Christine Bleakley
Encyclopedia
Christine Louise Bleakley (born 2 February 1979) is a television presenter from Northern Ireland
. She joined Daybreak
on ITV
as co-presenter with Adrian Chiles
in September 2010. She is a former co-presenter of BBC One
's The One Show
, and a former contestant on Strictly Come Dancing
.
On 18 November 2011, is was announced that Bleakley is to co-host Dancing On Ice
alongside Phillip Schofield
after Holly Willoughby
left because of other commitments. She is to depart her role as Daybreak host due to a major revamp of the ailing breakfast show.
in Newry
, County Down
, Northern Ireland
, to mother Mina and father Frederick, a musician, and grew up in Newtownards
, County Down, Northern Ireland. She has a younger sister, Nicola.
Bleakley started her television career as a runner and then trained to become a floor manager whilst studying for her A-Level
s at Bloomfield Collegiate School
in Ballyhackamore, Belfast
. She continued to work at BBC NI
whilst studying for a politics degree at Queen's University, Belfast. She did not complete her degree course, however, instead moving into television work full time.
as a news reader and presenter, working alongside Stephen Nolan
.
. She also took part in cookery show, "Spill the Beans".
Outside Northern Ireland, she co-hosted the BBC Two
talent show Let Me Entertain You
and in July 2007 she became the co-host of The One Show
on BBC One
.
as the co-host of Daybreak
following Adrian Chiles
' departure from the BBC to ITV. When Chiles left the BBC, there was a great deal of speculation on whether Bleakley would extend her BBC contract or move to ITV. Questions were raised in Parliament over the size and scale of the proposed £
900,000 per year two year BBC contract. Shortly after she fired her long term manager and signed with Chiles' management company, on 20 June 2010, the BBC announced that it had withdrawn an offer to extend her current contract. Later that day ITV
(owners of GMTV) announced she would again partner Chiles by co-hosting the revamped breakfast show with him, and also hosting prime time entertainment shows. On 8 July 2010, the BBC confirmed that Bleakley was not returning to The One Show after the programme returned from the World Cup break, from 12 July. In September 2010 Bleakley stated she would like to return to The One Show as a guest.
On 6 September 2010, Bleakley joined Chiles to host the new ITV breakfast show, Daybreak. The programme suffered mixed reviews and poor viewing figures in its first weeks on air, and Bleakley herself was the subject of criticism.. On 18 November 2011 it was announced that Bleakley and copresenter Chiles would be replaced.
In addition to presenting Daybreak, Bleakley hosts quiz show Control and a number of entertainment specials, including Simply Red: For the Last Time and Duran Duran: One Night Only
. She will also host the Christmas charity show Text Santa
alongside Phillip Schofield
on ITV1
.
with professional partner Matthew Cutler
.
(26/40), the Samba (30/40), the Paso Doble (22/40), the American Smooth (29/40), the Jive
(31/40), the Waltz
(34/40), the Cha Cha Cha
(27/40), the Tango
(28/40) and the Salsa
(30/40). Bleakley left on 30 November after Rachel Stevens
beat her in the dance off.
in 2009, to see how Comic Relief
money was being spent, in March 2010 Bleakley successfully water-skied across the English Channel
in a time of one hour and 40 minutes for Sport Relief
.
debut when she took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala
, a benefit show
in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
, filmed live at the O2 Arena
in London.
. She also appeared as a panellist on the comedy show Would I Lie To You?
on 7 September 2009. On 26 February 2010 she appeared on Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
, coming second.
On 3 March 2011 she was a panelist for Celebrity Juice
on ITV2
.
to ITV
.
children's film festival and is Northern Ireland ambassador for The Prince's Trust
.
After attending the Pride of Britain Awards
in October 2009, she began a relationship with footballer Frank Lampard
; their engagement was announced on 15 June 2011.
Bleakley has stated that she and Lampard will not marry in Summer 2012, due to his work commitments.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. She joined Daybreak
Daybreak (ITV)
Daybreak is the weekday breakfast television programme on the British commercial ITV network that broadcasts on weekday mornings from 06:00 to 08:30 and is currently presented by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley from Monday to Thursday with Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway on Fridays...
on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
as co-presenter with Adrian Chiles
Adrian Chiles
Adrian Chiles is a British television and radio presenter, currently working for ITV Sport presenting football coverage....
in September 2010. She is a former co-presenter of BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
's The One Show
The One Show
The One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
, and a former contestant on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing (Series 6)
The sixth series of Strictly Come Dancing began on BBC One on 20 September 2008, with Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly returning as presenters, and Craig Revel Horwood, Arlene Phillips, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli returning as judges....
.
On 18 November 2011, is was announced that Bleakley is to co-host Dancing On Ice
Dancing on Ice
Dancing on Ice is a British television show co-hosted by Christine Bleakley and Philip Schofield, in which celebrities and their professional partners figure skate in front of a panel of judges. The format, devised by LWT and Granada Television, has been a prime-time hit in eight different...
alongside Phillip Schofield
Phillip Schofield
Phillip Bryan Schofield is an English broadcaster and television personality best known for presenting shows such as This Morning, Dancing on Ice, and various game shows including The Cube.-Early life and career:...
after Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby
Holly Marie Willoughby is an English television presenter and model, known for her work in presenting children's TV and entertainment shows. In her early career she modelled underwear and went on to present CD:UK...
left because of other commitments. She is to depart her role as Daybreak host due to a major revamp of the ailing breakfast show.
Early life
Christine Bleakley was born on 2 February 1979 in Daisy Hill HospitalDaisy Hill Hospital
Daisy Hill Hospital is a local general hospital located in Newry, Northern Ireland.The hospital currently houses a neo-natal unit, A&E department, outpatients department and a minor surgery suite...
in Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, to mother Mina and father Frederick, a musician, and grew up in Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...
, County Down, Northern Ireland. She has a younger sister, Nicola.
Bleakley started her television career as a runner and then trained to become a floor manager whilst studying for her A-Level
GCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
s at Bloomfield Collegiate School
Bloomfield Collegiate School
Bloomfield Collegiate School is a private girl's preparatory and state grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, for pupils in years 8-14. The current enrollment is over seven hundred in the grammar school, and sixty in the prep school..- History :...
in Ballyhackamore, Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. She continued to work at BBC NI
BBC Northern Ireland
BBC Northern Ireland is the main public service broadcaster in Northern Ireland.The organisation is one of the three national regions of the BBC, together with BBC Scotland and BBC Wales. Based at Broadcasting House, Belfast, it provides television, radio, online and interactive television content...
whilst studying for a politics degree at Queen's University, Belfast. She did not complete her degree course, however, instead moving into television work full time.
Radio
Bleakley began her career in media at Belfast CitybeatBelfast CityBeat
Belfast CityBeat is a two-time Arqiva 'Station Of The Year' and multi-Sony Award winning Northern Irish radio station. It broadcasts to Greater Belfast on 96.7 MHz FM and on DAB Digital Radio across all of Northern Ireland. From 5 April 2007, Citybeat became available on 102.5FM for North Belfast,...
as a news reader and presenter, working alongside Stephen Nolan
Stephen Nolan
Stephen Nolan, born Belfast in 1973, is a radio and television presenter for BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Radio Five Live. He was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution, and Queen's University Belfast where he studied French and Business Studies....
.
BBC
Bleakley then moved into television with BBC Northern Ireland hosting a wide variety of shows. One of her programmmes was called Sky High which saw her flying around Northern Ireland in a helicopter in 2004. A weekly entertainment show called First Stop followed, and she also hosted Would You Pass The 11+ and BBC NI coverage of Children in NeedChildren in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
. She also took part in cookery show, "Spill the Beans".
Outside Northern Ireland, she co-hosted the BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
talent show Let Me Entertain You
Let Me Entertain You (TV series)
Let Me Entertain You was a daytime variety show that aired on BBC Two from 21 August 2006 and ended on 22 June 2007. The show is presented by British funnyman, Brian Conley, with co-presenter Christine Bleakley.-Format:...
and in July 2007 she became the co-host of The One Show
The One Show
The One Show is a topical magazine-style daily television programme broadcast live on BBC One and BBC One HD, hosted by Alex Jones and Matt Baker. Chris Evans joins Jones to present the programme on Friday...
on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
.
ITV
In 2010, Bleakley left The One Show to join ITV1ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
as the co-host of Daybreak
Daybreak (ITV)
Daybreak is the weekday breakfast television programme on the British commercial ITV network that broadcasts on weekday mornings from 06:00 to 08:30 and is currently presented by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley from Monday to Thursday with Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway on Fridays...
following Adrian Chiles
Adrian Chiles
Adrian Chiles is a British television and radio presenter, currently working for ITV Sport presenting football coverage....
' departure from the BBC to ITV. When Chiles left the BBC, there was a great deal of speculation on whether Bleakley would extend her BBC contract or move to ITV. Questions were raised in Parliament over the size and scale of the proposed £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
900,000 per year two year BBC contract. Shortly after she fired her long term manager and signed with Chiles' management company, on 20 June 2010, the BBC announced that it had withdrawn an offer to extend her current contract. Later that day ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
(owners of GMTV) announced she would again partner Chiles by co-hosting the revamped breakfast show with him, and also hosting prime time entertainment shows. On 8 July 2010, the BBC confirmed that Bleakley was not returning to The One Show after the programme returned from the World Cup break, from 12 July. In September 2010 Bleakley stated she would like to return to The One Show as a guest.
On 6 September 2010, Bleakley joined Chiles to host the new ITV breakfast show, Daybreak. The programme suffered mixed reviews and poor viewing figures in its first weeks on air, and Bleakley herself was the subject of criticism.. On 18 November 2011 it was announced that Bleakley and copresenter Chiles would be replaced.
In addition to presenting Daybreak, Bleakley hosts quiz show Control and a number of entertainment specials, including Simply Red: For the Last Time and Duran Duran: One Night Only
One Night Only
One Night Only may refer to:In music:* One Night Only * One Night Only * One Night Only: Live, an album by Black 'N Blue* Elton John One Night Only – The Greatest Hits, a live album...
. She will also host the Christmas charity show Text Santa
Text Santa
Text Santa is a charity initiative set up in 2011 to support 9 UK charities at Christmas.The appeal to the public will be to donate money mainly via text donation and profits from merchandise....
alongside Phillip Schofield
Phillip Schofield
Phillip Bryan Schofield is an English broadcaster and television personality best known for presenting shows such as This Morning, Dancing on Ice, and various game shows including The Cube.-Early life and career:...
on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
.
Strictly Come Dancing
Bleakley took part in the 2008 series of Strictly Come DancingStrictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
with professional partner Matthew Cutler
Matthew Cutler
Matthew David Cutler is an English dancer and former World Amateur Latin-American champion. He was a professional dancer on the BBC dancing show, Strictly Come Dancing.-Early life:...
.
Dances and marks
Bleakley danced the Foxtrot (27 marks/out of 40), the QuickstepQuickstep
The quickstep is a light-hearted member of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events...
(26/40), the Samba (30/40), the Paso Doble (22/40), the American Smooth (29/40), the Jive
Jive (dance)
In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance...
(31/40), the Waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
(34/40), the Cha Cha Cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
(27/40), the Tango
Tango (ballroom)
Ballroom Tango is a ballroom dance that branched away from its original Argentine roots by allowing European, American, Hollywood, and competitive influences into the style and execution of the dance....
(28/40) and the Salsa
Salsa (dance)
Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
(30/40). Bleakley left on 30 November after Rachel Stevens
Rachel Stevens
Rachel Lauren Stevens is an English singer-songwriter, actress, presenter, dancer, television personality and model. She is a former member of the successful pop group S Club, and launched a solo recording career in 2003, releasing seven singles and two albums in the UK between 2003 and 2005...
beat her in the dance off.
Sport Relief
Following a trip to UgandaUganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
in 2009, to see how Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
money was being spent, in March 2010 Bleakley successfully water-skied across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in a time of one hour and 40 minutes for Sport Relief
Sport Relief
Sport Relief is a biennial charity event from Comic Relief, in association with BBC Sport, which brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world's poorest countries...
.
Comedy
On 20 March 2010, Bleakley made her stand-up comedyStand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
debut when she took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala
Channel 4's Comedy Gala is a British stand-up comedy benefit show organised Channel 4 in aid of the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. The gig is filmed live at the O2 Arena in London, and then broadcast later by Channel 4...
, a benefit show
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
, filmed live at the O2 Arena
The O2 arena (London)
The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich peninsula in London, England.With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second largest...
in London.
Game shows
Bleakley appeared as a celebrity panellist on the 26 August 2009 edition of Shooting StarsShooting Stars
Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its axing in 2011...
. She also appeared as a panellist on the comedy show Would I Lie To You?
Would I Lie To You? (TV series)
Would I Lie to You? is a comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for BBC One. It was first broadcast on 16 June 2007.-Format:The show was presented by Angus Deayton in 2007 and 2008, and by Rob Brydon from 2009 onwards...
on 7 September 2009. On 26 February 2010 she appeared on Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night
Chris Moyles' Quiz Night is a British television comedy game show, presented by Chris Moyles. It was first broadcast on 22 March 2009 and is in its fifth series....
, coming second.
On 3 March 2011 she was a panelist for Celebrity Juice
Celebrity Juice
Celebrity Juice is a British television comedy panel game show on ITV2 that has been airing since 24 September, 2008. The show is presented by Keith Lemon, with regular captains Holly Willoughby and Fearne Cotton, alongside regular panellist Rufus Hound...
on ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
.
Awards
In November 2010, Bleakley was awarded the title 'Top TV Host' at the 2010 Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards. The award came after an intensely negative media campaign following her switch from the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
to ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
Charity interests
Bleakley is a patron of the CineMagicCineMagic (film festival)
Cinemagic is an international children's film festival in Belfast, UK, and in Dublin, Ireland, founded in 1988 that bills itself as the World Screen Festival for young people. The organisation is a company Limited By Guarantee and a registered charity....
children's film festival and is Northern Ireland ambassador for The Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust
The Prince's Trust is a charity in the United Kingdom founded in 1976 by Charles, Prince of Wales to help young people. They run a range of training programmes, provide mentoring support and offer financial grants to build the confidence and motivation of disadvantaged young people...
.
Personal life
Bleakley was engaged to Dublin restaurant owner Christian Stokes in 2004. She was then in a relationship with entrepreneur Mark Beirne from August 2007 until they split in January 2009.After attending the Pride of Britain Awards
Pride of Britain Awards
The Pride of Britain Awards is an annual event in the United Kingdom, honouring ordinary people who have acted bravely or extraordinarily in challenging situations....
in October 2009, she began a relationship with footballer Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
; their engagement was announced on 15 June 2011.
Bleakley has stated that she and Lampard will not marry in Summer 2012, due to his work commitments.
External links
- Christine's Uganda gallery The One Show, BBC
- Team Bleakley gallery The One Show, BBC – Photos of Christine on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing
- Christine's trip to Uganda The One Show, BBC – Comic Relief footage