Chris Tarrant is widely regarded as the king of popular broadcasting, with his influential breakfast show on Capital Radio and regular appearances on ITV. He has significantly contributed to the success of ITV's Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, which is now the world's most successful quiz show.
Born on October 10, 1946, Chris attended King's School in Worcester from 1960 to 1964, where he showed a talent for hockey and cricket. However, he described this period as an unhappy one due to the strict nature of the school, likening it to a "modern-day Iran."
Chris later turned down a place at Oxford University, opting instead to attend the University of Birmingham to study English. After graduation, he worked as an English teacher in Brockley, East London, but his time as a teacher was marked by a series of events, including living in a grey mini van in the school grounds for six months after walking out on a girlfriend and having nowhere to stay.
When his teaching contract ended, Chris pursued his dream of working in television. He took up work as a truck driver while writing insolent letters to television companies, claiming he was the face of the 1970s and they should hire him. Astonishingly, his bold persistence paid off, and he was invited to audition for Midlands-based ATV, eventually becoming a newsreader on the regional bulletins.
Chris reported on ATV's main daytime bulletins, which included light-hearted stories that helped raise his profile. In 1974, ATV wanted to develop a new show and needed a host. They offered the job to Chris, who eagerly accepted and became the host of 'Tiswas', a Saturday morning children's show. His popularity soon soared.
In 1984, Chris joined Capital Radio as a presenter, initially hosting the station's lunchtime show and then, from 1987 to 2004, hosting Capital Breakfast. The show was incredibly popular, increasing Capital Radio's audience share in London.
On January 1, 1993, Chris hosted the first program of the Carlton Television franchise, A Carlton New Year. He also hosted Lose a Million, a game show in which contestants started with a million pounds and aimed to lose it by incorrectly answering questions - a precursor to Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
Chris is also the long-term host of Tarrant on TV, a program that showcases unusual television programs from around the world. He has presented the show since 1990.
He began hosting the popular television quiz show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? in 1998, and since then, the show has been broadcast in over 100 countries. In 2002, the UK version merged with the Irish version.
In June 2008, Chris returned to radio, hosting a weekly Saturday morning show for the GMG Radio network of stations, including London's 102.2 Smooth Radio, Real Radio (Scotland),and the North West's Century Radio.
Chris' charity work includes being an ambassador for the homeless charity Centrepoint, Trustee/Patron of The New School at West Heath for disadvantaged children, patron of Milly's Fund, set up in memory of murdered Surrey teenager Milly Dowler, and patron of the Phoenix Centre for children with special needs.
