Justin Lee Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Justin Lee Collins |
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Collins signing autobiography Goodtimes
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| Born | 1974 Bristol, England |
| Medium | Radio, television, stand-up, music |
| Years active | 1997–2016 |
| Genres | Observational comedy, surreal humour, slapstick |
| Subject(s) | Celebrities, pop culture |
| Spouse |
Karen Lee Collins
(m. 2003; separated 2010) |
| Children | 4 |
| Notable works and roles | FAQ U The Convention Crasher The Friday Night Project Bring Back... The Justin Lee Collins Show Heads or Tails Good Times Turning Japanese |
Justin Lee Collins (born in 1974) is a British actor and presenter. He worked in radio and television. Justin is from Bristol, England.
He started his career as a comedian in the 1990s. He was a teenager then.
Justin presented many TV shows in the UK. From 2003 to 2005, he had his own radio show on XFM. He co-hosted The Sunday Night Project with Alan Carr for Channel 4. He also hosted special shows called 'Bring Back...'. These shows reunited actors and crew from famous films and TV series. Examples include Star Wars and The A-Team.
He took on exciting challenges for TV. He learned to be a Mexican wrestler and a surfer. He also tried ballroom dancing and high diving. Later, he starred in the West End musical Rock of Ages.
In 2012, Justin faced some personal challenges. This led to a break from his television work.
He returned to acting in 2014. He appeared in the film The Hatching. In 2015, he had a small part in Time Slips. He hosted a radio show on Fubar Radio until 2016. After that, he presented a football show called FanTV UK.
Contents
Growing Up in Bristol
Justin Lee Collins was born in 1974. His parents, Anita and Danny Collins, lived in Bristol, England. His father worked as an electrician. Justin was an only child.
In 1990, at age 15, he left Speedwell Secondary School. He then attended Filton College. Before his entertainment career, he worked at Marks & Spencer. He was a warehouseman there.
Exploring His Talents
Justin Lee Collins has had a varied career. He worked in comedy, radio, television, and theatre.
Comedy and Stage Work
Justin started as a stand-up comedian. He also worked selling double-glazing windows. In 1997, he won an award at the Glastonbury Festival. He was named Best New Comedy Act. That same year, he reached the finals of the BBC New Comedy Awards. This happened at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
He stopped doing stand-up comedy in 2002. He wanted to focus on TV and radio. Justin won "Funniest Man" at the Loaded Lafta Awards in 2007 and 2010.
In 2008, he acted in the musical Chicago. He played the character Amos Hart. He rehearsed for this role at the Cambridge Theatre. From 2011 to 2012, Justin starred in Rock of Ages. He played Dennis Dupree in this West End show. In 2013, he returned to stand-up comedy for one special night.
Radio Shows
Justin began hosting a radio show on XFM in 2003. He started with late-night Sunday slots. Later, he moved to Saturday afternoons. He left XFM in December 2005. He returned for a short time in April 2011.
In September 2011, he filled in for Dermot O'Leary on BBC Radio 2. He also did a Tom Jones impression. This was on BBC Radio 1's Chris Moyles show in 2008.
In 2014, Justin returned to radio. He had his own weekly show on Fubar Radio. This station also featured Andy Parsons and Mark Dolan. His show was also available as a podcast.
Television and Film Appearances
In 2002, Justin made shows for Bravo and MTV. He also hosted the companion show for Strictly Come Dancing. He was replaced by Claudia Winkleman the next year.
In 2005 and 2006, he presented The Games: Live at Trackside. He co-hosted with Caroline Flack on E4. This show went along with Channel 4's sports reality program The Games. He also presented Flipside TV for Channel 4 and Paramount.
Justin hosted The Convention-Crasher for Channel 4. This series aired in 2007 and 2008. In it, he learned new skills. These included clowning and ventriloquism. He used these skills to try and win prizes.
On May 7, 2007, he was a guest presenter. This was on The New Paul O'Grady Show on Channel 4. He also appeared on Top Gear with Alan Carr in 2008. They took part in the "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car" challenge.
In June 2008, Sky One aired Justin Lee Collins: 180. This show followed his journey to become a professional darts player. He practiced with Keith Deller. He even played in the BDO International Open.
He signed a deal with ITV for a show. It was called The Justin Lee Collins Show on ITV2. It ran from March to May 2009. That year, he also hosted Oops TV on Sky One. This show featured funny home videos.
In August 2009, he starred in JLC Is. This was a six-part series on Sky One. Justin took on challenges like becoming a Mexican wrestler. He also tried surfing, ballroom dancing, and high diving. He even aimed to be a West End star.
Later, he hosted Heads Or Tails on Five. This game show offered a chance to win £1 million. He also had a chat show called Good Times.
In Justin Lee Collins: The Wrestler, Justin trained in Mexico. He learned from a Mexican Luchador, or wrestler. Justin created his own "bad guy" wrestling character. He called himself El Glorioso, or the Glorious Lee One. He even had his own wrestling mask.
In 2014, Justin acted in the British film The Hatching. He played the character Stan. He starred alongside Andrew Potts and Thomas Turgoose. The next year, he had a small role in Time Slips.
In August 2016, Justin returned to TV. He became a regular presenter on FanTV. This show was about football. It ran for a few months.
Music Ventures
In 2010, Justin tried to represent Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest. His song was written by Boyzone star Ronan Keating. However, his song was not chosen for the final.
In 2007, Justin signed a music deal. He planned to release three albums with Universal. Due to other commitments, the first album was never released. The deal was later canceled.
Writing a Book
In September 2009, Justin's autobiography was published. It was titled Good Times! by Ebury Press. An audiobook version was also released.
Personal Life
Family Life
In 2003, Justin married Karen Lee. They welcomed their first son in May 2005. In January 2008, their second son was born. Justin and Karen separated in late 2010.
Legal Matters
In 2017, Justin successfully sued a British newspaper. He won £50,000 in a libel lawsuit.
