Gethin Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gethin Jones
Jones in 2024
Born	Gethin Clifford Jones (1978-02-12) 12 February 1978 (age 47) Cardiff, Wales
Occupation	Television presenter
Years active	1990s–present
Television	Blue Peter (2005–2008) Remembrance Week (2010–present) 71 Degrees North (2010) Daybreak (2011–2014) Holding Out for a Hero (2011)

Gethin Clifford Jones (born 12 February 1978) is a Welsh television presenter known for hosting shows like Blue Peter and Morning Live. Before his TV career, he was a talented rugby union player.

Gethin started his career on the Welsh language channel S4C, presenting children's shows. In 2005, he became the 31st presenter of the famous BBC children's show Blue Peter. Since 2020, he has co-hosted the popular BBC One morning show Morning Live.

Early Life and School

Gethin Jones was born in Cardiff, Wales. His mother was a violin teacher and his father was a headteacher. Welsh is his first language. He went to Ysgol Gynradd Coed-y-Gof and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf in Cardiff.

Growing up, Gethin had two main interests: music and sports. He was skilled at playing the violin and piano. He also loved playing rugby union.

While studying at Manchester Metropolitan University, he was the captain of the university's rugby team. He even played for the Lancashire under-21 team. At one point, he was offered a trial with the professional rugby club Sale RFC. However, he decided to focus on a different career path and returned to Wales.

Start of His TV Career

Before becoming famous on television, Gethin had several different jobs. He worked as a bank clerk, a telephone hotline officer, and even a builder.

His first TV jobs were on the Welsh channel S4C. He presented children's shows, including Popty and Uned 5 (Unit 5). For one challenge on Uned 5, he learned how to fly a plane and earned his pilot's licence.

Becoming a Blue Peter Presenter

On 26 April 2005, Gethin joined the team of the famous children's show Blue Peter. He was known for taking on exciting and adventurous challenges.

Some of his most memorable moments include:

• Flying with the Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force's aerobatic team.
• Flying in a Supermarine Spitfire, a plane from World War II.
• Completing submarine escape training with the Royal Navy.
• Surviving in the jungles of Bolivia.
• Learning to be a jockey and a samurai warrior.

In 2006, he completed the Royal Marine Commando 30-mile (48 km) "Yomp" challenge. He finished in eight hours and 20 minutes. He also played the violin at the Proms with the BBC Philharmonic orchestra.

Gethin left Blue Peter in June 2008 after three and a half years. He said he had an amazing time on the show and felt it was the right time to move on.

Hosting and Other TV Work

Jones presenting at a charity event in 2008.

After Blue Peter, Gethin Jones hosted many different TV shows. He has presented live events like New Year Live on BBC One and the Proms in the Park in Wales.

He has also hosted game shows like Sell Me the Answer on Sky1 and The 21st Question on ITV. In 2010, he co-hosted 71 Degrees North, a show where celebrities faced challenges in the cold weather of Norway.

Since 2020, Gethin has been a co-presenter on the BBC One morning show Morning Live with Kym Marsh. The show became very popular and now airs every weekday morning throughout the year.

Appearing on Other Shows

Gethin has also appeared on TV as a guest and contestant. He had small roles in Doctor Who, where he played a Cyberman and operated a Dalek. He also appeared as himself in an episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures.

In 2007, he was a contestant on Series 5 of Strictly Come Dancing with his dance partner Camilla Dallerup. He reached the semi-final and finished in third place. He later took part in the Strictly Come Dancing live tour and Christmas specials.

He has also participated in the charity football match Soccer Aid for the Rest of the World team. In 2020, he showed off his cooking skills as a contestant on Celebrity Masterchef.

Personal Life

From 2007 to 2011, Gethin was in a relationship with the Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins. They were engaged in early 2011 but announced their separation at the end of the year.

In 2025, Gethin shared that he had been banned from the dating app Hinge. This happened because many users mistakenly reported his profile for "catfishing" (pretending to be someone else online), not believing it was really him.

Gethin is a big sports fan. He supports Everton FC and enjoys playing tennis and golf. He used to be short-sighted but had laser eye surgery in 2009 to correct his vision.

Shows and Appearances

Here are some of the key shows Gethin Jones has been a part of: