Darren Day

Darren Day
Born	July 17, 1968 (1968-07-17) Colchester, Essex, England
Occupation	Actor, singer

Darren Day (born July 17, 1968(1968-07-17), Colchester, Essex, England), is an English actor, singer and television presenter, well known for his West End theatre starring roles.

Early life

His paternal grandfather was a support and warm-up act for George Formby. Day attended Sir Charles Lucas Arts College, and undertook drama classes at evenings and weekends until he was 13, when he turned his attention to snooker.

Day became a professional snooker player at 17, but found himself drawn to entertainment. When maverick snooker genius Alex Higgins failed to complete an exhibition match, Day got up and sang songs and did impressions to entertain the crowd.

Career

Day auditioned for BBC's talent show Opportunity Knocks in 1987 and appeared on the show in 1988, introduced by host Bob Monkhouse as the new Bobby Davro.

After five years with a career that spanned being a Butlins redcoat, doing stand-up comedy, and singing with bands, Day made his breakthrough as a singer and dancer in London's West End theatre, starring in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, replacing the departing Phillip Schofield. He then developed his career as a television presenter and has presented programmes such as You Bet!, and Don't Try This at Home! He appeared in the first series of the reality television show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! He finished third.

In 1991, Day presented the Classic Nursery Rhymes video.

Day has appeared in many touring stage musicals, including Summer Holiday, Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, and Hellbreeder. In the Pantomime season of 2005/06, Day appeared in the Derby Assembly Rooms production of Cinderella, where he played the part of Buttons. This is also were he first met his wife Stephanie, as she was appearing in the production.

Day worked in November 2006 on the Celebrity Scissorhands project for the BBC in aid of Children in Need. From there, he returned to pantomime for the 2006/07 season as 'Jack' in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Billingham Forum Theatre.

In 2007, Day toured the UK with a brand new theatre show The Music of Manilow and More, and made a guest appearance in July on ITV's police drama The Bill, playing a photographer who is the prime suspect in the death of a supermodel.

Autumn 2007 saw him take over from Mark Little in the UK tour of Defending the Caveman before returning to pantomime at The Lowry, Salford as King Rat in Dick Whittington co starring his wife and actress Stephanie Dooley, and Chesney Hawkes.

More recently, Day has been outspoken in a grass roots campaign to ban the magician Paul Daniels from his beloved Blackpool.

In 2009/10 he changed management [1] and was cast in the musical, We Will Rock You, alongside Kevin Kennedy which toured the UK. In March 2010, Day took part in Celebrity Come Dine with Me on Channel 4, alongside Claire Sweeney, Kim Woodburn and Tom O'Connor. This episode was repeated in December 2010. From July 2010 to March 2011, Day played soap villain, Danny Houston, in the popular soap Hollyoaks.

From April 2011 to June 2011, Day starred in the UK in the musical Brother Love's Travelling Salvation Show, alongside co-star Brian Conley. In December 2011 Day starred as Captain Hook in the pantomime Peter Pan at Worthing Pavilion Theatre, breaking the theatre's 2003 box-office record to become the best selling pantomime the theatre has ever had. Whilst working in Worthing, he became acquainted with the work of the Stone Pillow, a charity working with the homeless, and after making a personal appearance in support of charity, he agreed to become a patron in 2012.

In early 2012, Day is taking on the role of American author Paul Sheldon in a theatre production of Misery in Dubai.

Personal life

Up to 2008, Day's name had become almost synonymous with short-lived tabloid fame. He has had many celebrity partners, been linked in the tabloids to taking drugs and confirmed being treated for addiction both to cocaine and sex; resulting in a colourful private life that has often overshadowed his performing career.

On 18 June 2008, while appearing in a production of Hello, Dolly! in Cardiff, Day was arrested for being over the drink drive limit after police had observed his car travelling at speed. On 27 August, Day was banned from driving for 18 months after admitting to Cardiff magistrates that he had been over the limit.

Day was arrested again for being over the drink-drive limit after crashing his Mercedes-Benz car in Edinburgh on 18 December 2009, and went on trial related to this charge on 23 March 2010 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, further accused of possessing an offensive weapon in public (a kubotan). Day admitted drink-driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident, but denied the offensive weapon charge. Ultimately, he was found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon, banned from driving for five years and fined £1,250.

In early 2010, Day gave up drinking,^{[citation needed]} and bought a house in the Yorkshire countryside; where he now lives with his wife, daughter and step-son. Day also has a son with actress Suzanne Shaw. In November 2011 he had another son, Dalton, with wife Stephanie Dooley.

Discography

Singles

• "Young Girl" - (1994), #42 UK
• "Summer Holiday Medley" - (1996), #17 UK
• "How Can I Be Sure?" - (1998), #71 UK

Albums

• Summer Holiday - (1996)
• Darren Day - (1998), #62 UK

External links

http://www.facebook.com/people/Darren-Day/100001330686636

• Darren Day at the Internet Movie Database

Preceded by Matthew Kelly

Host of You Bet 1996-97

Succeeded by Series Ended