Russell Grant: Difference between revisions
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|occupation = [[Celebrity|Television personality]], [[author]], [[astrology|astrologer]] |
|occupation = [[Celebrity|Television personality]], [[author]], [[astrology|astrologer]] |
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|yearsactive = 1983–present |
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'''Russell John Dammerall Grant'''<ref name="researcha1"/> (born 5 February 1951)<ref name="researcha1"/> is a [[British people|British]] [[astrology|astrologer]] and media personality.<ref |
'''Russell John Dammerall Grant'''<ref name="researcha1"/> (born 5 February 1951)<ref name="researcha1"/> is a [[British people|British]] [[astrology|astrologer]] and media personality.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/theobserver/2006/jan/01/features.review27 'I've played my own role to death']</ref> He works as a television presenter and operates premium rate phone astrology lines. In March 2010, he began offering a "Pet Psychic" service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=54989 |title=Russell Grant reveals if your Pet is Happy! |publisher=Response Source |date=2010-03-23 |accessdate=2010-07-30}}</ref> He claims that he turned down the opportunity to appear on the UK television show [[Big Brother 2010 (UK)|Big Brother]] in January 2010 because "producers went back on a promise to build him a special wendy house".<ref name="BB">[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/01/03/russell-grant-s-celebrity-big-brother-claim-91466-25512440/ Russell Grant's Celebrity Big Brother claim]</ref> In May 2010, he appeared on ''[[Kitchen Burnout]]'' on [[ITV1]]. |
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==Television== |
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Grant first appeared on television talking about Astrology in 1979, featured in [[Yorkshire Television]] programme ''Extraordinary'' presented by [[Valerie Pitts]] and Melvin Harris.<ref name="filmography">{{cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/126907?view=credit |title=Filmography GRANT, Russell |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] }}</ref> He was the regular astrologer on [[Granada Television]]'s ''Live from Two'' which ran from 1980-81. In 1982 he appeared as expert sleuth on astrology and palmistry show ''Lifelines'' presented by [[Khalid Aziz]] <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Lifelines |title=Lifelines |work=UK Gameshows}}</ref> and in 1983 was a prediction expert on the first series of [[Ultra Quiz]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Ultra_Quiz |title=Ultra Quiz |work=UK Gameshows}}</ref> |
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He is best know for his appearances on [[breakfast television]] joining [[BBC]]'s [[Breakfast Time]] to present the ''Your Stars'' section from 1983-86.<ref name="filmography" /> Remembered for his multicolour [[sweaters]], <ref name="mail">{{cite news | title=Russell Grant: I don't want to move, but then I don't wear the trousers in this relationship |author=Mark Anstead |newspaper=[[The Daily Mail]] |date=19th May 2009 |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/property/article-1184482/Russell-Grant-I-dont-want-I-dont-wear-trousers-relationship.html}}</ref> oversized [[Smock-frock|smocks]] <ref name="observer" /> and his unconventional mystic advice such as "watch out for a loose floorboard or carpet". In 1985 he assisted [[Tom O'Connor (comedian)|Tom O'Connor]] in the second series of astrological themed quiz show [[The Zodiac Game]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/The_Zodiac_Game |title=The Zodiac Game |work=UK Gameshows}}</ref> In 1986 he joined [[TV-am]] as resident astrologer appearing on [[Good Morning]] and [[After Nine]] until 1990.<ref name="filmography" /> Later from 1992-95 he was a regular expert on [[This Morning (TV series)|This Morning]] with [[Richard and Judy]] offering astrological advice. <ref name="filmography" /> |
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Grant has also taken the role of presenter on many shows including ''Razzmatazz Rocky Horoscope Show'' combining astrological readings with musical performances,<ref name="filmography" /> ''The Halley's Comet Show'' celebrating the reappearance of the [[Halley's Comet|comet]] in 1985 <ref name="filmography" />, [[Star Choice (TV series)|Star Choice]] a celebrity quiz show based on the zodiac in 1984 and 1986.<ref name="filmography" />. In 1991 he co-hosted with [[Miriam Stoppard]] episodes of daily show ''People Today''<ref name="filmography" /> and in 1994 Grant had is own six episode series ''Russell Grant's All Star Show'' a six episode series. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/23782|title=Russell Grant's All Star Show |publisher=[[British Film Institute]] }}</ref> |
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Following the launch of [[Channel Five|Channel 5]] Russell Grant presented ''Wideworld'', a series in which members of the public were encouraged to make historical records for future generations. <ref name="filmography" /> He also directed and stared in ''Russell Grant's Postcards'' from 1998-2002, which was a collection of over 100 five minute travelogues produced by his own production company ''Russell Grant's World Productions''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/29174|title=Russell Grant's Postcards |publisher=[[British Film Institute]]}}</ref> In 1998 for Channel 5 he presented ''Housebusters'' a [[World of Wonder]] production where three psychic house detectives visit a house and scan for clues to the householders problem and then offer a solution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://worldofwonder.net/productions/housebusters/ |title=Housebusters |publisher=[[World of Wonder]]}}</ref> In 1999 presented Channel 5's [[eclipse]] coverage together with [[Kirsty Young]], the show was called ''Eclipse Live''.<ref name="filmography" /> |
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In 2003 Grant presented a series of eight programmes called ''Russell Grant's Sporting Scandals'' for [[ITV1]] <ref>{{cite web |url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/38806|title=Russell Grant's Sporting Scandals|publisher=[[British Film Institute]]}}</ref> and in 2004 presented ''The Russell Grant Show'' for [[Sky One]]. On [[Bingo Night Live]], in 2008,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Bingo_Night_Live |title=Bingo Night Live |work=UK Gameshows}}</ref> pre recorded videos of Russell Grant were shown giving opinion on the chances of winning based on his horoscope readings (every [[astrological sign]] ended up having a chance). |
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===Guest Appearances (abridged)=== |
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<ref name="filmography" /> <ref>{{imdb|1005521}}</ref> |
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* '''1980s -''' In 1983 he appeared on the celebrity panel of [[Blankety Blank]] hosted by [[Terry Wogan]] and appeared on the [[BBC]]'s [[Children in Need]] telethon. In 1984 he was a participant in comedy sketch show ''Let's Parlez Franglais'', presented by and based on the newspaper columns of [[Miles Kington]] and was a contestant on [[Babble (TV series)|Babble]] hosted by [[Peter Purves]]. He had his own episode of [[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)|This is Your Life]] in 1985. and appeared was on the 1986 talkshow [[Joan Rivers|Joan Rivers: Can We Talk?]] |
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* '''1990s -''' In 1990, Grant was a contestant on [[Les Dennis]]'s ''[[Family Fortunes]] Christmas Show'' dressed as [[Pantomime dame|Dame Trott]]. He competed in TV show [[Cluedo (UK game show)|Cluedo]] in 1993. In 1995 he was interviewed on [[The Mrs Merton Show]] and made an appearance on [[Surprise, Surprise (TV series)|Surprise, Surprise]]. He was on [[Ulrika Jonsson]]'s winning team on [[Shooting Stars]] in 1996. In 1997 he was interviewed by [[Graham Norton]] on [[Jack Docherty|Not the Jack Docherty Show]] and showed his collection of maps on [[Collectors Lot]]. |
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*'''2000s -''' Grant performed as [[Anthony Newley]] on the 2003 celebrity christmas special of [[Stars in Their Eyes]] but didn't win. He has twice appeared on the special celebrity editions of [[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire]] in 2004 on his own and in 2006 paired with [[Sheila Ferguson]], in the latter they failed to answer the £250,000 question correctly, dropping from £125,000 to £32,000. In 2006 he took part in [[The Weakest Link (UK game show)|The Weakest Link]] Celebrity Reality TV Special and in 2007 was interviewed on [[RTÉ]]'s [[The Podge and Rodge Show]]. On [[Celebrity Mastermind]] in 2010 Grant came second with his specialist subject, the [[County of Middlesex]] and he has appeared on [[Cash in the Celebrity Attic]] raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tfqhg |title=Cash in the Celebrity Attic |publisher=[[BBC]] }}</ref> |
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===Reality Television=== |
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In January 2006 Grant took part in the fourth series of [[Celebrity Fit Club]] losing over 3 stone.<ref name="mail" /> Grant claims that he turned down the opportunity to appear on the UK television shows [[I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!]] because he wouldn't be able to cope and [[Celebrity Big Brother 2010 (UK)|Celebrity Big Brother]] in January 2010 because "producers went back on a promise to build him a special wendy house".<ref name="BB">{{cite news |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/01/03/russell-grant-s-celebrity-big-brother-claim-91466-25512440/ |title=Russell Grant's Celebrity Big Brother claim |date=Jan 3 2010 | author =Darren Devine |newspaper=[[Wales On Sunday]]}}</ref> In May 2010, he appeared on ''[[Kitchen Burnout]]'' on [[ITV1]] <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Kitchen_Burnout |title=Kitchen Burnout |work=UK Gameshows}}</ref> and has been listed as a possible contestant for upcoming [[Channel 4]] TV series [[Celebrity Coach Trip]]. <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dailystar.co.uk/posts/view/153996/Channel-4-plan-Celebrity-Coach-Trip/ |title=CHANNEL 4 PLAN CELEBRITY COACH TRIP |first1=Peter |second1=Dyke |first2=Katie |Second2=Begley |newspaper=[[Daily Star]] |date=16th September 2010}}</ref> |
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==Personal Life== |
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Grant was raised in a council house in the 1950's, his father working as a sales rep for a car accessory business.<ref name="telegraph" /> Later his parents worked at [[Pinewood Studios]], his mother Jo dealing with contracts, his father a set designer and he spent most of his childhood in the care of his grandparents.<ref name="observer" /> |
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Grant's original career was as an actor and through this he met his partner Doug who worked as a stagehand in a [[Blackpool]] theatre.<ref name="observer" /> |
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After losing both his grandmothers to [[Alzheimer's disease]], Grant suffered [[clinical depression]] <ref name="observer" />. He supports [[Alzheimer's]] and elderly charitable causes, <ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.formbytimes.co.uk/news/formby-news/2009/07/08/astrologer-russell-grant-vows-to-fight-sefton-council-over-its-refusal-to-renew-his-formby-mother-s-blue-badge-66401-24098082/2/ |title=Russell Grant fights Sefton Council over mum Blue Badge refusal |author= Lyndsay Young |newspaper=Formby Times |date= Jul 8 2009}}</ref> |
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including running his own charity ''WISE (Wales Ireland Scotland England) Communities'' for 6½ years <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/RemovedCharityMain.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1093276&SubsidiaryNumber=0 |title=WALES IRELAND SCOTLAND ENGLAND COMMUNITIES WISE COMMUNITIES |work=[[Charity Commission]]}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*{{imdb|1005521}} |
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*[http://www.russellgrant.com/ Russell Grant Astrology Ltd's official site] |
*[http://www.russellgrant.com/ Russell Grant Astrology Ltd's official site] |
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*[http://www.middlesexfamily.com/ Russell Grant, The Lord of Ashford in Middlesex: Foundation for places sharing the Middlesex name] |
*[http://www.middlesexfamily.com/ Russell Grant, The Lord of Ashford in Middlesex: Foundation for places sharing the Middlesex name] |
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Revision as of 21:02, 27 September 2010
Template:Infobox television personality Russell John Dammerall Grant[1] (born 5 February 1951)[1] is a British astrologer and media personality.[2] He works as a television presenter and operates premium rate phone astrology lines. In March 2010, he began offering a "Pet Psychic" service.[3] He claims that he turned down the opportunity to appear on the UK television show Big Brother in January 2010 because "producers went back on a promise to build him a special wendy house".[4] In May 2010, he appeared on Kitchen Burnout on ITV1.
References
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
researcha1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ 'I've played my own role to death'
- ^ "Russell Grant reveals if your Pet is Happy!". Response Source. 2010-03-23. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ Russell Grant's Celebrity Big Brother claim
External links
- Please use a more specific IMDb template. See the documentation for available templates.
- Russell Grant Astrology Ltd's official site
- Russell Grant, The Lord of Ashford in Middlesex: Foundation for places sharing the Middlesex name
- http://www.cricketcolts.co.uk/ Some of Russell Grant's charitable work in action
- Russell Grants Entertainment Website
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