Jonathan Wilkes
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| Jonny Wilkes | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 August 1978 Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, England |
| Occupation | Entertainer |
| Height | 6ft 3in |
| Spouse(s) | Nikki Wheeler (22nd January 2004 – present) |
| Children | Mickey Wilkes(born 11th April 2006) |
Jonathan Wilkes (born 1 August 1978 in Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent) [1] is an actor and songwriter and friend of singer Robbie Williams.
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Personal life [edit]
Wilkes attended Holden Lane High School in Stoke-on-Trent.
Wilkes met his wife Nikki Wheeler in 1999 while working for BBC choice (now BBC three). He was presenting an interview show and her girlband "toutes les filles" were interviewed by him. They married in 2004 in Robbie Williams' back garden in Los Angeles. They have one child, a son called Mickey.
Football career [edit]
Wilkes had ambitions to become a footballer in his teenage years, and was a part of Everton F.C's youth set-up in 1993. He went on to trials at Crewe and Chester as well as playing for Silverstone FC. He gave up football to pursue a career in show business.
In 2004 Wilkes appeared in Sky One's The Match where he captained a football match at St James' Park for a team of celebrities against a team of 'legends'.
Robbie Williams and Wilkes fronted Soccer Aid, a series of celebrity football matches in support of UNICEF.
Television [edit]
Wilkes won the Cameron Mackintosh Young Entertainer of the Year award in 1996. He was the youngest person to star in the Blackpool Pleasure Beach end-of-pier-style show, which led to television work on BBC Choice (now BBC Three) programme Hype. He signed a three-year contract with ITV, fronting You've Been Framed, Love on a Saturday Night, and SMTV. Love on a Saturday Night was axed after just a series and a half after poor reception, and Wilkes' involvement with SMTV coincided with it being ended. Other TV credits include The Match, Soccer Aid, and All Star Cup. He also made weekly guest appearances on the ITV show Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway from February 2009.
Music and theatre career [edit]
In 2000, Wilkes signed a deal with Virgin and began to write and record material for an album, along with songwriters Guy Chambers, Bryan Adams and Elliot Kennedy. His debut single "Just Another Day" went to #24 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]
In 2006, he joined Robbie Williams on his Close Encounters Tour, singing "Me and My Shadow" and "Strong", as well as playing football with Williams on stage. The duet with Williams for "Me and My Shadow" was recorded live and featured on Williams's DVD and video Swing When You're Winning.
In February 2002, Wilkes took the lead role in the musical Godspell, which premiered in Liverpool, where Wilkes and Daniel McPherson alternated the roles of Jesus and Judas each night.
Wilkes took the lead role of Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show for the 30th anniversary national tour, from October 2002 to November 2003. In 2003, Wilkes also played the lead role of Danny in a Christmas and New Year production of Grease.
In 2007, Wilkes toured with the Donmar Warehouse performance of Guys and Dolls, playing the role of Sky Masterson.
In 2008 Wilkes toured in the debut UK theatre production of The Wedding Singer.
He took up the role of Khassoggi in Queen's We Will Rock You UK tour.
He was in the production of Dick Whittington at Stoke-on-trent's Regent Theatre playing the role of Dick.
Wilkes played Billy Flynn in Chicago at The Cambridge Theatre, London.
| Preceded by Lisa Riley |
Host of You've Been Framed 2003 - 2004 |
Succeeded by Harry Hill |
References [edit]
- ^ "Home - James Grant". Jonathanwilkes.com. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 603. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
