Capital Radio as a presenter. He first hosted a Sunday show, then moved to a weekday morning slot. From 1987 to 2004, he hosted the Capital Breakfast show. This show was very popular and helped Capital Radio gain many listeners in London. During this time, he first used his famous phrase, "Is that your final answer?"

On 2 April 2004, Chris said goodbye to Capital Radio. He had hosted 4,425 shows over 20 years.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Chris Tarrant started hosting Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 1998. This quiz show became a huge hit and was sold to over 100 countries. Chris made his catchphrase "Is that your final answer?" famous on the show. He also used the phrase "But we don't want to give you that."

He hosted the show from 1998 to 2014. He recorded 592 episodes. Five contestants won the £1 million prize. One contestant, Charles Ingram, was found to have cheated. Chris Tarrant said he didn't notice anything wrong during filming. He was "shocked" when he heard about the cheating claims. He said it was "hugely insulting" to other honest contestants.

In 2013, Chris Tarrant announced he would leave Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. This led ITV to end the show. The final episodes aired in 2014. In 2018, the show returned with a new host, Jeremy Clarkson. Chris Tarrant chose not to watch the new version. In 2020, a TV mini-series called Quiz was made about the cheating scandal. Actor Michael Sheen played Chris Tarrant in the series.

Other TV Work

Chris Tarrant hosted Tarrant on TV from 1990 to 2006. This show featured funny and unusual TV clips from all over the world. In 2009, he presented Tarrant Lets the Kids Loose on the Watch channel. This show allowed young children to try out their dream jobs, like running a radio station.

He also hosted other game shows like Everybody's Equal, Cluedo, and Lose A Million. In 2010, he presented The Door, a game show where celebrities faced challenges for charity.

From 2012 to 2020, Chris Tarrant filmed the Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways series for Channel 5. In this show, he traveled the world by train, visiting places like Australia and India.

In 2022, Chris Tarrant released his book called It's Not A Proper Job: Stories from 50 Years in TV. He announced his retirement in December 2024.

Personal Life

Chris Tarrant has four children. He had two daughters, Helen and Jennifer, with his first wife, Sheila Roberton. They were married from 1976 to 1982. He then married Ingrid Dupre-Walsh in 1991. They had two children, Sammy and Toby. They divorced in 2007. Since 2008, Chris has been in a relationship with Jane Bird.

In 2014, Chris Tarrant had a mini-stroke while flying home from Thailand. He had emergency surgery to remove a blood clot.

Chris Tarrant is a big fan of the English rock band Status Quo. He also supports Reading F.C., a football team. Two of his children, Toby and Fia, also work in radio.

Charity Work

Chris Tarrant received an OBE in 2004 for his charity work. He is an ambassador for Centrepoint, a charity that helps homeless young people. He is also a patron for West Heath School, which helps children who are not as lucky. He supports Milly's Fund, set up in memory of a murdered teenager, Amanda Dowler. He also helps Swings & Smiles, a charity for children with special needs.

In 2024, Chris Tarrant helped promote the National Lottery's 'People's Portraits' series. This project featured pictures of Ukrainian refugees.

Filmography

Television Shows

Television Advertisements

Discography

• Album Tiswas presents The Four Bucketeers
• Single "The Bucket of Water Song/Smello"
• Single "Water is Wonderful/Raspberry Rock"
• Album Saturday Scene
• Album Ultimate Party Megamix
• Album Ultimate Summer Party

Awards and Honours

Chris Tarrant was voted Number 38 in ITV's TV's 50 Greatest Stars list in 2006.

In August 2010, Chris Tarrant received a star on Birmingham's Walk of Stars. He was also made an honorary citizen of Birmingham. He said he was very proud to have his own spot on Broad Street in Birmingham.

Images for kids

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  Wax statue of Tarrant at Madame Tussauds

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  Tarrant promoting the National Lottery's 'People's Portraits' series of Ukrainian refugees at the Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool

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  Tarrant's star on Broad Street, awarded to him in 2010

See also

In Spanish: Chris Tarrant para niños