Jo Whiley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jo Whiley
|
|
|---|---|
|
Whiley hosting a performance at BBC's Broadcasting House in 2021
|
|
| Born |
Johanne Whiley
4 July 1965 Northampton, Northamptonshire, England
|
| Spouse(s) |
Steve Morton
(m. 1991) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | Martin Whiley (father), Christine Whiley (mother) |
| Career | |
| Station(s) | BBC Radio 2 |
| Time slot | 19:00–21:00 Monday to Thursday |
| Style | DJ |
| Country | United Kingdom |
_(51742373910).jpg)
Johanne Whiley-Morton, born on July 4, 1965, is better known as Jo Whiley. She is a famous English radio DJ and TV presenter. She used to host a popular show on BBC Radio 1. Now, she presents an evening show on BBC Radio 2. Jo is also well-known for covering the huge Glastonbury Festival for the BBC.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jo Whiley was born in Northampton, England. Her father, Martin, was an electrician, and her mother, Christine, was a postmistress. Jo went to Campion School near Northampton. Later, she studied languages at Brighton Polytechnic. She was also a talented swimmer and competed for Northamptonshire.
Jo Whiley's Career Journey
Starting in Radio and TV
While finishing her degree, Jo Whiley found a job at BBC Southern Counties Radio. She worked on a show called Turn It Up. This show let people get on the radio and share their music. Jo interviewed musicians for the program.
After a year, she studied radio journalism in London. She then became a researcher for WPFM, a BBC Radio 4 show about youth culture. When the presenters left, Jo got her first chance to host.
She then moved into television. First, she worked at British Satellite Broadcasting. There, she produced and presented an indie music show. Next, she joined Channel 4 as a researcher for The Word.
Joining BBC Radio 1
In September 1993, Jo Whiley joined BBC Radio 1. This was during the exciting time of Britpop music. Bands like Blur and Oasis were very popular then. She hosted The Evening Session with Steve Lamacq. This show focused on music that was not as mainstream.
From 1995 to 1998, Jo was a regular guest presenter on Top of the Pops. She often presented with Steve Lamacq, Zoe Ball, and Jayne Middlemiss. These three women were known as the '90s girls' of the show. On November 24, 2002, Jo became the first female presenter of the Radio 1 Chart Show. In 2009, she released her autobiography, My World in Motion, as an audiobook.
The Jo Whiley Show on Radio 1
In February 1997, Jo Whiley started her own weekday lunchtime show. It was first called The Jo Whiley Show. Later, it became The Lunchtime Social. The show included live music performances from artists.
In 2001, her show moved to a mid-morning slot. In 2008, her show faced a problem with a competition. A BBC staff member pretended to be a listener. The BBC stated Jo was not aware of this at the time.
Jo Whiley's weekday show on Radio 1 ended in September 2009. This was part of big changes to the station's schedule. Her last weekday show was on September 18, 2009. After that, The Jo Whiley Show moved to weekends. It featured live performances and new segments. Her final show on BBC Radio 1 was on March 27, 2011.
Moving to BBC Radio 2
Since August 2009, Jo Whiley has sometimes filled in as a presenter on BBC Radio 2. She started hosting In Concert on Thursday evenings in April 2010.
On February 1, 2011, it was announced that Jo would leave BBC Radio 1. She would join BBC Radio 2 to host an evening show. This new show started on April 4, 2011. Since 2011, she has also co-hosted Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park.
In March 2012, Jo Whiley and Steve Lamacq presented a special week of Evening Sessions. This celebrated 20 years of Britpop music. In January 2018, Jo joined Simon Mayo to co-host a drivetime show. This was the first time a woman had co-presented a Radio 2 daytime show in 20 years. However, later that year, Jo moved back to an evening slot.
Television Work
Jo Whiley often presents TV coverage of major music festivals. A big one is the Glastonbury Festival. She also narrated the BBC Three series Little Angels. In October 2007, she was a judge on the T4 show Orange unsignedAct. This show looked for new bands hoping to get a record deal.
From 1998 to 2001, Jo hosted her own music discussion show. It was called The Jo Whiley Show on Channel 4. In March 2010, she presented a Panorama documentary. It looked at a new law about illegally downloading music.
In 2014, Jo was a contestant on a special Swashbuckle episode for Children in Need. She played with her daughter Coco. In 2021, she co-presented the BBC's coverage of the Hampton Court Garden Festival. In 2022, The Killers singer, Brandon Flowers, dedicated a song to her. He said she had always supported their band.
Personal Life and Family
Jo Whiley married music executive Steve Morton in July 1991. They live in Towcester, Northamptonshire. They have four children together. In 2014, she received a BASCA Gold Badge award for her work. Jo is a pescetarian, meaning she eats fish but not other meat.
In February 2021, Jo's sister, Frances, became ill with coronavirus. Frances has learning difficulties and Cri du chat genetic syndrome. Jo publicly asked for people with learning disabilities to get the COVID-19 vaccine sooner. The government later announced that everyone with a registered learning disability would be a priority for the vaccine.
Charity Work
Jo Whiley supports several charities. Since 2021, she has been a patron for Sibs. This charity helps brothers and sisters of disabled children and adults. She is also an ambassador for Mencap. This UK charity supports people with learning disabilities. Jo hosts the Little Noise Sessions concert to raise money for Mencap. She also supports Tommy's – The Baby Charity. Jo is also a patron for the cri du chat syndrome support group.
In March 2014, Jo took on a big challenge for Sport Relief. She walked, jogged, and ran on a treadmill for 26 hours straight. She only took five-minute breaks each hour. She did this to raise money for the Sport Relief appeal. During the challenge, she even hosted two radio shows! The band Coldplay was very impressed. They donated £260,000 to Sport Relief.
