Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Ross

Ross in 2017
Born
Jonathan Stephen Ross

(1960-11-17) 17 November 1960 (age 63)
London, England
Alma materSouthampton College of Art,
School of Slavonic and Eastern European Studies, University College London
Occupations
  • Broadcaster
  • film critic
  • actor
  • comedian
  • writer
  • producer
Years active1970–present
Employer(s)BBC (1997–2010, 2014–2018)
Channel 4 (1987–2007, 2009–2014, 2018–present)
ITV (1991–2006, 2009, 2011–present)
Notable workThe Last Resort
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Film
The Jonathan Ross Show
The Masked Singer
The Masked Dancer
Spouse
(m. 1988)
Children3
Parent
RelativesPaul Ross (brother)

Jonathan Stephen Ross OBE (born 17 November 1960)[1] is an English broadcaster, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He presented the BBC One chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross during the 2000s and early 2010s, hosted his own radio show on BBC Radio 2 from 1999 to 2010, and served as film critic and presenter of the Film programme.

After leaving the BBC in 2010, Ross began hosting his comedy chat show The Jonathan Ross Show on ITV. Other regular roles have included being a panellist on the comedy sports quiz They Think It's All Over (1999–2005), being a presenter of the British Comedy Awards (1991–2007, 2009–2014), and being a judge on the musical competition show The Masked Singer (2020–present) and its spin-off series The Masked Dancer (2021–present).

Ross began his television career as a TV researcher, before débuting as a presenter for The Last Resort with Jonathan Ross on Channel 4 in 1987. Over the next decade, he presented numerous radio and television programmes, many through his own production company, Channel X. In 1995, he sold his stake in Channel X, and embarked on a career with the BBC in 1997. In 1999, Ross took over presenting the Film programme from Barry Norman, and also began presenting his own radio show, while two years later he began hosting Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. For the chat show, Ross won three BAFTA awards for Best Entertainment Performance, in 2004, 2006 and 2007.

In 2005, Ross was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to broadcasting.[1] Ross has been involved in controversies throughout his broadcasting career.[2][3] As a result, in 2008, he wrote a semi-autobiographical work titled Why Do I Say These Things?, detailing some of his life experiences. He has also written his own comic books, Turf and America's Got Powers.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference autogenerated2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "'Risque' Ross avoids Cameron rap". BBC. 30 October 2006. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
  3. ^ Burton, Nigel (29 October 2008). "Jonathan Ross:No Stranger to Controversy". The Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 12 August 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2008.