Jonathan Ross facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonathan Ross OBE
Ross in 2017
Born	Jonathan Stephen Ross (1960-11-17) 17 November 1960 (age 64) London, England
Alma mater	Southampton College of Art, School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies, University College London
Occupation	Broadcaster film critic actor comedian writer producer
Years active	1987–present
Employer	BBC (1997–2010, 2014–2018) Channel 4 (1987–2007, 2009–2014, 2018–present) ITV (1991–2006, 2009, 2011–present)
Notable work	Friday Night with Jonathan Ross Film The Jonathan Ross Show The Masked Singer The Masked Dancer
Spouse(s)	Jane Goldman ​ (m. 1988)​
Children	3
Parent(s)	Martha Ross (mother)
Relatives	Paul Ross (brother)

Jonathan Stephen Ross (born 17 November 1960) is a well-known English TV and radio presenter, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He hosted the popular chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross on BBC One for many years. He also had his own radio show on BBC Radio 2 and was the film critic for the Film programme.

After leaving the BBC in 2010, Jonathan Ross started hosting his own comedy chat show, The Jonathan Ross Show, on ITV. He has also been a judge on the musical competition show The Masked Singer since 2020 and its spin-off, The Masked Dancer, from 2021 to 2022.

Ross began his TV career as a researcher. He first appeared as a presenter on The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross on Channel 4 in 1987. He has won several awards for his work, including three British Academy Television Awards for Best Entertainment Performance. In 2005, he was given an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award for his contributions to broadcasting.

Early Life and Education

Jonathan Stephen Ross was born on 17 November 1960 in St Pancras, north London. He grew up in Leytonstone, east London. His mother, Martha Ross, was an actress. Jonathan has four brothers and one sister, including his older brother, journalist Paul Ross.

When Jonathan was young, his mother encouraged all her children to try out for TV advertisements. He first appeared in a TV ad for Kellogg's Rice Krispies in 1970, when he was 10. He also appeared in an ad for Persil laundry detergent.

Ross attended Norlington School for Boys and Leyton County High School for Boys. He later studied at the Southampton College of Art. He also earned a degree in Modern European History from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) in London, which is now part of University College London.

Jonathan Ross started his adult career as a researcher for the Channel 4 show Loose Talk. He then worked on other shows before becoming a researcher for Soul Train, which later became Solid Soul. His first appearance on TV as an extra was in a 1981 episode of It Ain't Half Hot, Mum.

Career Highlights

Starting with Channel X (1987–1995)

While working on Solid Soul, Jonathan Ross met Alan Marke. Together, they created The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross, which became a big success in 1987. They based their show on the American program Late Night with David Letterman. They even started their own company, Channel X, to produce the pilot episode.

Jonathan Ross had not planned to host the show himself, but he ended up presenting it from its start in January 1987. The show was very popular and made him a major TV personality. A year later, his documentary series The Incredibly Strange Film Show introduced many people to unique filmmakers like Sam Raimi and Jackie Chan.

In the early 1990s, Ross presented Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only. This TV documentary series featured interviews with famous directors such as Alejandro Jodorowsky and David Lynch.

He also co-presented the BBC charity event Comic Relief in 1989. That same year, he launched One Hour with Jonathan Ross, a short-lived chat show. In December 1989, Ross appeared on Cilla's Goodbye to the 80s and presented Queen with an award. From 1991 to 2014, he hosted the annual British Comedy Awards, except for 2008.

Ross was a regular on the sports quiz They Think It's All Over. He also hosted the game show It's Only TV...But I Like It. Other shows he worked on included Gagtag, Saturday Zoo, and Fantastic Facts. In 1995, he left Channel X to focus more on his family.

BBC Years (1995–2010)

In 1995, Jonathan Ross presented Mondo Rosso, a show about old cult films. In 1999, he took over as presenter of the Film programme, the BBC's long-running movie review series. Ross has also made small appearances in films, playing himself in the Spice Girls' movie Spice World (1997). He also voiced the character of Doris in the UK version of Shrek 2 (2004).

In 2001, he played himself in an episode of Only Fools and Horses. He was also the subject of This Is Your Life in March 2001.

Radio Work at BBC

Jonathan Ross first worked in radio for BBC Radio 1 in 1987. He began presenting a Saturday morning show on BBC Radio 2 in July 1999. He also worked for Virgin Radio and The Superstation. His show on Radio 2 ended on 17 July 2010 when his contract with the BBC finished.

He returned to Radio 2 as a stand-in presenter in August 2014 and March 2015. In February 2016, Ross started presenting a weekly arts show on Radio 2 regularly. Anneka Rice took over the arts show in January 2018.

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross with Ricky Gervais at Live 8 in July 2005

In 2001, Jonathan Ross started hosting his popular BBC One comedy chat show, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross.

In 2004, he presented a documentary about punk rock for the BBC. In November 2005, he appeared on Gordon Ramsay's The F Word.

In 2005, Ross hosted the BBC TV coverage of the Live 8 concerts. Some performances at these concerts had strong language, which led to apologies from Ross. Later that year, he was awarded an OBE for his services to broadcasting. He celebrated by playing "God Save the Queen" by The Sex Pistols on his Radio 2 show. In June 2006, he was made a Fellow of University College London, where he had studied.

In early 2006, Ross left They Think It's All Over to focus on his other work. He also presented Jonathan Ross' Asian Invasion on BBC Four, exploring the film industry in Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea. His love for East Asian culture, Japanese anime, and video games led him to create three series of the BBC Three show Japanorama.

In June 2006, Jonathan Ross signed a new contract with the BBC, making him one of the highest-paid TV personalities in Britain. He was also named the most powerful person in British radio by Radio Times.

On 25 June 2006, he performed at the Children's Party at the Palace for the Queen's 80th birthday. On 16 March 2007, Ross co-hosted Comic Relief 2007.

Ross is a big fan of comic books. In September 2007, he presented the BBC Four series Comics Britannia, which was about the history of the British comic. In May 2008, he won the Sony Gold Award for "Music Radio Personality of the Year."

In 2010, Ross took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a show to raise money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. On 7 April 2010, his first comic book, Turf, was published.

Leaving the BBC

On 7 January 2010, Jonathan Ross announced he would leave the BBC in July 2010. This meant he would leave his chat show, radio show, and film review program. He said his decision was not about money. His final Friday Night chat show aired on 16 July 2010, with guests like David Beckham and Jackie Chan. His last Radio 2 show was the next day.

ITV and Channel 4 (2010–Present)

On 19 December 2010, Ross presented 100 Greatest Toys on Channel 4. In 2011, he hosted Penn & Teller: Fool Us on ITV, a show with magicians Penn & Teller.

His new chat show, The Jonathan Ross Show, started on ITV1 on 3 September 2011. It quickly became popular. In October 2014, ITV announced that Ross had signed a new contract to continue his chat show.

Jonathan Ross's Paddington Bear statue, designed for charity

In November 2014, Ross designed a Paddington Bear statue. This was one of fifty statues created by celebrities placed around London to promote the film Paddington. The statues were later auctioned to raise money for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).

In 2015, Ross's 2004 interview with Amy Winehouse was featured in the documentary film Amy. In 2017, he was a team captain on the ITV show Don't Ask Me Ask Britain. On 9 September 2019, Ross was announced as a judge for The Masked Singer UK, which started airing in January 2020.

In September 2020, Ross began hosting Jonathan Ross' Comedy Club on ITV. In March 2021, it was announced he would be a judge on The Masked Dancer. He also appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox in July 2021 with his son and daughter. In March 2023, Ross became the presenter of Saturday Night at the Movies on Classic FM.

Personal Life

Jonathan Ross married author and journalist Jane Goldman in August 1988 in Las Vegas. They have three children: Betty Kitten, Harvey Kirby, and Honey Kinny. Harvey Kirby is named after Jack Kirby, a famous comic book creator.

In 2005, Ross was made an OBE for his work in broadcasting. He lives in Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, and also has homes in Swanage, Dorset, and Florida, United States.

Ross has a speech difference called rhotacism, which means he sometimes pronounces 'r' sounds differently. He is sometimes called "Wossy" because of this, even on his Twitter/X account (@wossy).

He is a big fan of pop and rock music, especially British punk rock. His first concert was the punk band X-Ray Spex. He is also a huge fan of David Bowie and Roxy Music.

Jonathan Ross loves science fiction, including Doctor Who. He also greatly admires the animation studio Studio Ghibli, especially the films of director Hayao Miyazaki. He considers Spirited Away a masterpiece. He even interviewed Miyazaki for his show Japanorama.

Ross is a keen comic book collector and used to co-own a comic shop in London. He released his first comic book, Turf, in 2010.

His mother, Martha Ross, passed away on 14 January 2019, at the age of 79.

In 2023, Jonathan Ross helped preserve the arcade version of Um Jammer Lammy, a video game that was thought to be lost. He allowed video game experts to access his arcade cabinet, which was one of the last known examples of the game.

Filmography

Television Appearances

As Himself

As Actor

Film Appearances

Voice Roles in Video Games and Animation

Honours and Awards

• 2005: Jonathan Ross was made an OBE by Prince Charles in the Queen's Birthday Honours. This was for his great work in broadcasting.
• 2006: He was made a Fellow of University College, London (UCL).
• 2012: He received a Special Recognition award at the National Television Awards.

See also

In Spanish: Jonathan Ross para niños