Jamie Theakston facts for kids

Jamie Theakston (born 21 December 1970) is a well-known English TV presenter, producer, narrator, and actor. He has hosted many popular shows for major channels like the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5. From 1996 to 1999, he co-presented the fun Saturday morning children's show Live & Kicking on BBC One with Zoe Ball. He also sometimes hosted the famous music show Top of the Pops between 1998 and 2003. Today, you can hear him co-hosting the national breakfast show on Heart Radio alongside Amanda Holden.

Jamie also narrated the BBC documentary series Traffic Cops for many years, from 2003 to 2015, and then continued on Channel 5 starting in 2016. He has won several awards for his work, including a BAFTA award for Live & Kicking and many radio awards like a Sony Gold, three Silver awards, and four Bronze awards.

About Jamie Theakston

Early Life and Education

Jamie Theakston joined the National Youth Theatre when he was 13 years old. There, he acted in plays like Murder in the Cathedral and Marat/Sade with other young actors, including Daniel Craig. However, he decided not to become a full-time actor because he saw how hard it could be to make a living.

After finishing school at Lancing College, he went to North London Polytechnic (which is now London Metropolitan University). He studied business studies and graduated with a top degree. While he was at university, he started reading traffic news on BBC GLR. He really wanted to become a sports reporter.

His Career in Media

Before he became a broadcaster, Jamie worked for an auction company called Christie's. He even planned to study art history. But then, he started reporting on football and cricket for GLR and Radio 5 Live. The head of BBC Sport noticed him and hired him to present the Saturday Sport Show on GLR when he was just 23.

Radio Shows

Jamie presented many shows for Radio 5 Live, including Sportscall and The Jamie Theakston Cricket Show. In April 1999, he joined Radio 1 to host the Sunday Lunch show. He also hosted the 'One Big Sunday' events in 2000 and moved to a Saturday morning slot in 2001.

He left Radio 1 in 2002 to try acting more. In May 2005, he joined the London radio station Heart 106.2. He took over the Heart Breakfast show with Harriet Scott. This show won a Gold award at the New York Festivals and a Silver award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards in 2007. Jamie and Harriet also won the Radio Presenter of the Year award in 2009.

Harriet Scott left in 2013, and Emma Bunton from the Spice Girls took her place. Emma left in 2018. Since June 3, 2019, the Heart Breakfast show has been broadcast all over the UK. Jamie now hosts it with Amanda Holden.

TV Presenting

On television, Jamie first presented The O Zone. He is most famous for hosting Top of the Pops (1998–2003) and Live & Kicking (1996–1999). He co-presented Live & Kicking and The Priory with Zoe Ball. They also worked together on Channel 5's Britain's Best Brain in 2009.

Jamie has hosted many other shows too. These include the Channel 4 reality show The Games with Kirsty Gallacher, the game show Beg Borrow or Steal (2004), and The People's Quiz. He also presented This Morning Summer on ITV with Emma Bunton in 2013.

He has also covered big events like the Glastonbury Festival for the BBC, the Oscars, and the Grammys. Jamie narrated all episodes of Traffic Cops and Motorway Cops. Since 2015, he has also narrated episodes of Caught on Camera. He even played himself in the comedy series Rock Profile and FM.

Acting Roles

As an actor, Jamie has appeared in TV shows like Agatha Christie's Marple and Little Britain. He acted with Amanda Holden in Mad About Alice (2004) and with Adam Faith in Murder in Mind in 2003. He has also performed in plays in London's West End, including Art and Home and Beauty.

Personal Life and Interests

Jamie Theakston married Sophie Siegle on 15 September 2007, and they have two children. They live in west London.

He enjoys fencing and competed for Sussex in 1985. He was also the captain of Ditchling Cricket Club. His team was the first from England to play the Afghan cricket team in Kabul. Jamie is a member of Mensa, which is a group for people with high IQs. He also supports Brighton & Hove Albion football club.

In September 2024, Jamie shared that he had been diagnosed with stage I laryngeal cancer. However, he said the outlook was "very positive." He finished his treatment in January 2025 and has since made a full recovery.

Helping Others: Charity Work

In 2003, Jamie took a break to travel to Uganda. There, he met with former child soldiers. He is a patron for Cancervive, a charity that helps people whose family or friends are dealing with cancer.

He has played in five Soccer Aid charity football matches at Old Trafford. In 2010, he saved four penalties for England in a penalty shoot-out and was named man of the match.

On 4 October 2019, Jamie took on his "Bike Britain Challenge" for Global's charity, Make Some Noise. He cycled 650 miles from Edinburgh to London in eight days. Along the way, he visited cities like Newcastle upon Tyne, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, and Bristol. He met many children with serious illnesses and their families, helping to raise money and awareness.

Jamie's Work: A Closer Look

Theatre Performances

TV Shows and Films

Radio Programmes