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Terry Christian
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Terry Christian (8 May 1960) is an English presenter of radio and television, whose credits include Channel 4's controversial culture show The Word and ITV1 youth talk show It's My Life, as well as a variety of different local and national radio programmes, and a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother.
Christian is one of six children, three sisters, Janet, Mary and Sheila, two brothers Tony and Kevin. Born to Dublin-born parents Daniel Christian (b.
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Terry Christian (8 May 1960) is an English presenter of radio and television, whose credits include Channel 4's controversial culture show The Word and ITV1 youth talk show It's My Life, as well as a variety of different local and national radio programmes, and a contestant on Celebrity Big Brother.
Christian is one of six children, three sisters, Janet, Mary and Sheila, two brothers Tony and Kevin. Born to Dublin-born parents Daniel Christian (b. 31 January 1925 - d. Manchester, England, 20 December 1996) and Margaret Josephine Christian, née Cullen, (6 September 1926 - 1 April 2008). Terry Christian was born and grew up in Brooks's Bar in Old Trafford, and was taught at St. Alphonsus primary school, and, after passing his eleven plus in 1971, at St Bede's College, Manchester in Alexandra Park. His father was a shop steward in the TGWU for twenty-five years. Christian was spotted in 1981 by Granada producer Geoff Moore, who booked him for Devil's Advocate, a programme made by Granada Television about youngsters on the dole, presented by former World In Action editor Gus Macdonald. Amongst the other kids on the dole alongside Terry on Devil's Advocate was Johnny Marr of The Smiths. As a result of his appearances on the programme, Christian was offered his own radio show on BBC Radio Derby called Barbed Wireless.
Radio
Christian gained plaudits and honours for his radio work for BBC local radio stations in the 1980s, with his Barbed Wireless programme winning Sony Awards in the specialist music category in 1985 and again in 1986. He also presented WPFM on Radio 4 for two years, and contributed regularly to Saturday Live on BBC Radio 1.
He managed a twelve-piece Reggae band, from the Nottingham / Derby area, Junior C Reaction, who received airplay on John Peel and Janice Long's show on BBC Radio 1 for their first independent release on Centurion Records, a double A Side, "CryJahoviah", and "Love & Emotion". They were signed to Cooltempo, a Chrysalis subsidiary, and enjoyed a modicum of success with their first release, a version of the Delroy Wilson classic, "'Better Must Come", which was C-listed on Radio One and Capital Radio at the time as well as playing a live session on Radio One's Saturday live. Terry also promoted regular gigs around the Derby and Nottingham area, promoting concerts by Pop Will Eat Itself, The Jazz Defektors, Nico (of Velvet Underground fame) Misty In Roots, The Naturalites, The Fall, and regular house nights at Derby's Twentieth Century club, where the resident Saturday night DJ was Graeme Park, who left to join Mike Pickering at the legendary Hacienda Nude night.
In late 1988, he joined Piccadilly Radio's Key 103 FM, presenting from 6-9pm on weekday evenings, and 2pm-5pm on Sunday afternoon. Christian immediately started filling Manchester's airwaves with the city's "new breed" (The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, and 808 State), as well as a mixture of classics by everyone from The Beatles, Love, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, classic soul and funk, plus Manchester favourites like The Buzzcocks, The Smiths, The Fall, New Order, and Joy Division. Terry also wrote The Word page in the Manchester Evening News from September 1989, a page dedicated to the Manchester music scene, and gave the first press to a host of Manchester luminaries including The Charlatans, Oasis, and Doves (then called Sub Sub).
Christian states he has presented on every radio station in the Manchester area. He has also presented on Salford City Radio. Still on the cutting edge music-wise, he's been responsible for first airplays for Cherry Ghost from Bolton, who, after one play on Terry's show three years ago, were immediately signed up by Doves manager Dave Rofe, and then landed a recording contract with Heavenly records; Liam Fray, who then formed the Courteeners, whose album debuted in the UK album Charts at number 4 in April 2008; as well as first radio plays for the best of the rest in Manchester music, like The Ting Tings and The Whip. He is also the presenter of The Final Whistle on talkSPORT every Saturday between 5pm and 8pm, now officially Britain's most listened-to after-match football phone-in, alongside ex-footballer Micky Quinn.
Television
Christian shot to national fame and notoriety in 1990, when he was recruited to host the controversial Channel 4 youth show The Word, named after his column in the Manchester Evening News, and based on the format of his pioneering music magazine radio shows. The show was a groundbreaking mayhemic mixture of pop music and teen attitude, a Friday night-out brought into your living room, which attracted up to a 49% audience share in its Friday night slot. Christian remained its only continuous presenter until it finished its run in 1995.
He went on to present Carlton Television's The Big City, Sky1's pop music show The Hitmix, and The Football Show for Tyne Tees Television. He also presented two series of late night TV review programme Turn On Terry for ITV, and to date six series of youth issues talkshow It's My Life (2003–2007) produced by former World In action Editor and Tony Wilson's So It Goes Series producer Geoff Moore for ITV, which was nominated for two St Martin's Trusts Awards.
He has starred as himself in the young Wakefield band The Cribs' video for the standalone single "You're Gonna Lose Us", which was made to look like an episode of The Word; and also played the part of Ross Peagrum, despotic TV presenter, in series 2 and 4 of the popular BBC TV drama series Cutting It, as well appearing as a guest on numerous TV shows in the UK and The Republic Of Ireland.
Christian has recently completed hosting series six of ITV's youth discussion show "It's My Life", made by Manchester-based independent Moore Television. The programme is filmed at Granada Television in Manchester. Special guests on this series include Hazel Blears MP, Andy Burnham, secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport, and widow of Gary Newlove, Helen Newlove.
Celebrity Big Brother UK (2009)
From 2 January to 23 January 2009, Christian took part in the celebrity version of Big Brother UK. He was the 8th person to enter the house and as a result of displaying civillian qualities, became the show's first ever head of the house, gaining access to a private bedroom, unlimited hot water and hair paraphernalia. Terry came second to Ulrika Jonsson with 43% vs 57% of the public vote.
Writing
Christian has written numerous articles for newspapers and magazines, including The Daily Mirror, The Daily Mail, The Daily Express, Manchester Evening News, The Observer, The Times, The Guardian, and The Sunday Times. He has also written three books: Brothers - from Childhood to Oasis (Virgin publishers) - about Oasis, and Reds In The Hood (Andre Deutsch 1999)' - about growing up in a large Irish community in Old Trafford and supporting Manchester United covering the sixties up to 1977. A third book, My Word, a look at the world of television in the 1990s, was published by Orion books in June 2007 to favourable reviews, and came out in paperback in May 2008. He writes the music pages for the Pride Of Manchester website and is a regular poster on the popular, unofficial Manchester United internet forum 'manutdtalk.com'.
External links
Official Website
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