Jump to content

Julia Bradbury

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 51kwad (talk | contribs) at 21:20, 14 November 2013 (→‎Charity work). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Not to be confused with Julie Bradbury.

Julia Bradbury
Born
Julia Bradbury

(1970-07-24) 24 July 1970 (age 54)
Dublin, Republic of Ireland
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Journalist, presenter
AgentJames Grant Media
Notable credit(s)Countryfile (since 2004)
Take on the Twisters (since 2013)
Fightback Britain (since 2013)
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
ChildrenZephyr (b. 3 August 2011)
WebsiteOfficial Website

Julia Bradbury (born 24 July 1970)[1] is a British television presenter who is currently employed by the BBC and ITV, specialising in documentaries and consumer affairs. She is most recognised for co-presenting the BBC One programme Countryfile with Matt Baker. In addition to this, she currently presents the ITV teatime game show Take on the Twisters.

Whilst presenting Countryfile, she has also hosted the consumer affairs show Watchdog between 2005 and 2009, with Paul Heiney and Nick Lawrence. Julia has guest hosted The One Show, standing in for Alex Jones.

Since 2013, Julia has co-presented BBC One show Fightback Britain with Adrian Simpson and Mystery Map with Ben Shephard.

Early years

Bradbury's English Derbyshire-born, steel-industry father Michael Bradbury and Greek mother were in the Republic of Ireland when Bradbury was born.[2] The family returned to Britain, where she attended primary school in Edith Weston, Rutland, followed by King Edward VII School in Sheffield, where her father worked for British Steel and her mother ran a fashion business. Bradbury attended acting classes, and took part as a child in the Crucible Theatre's stage production of Peter Pan, starring Joanne Whalley and Paula Wilcox.[2]

Bradbury left school at 16 after O-levels and worked in advertising in various capacities, including a stint with the family business.[3]

Broadcasting career

Television

Bradbury started as a TV presenter with Chrysalis TV, followed by L!VE TV,[4] before making the transition in 1996 from cable TV to terrestrial with GMTV as their Los Angeles correspondent.[4] She has since presented Watchdog,[4] Top Gear,[5] Accidental Heroes,[6] Wainwright Walks[7] and Railway Walks for the BBC, as well as Rough Guide for Channel 5.[8] She has also presented Wish You Were Here...? for ITV[7] and anchored Exclusive! for Five.[4][9] With Tim Vine, she presented the launch of Channel 5 in 1997.[4][10]

With co-host Arkin Salih she hosted the BBC's Are We Being Served?, which examined customer service in the UK and ran for six programmes in the summer of 2006.[4][11] The show later received strong criticism from comedian Lee Mack when he named it as 'the most evil programme ever made' during his appearance on TV Heaven, Telly Hell.

From 2008 to 2011 she presented four series of Kill It, Cook It, Eat It on BBC Three.[12][13] The first series concentrated on commercially farmed animals such as chickens, pigs, sheep and cattle. The second series featured hunted wild game such as ducks, rabbits, deer and grouse. The third series focused on fast food; a group of six people went through the process of killing, cooking and eating animals.[14] The fourth series focused on how animal products from the first series are used outside of the meat trade. Bradbury was joined by young consumers to uncover the animal origins of many of western society's favourite things as body parts were transformed from abattoir to shop display.[15]

From 2 March 2009 Bradbury temporarily stepped down from BBC One's Watchdog following allegations in the press concerning irregularities in her Virgin Atlantic frequent flyer account.[16][17] (Anita Rani stepped in to co-present the show with Nicky Campbell.) On 15 April 2009, Bradbury was cleared of any wrongdoing in the investigation, and it was confirmed that she would return to present Watchdog, which she did on 20 April 2009.[18]

She did not have to repay £20,000 worth of Air Miles, as incorrectly reported in several papers – her account (and several others) had been tampered with by an employee who was later arrested and charged. In April 2009 it was announced that Bradbury would present the relaunched primetime Countryfile[19] with Matt Baker.[20] Anne Robinson returned to Watchdog after an 8-year absence.[21][22]

From November to December 2011 she presented a series called That's Britain! with Nick Knowles, focusing on the good, the bad and the ugly in Britain. She presented with Hugh Dennis a four-part BBC One documentary series The Great British Countryside, which began in February 2012. She has co-presented (with Richard Hammond) a programme about the wildlife of different countries called Planet Earth Live in 2012, which has aired on BBC One.

Since 22 July 2013, Bradbury has presented the ITV quiz show Take on the Twisters.

Walking and climbing programmes

In August 2007 she presented Ultimate Britain – Climbing on BBC One,[7] with rock climber Tim Emmett. Bradbury's lifetime ambition to be a 'real' rock climber was achieved when the pair successfully ascended Cornwall's Commando Ridge, Crackstone Rib in the Llanberis Pass, and the Old Man of Stoer.

That year she also presented Wainwright Walks on BBC Four,[7] in which she followed the mountain routes of the renowned fell walker and guidebook author Alfred Wainwright. The series was later repeated on BBC Two and ran for two series. Her appearance in this and the Railway Walks series earned her the title of "Walking Man's Totty".[23] On 20 July 2009 her series Coast to Coast started on BBC Two.[24][25][26]

In 2010 Bradbury went to South Africa and embarked on a series of South Africa Walks as part of South Africa season for the BBC during the 2010 World Cup.[27]

In December 2010 she presented another walking-themed series, Julia Bradbury's German Wanderlust on BBC Four in which she explored Germany and its Romantic movement through a series of walks across the country.[28] The series was repeated on BBC Two in January and February 2011.[29] She presented Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury in May 2011.

Another walking programme, Julia Bradbury's Icelandic Walk, aired on 11 May 2011 on BBC Four. Her challenge was to walk the 60 kilometres of Iceland's most famous hiking route, which includes the newest hills on Earth. This route ends at Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano whose copious eruptions of volcanic ash brought air traffic across Europe to a standstill in April 2010. She also presented a new series in May 2011, following the routes of some of the UK's canals.[30]

In January 2013 she appeared in a special series of The Great British Bake Off.

Radio

Bradbury has also presented on radio for BBC London 94.9,[4][31] and Radio 5 Live. She crossed NUJ picket lines to present Radio 5 Live's breakfast programme on 15 July 2011. She presented the programme with Ian Payne who also broke the strike.

Other appearances

In January 2007 Bradbury appeared as a contestant in Just the Two of Us on BBC One,[32] singing alongside Tony Christie.[7]

In February 2009 Bradbury appeared on Celebrity Come Dine With Me[33] alongside Christopher Biggins, Philip Olivier and Edwina Currie,[34][35] and received a score of 19.

She was one of the celebrities who in summer 2009 took part in the BBC programme Around the World in 80 Days, where 'in a re-enactment of Jules Verne's literary odyssey, six pairs of celebrities raced against the clock to raise money for 2009's BBC Children in Need'.[36]

In January 2011 Bradbury appeared on The Magicians with professional magician Pete Firman.

Personal life

Bradbury lives in Rutland and West London.[37] In summer 2006, she was treated for endometriosis. In February 2011, Bradbury and her boyfriend, Gerard Cunningham, announced they were expecting their first child, despite the problems associated with endometriosis.[38][39] On 4 August 2011, it was announced Bradbury had given birth to a boy.

Charity work

Bradbury is an ambassador to several charities including the Scout Association, Oxfam Trailtrekker and Marie Curie.

In 2009 she competed in the Macmillan 4x4 UK Challenge[40] with her sister, Gina Fox, raising £7,000 towards the £105,000 raised for Macmillan Cancer Support. Later that year she travelled from Kazakhstan to Mongolia with Countryfile co-star Matt Baker in BBC's Around the World in 80 Days in aid of Children in Need.[36]

She is President of the Friends of the Peak District and CPRE in South Yorkshire.[41] In April 2010 she became president of the Ramblers.[42][43][44]

Bradbury also works with the British Heart Foundation to encourage people to exercise more.[4]

In February 2012 Bradbury was appointed an ambassador for the Scout Association.

In October 2013, she became President of The Camping and Caravanning Club, the first woman to hold the post and following such luminaries as Dr David Bellamy, Lord Baden Powell 1st Baronet, Lord R. Baden Powell 3rd Baronet, and Scott of the Antarctic

Honours

On 14th November 2013, Bradbury was awarded an Honourary Doctorate by Sheffield Hallam University."Dr Julia Bradbury". Sheffield Hallam University. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.

DVDs

  • Wainwright Walks Series 1 – presented by Julia Bradbury (2007)
  • Wainwright Walks Series 2 – presented by Julia Bradbury (2008)
  • Julia Bradbury's Railway Walks (2009)
  • Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast (2009)
  • The Julia Bradbury Collection (2009)
  • South Africa Walks[5][45]
  • Canal Walks with Julia Bradbury (2011).

References

  1. ^ Walker, Tim (17 April 2009). "Julia Bradbury: A lady of an uncertain age". The Telegraph. Retrieved 17 April 2009.
  2. ^ a b Biography Julia Bradbury
  3. ^ Sale, Jonathan (9 March 2006). "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of Julia Bradbury, TV journalist". Education > Careers Advice. The Independent. Retrieved 6 December 2006.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h My Life In Media: Presenter Julia Bradbury The Independent, 29 October 2007
  5. ^ a b 5 minutes with... Julia Bradbury TalkTalk
  6. ^ Real Life: Accidental Heroes Express.co.uk, 28 August 2008
  7. ^ a b c d e Julia Bradbury womenspeakers.co.uk
  8. ^ Julia Bradbury and Toby Amies OK Magazine, 9 December 2008
  9. ^ "Personal file". London Evening Standard. May 1999. Retrieved 6 December 2006.[dead link]
  10. ^ Comedy – Tim Vine Croydon Advertiser, 12 September 2008
  11. ^ Watchdog BBC One
  12. ^ "Kill it, Cook it, Eat it". BBC Three. Retrieved 14 January 2008.
  13. ^ My perfect day: Julia Bradbury Walk – The Magazine of the Ramblers, 28 August 2009
  14. ^ Kill it Cook it Eat it Pipers Farm, 8 January 2010
  15. ^ "Kill it, Cut it, Use it". BBC Three. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  16. ^ "Julia statement". Watchdog. BBC. 15 April 2009.
  17. ^ Watchdog host Julia Bradbury linked to £20,000 air mile scam London Evening Standard, 20 February 2009
  18. ^ Presenter to return to Watchdog BBC News, 15 April 2009
  19. ^ Countryfile peak-time move sparks ageism row guardian.co.uk, 28 November 2008
  20. ^ Presenter O'Reilly seeks BBC 'ageism' compensation BBC News, 2 February 2010
  21. ^ [1], guardian.co.uk, 15 April 2009
  22. ^ Anne Robinson returns to Watchdog BBC News, 11 May 2009
  23. ^ INTERVIEW: Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury Caravan Times, 1 March 2010
  24. ^ The Coast to Coast Walk
  25. ^ Stick-in-the-mud Julia's Coast-to-Coast will screen in spring grough, 20 October 2008
  26. ^ Wainwright Walks: Coast to Coast BBC Four
  27. ^ South Africa Walks guardian.co.uk, 16 June 2010
  28. ^ TV review: Al Murray's German Adventure and Julia Bradbury's German Wanderlust guardian.co.uk, 2 December 2010
  29. ^ Episodes from Julia Bradbury's German Wanderlust BBC Four
  30. ^ http://www.waterways.org.uk/campaigns/news/other_news/julia_bradbury_s_canal_walks_on_bbc4
  31. ^ The Breakfast Show BBC London 94.9, 21 February 2011
  32. ^ Just the Two of Us – About the Show BBC, December 2006
  33. ^ Cable, Amanda (7 November 2009). "Countryfile star Julia Bradbury: 'I seduced John Travolta with chocolates'". Mail Online. Retrieved 3 January 2010.
  34. ^ Who's cooking in Celebrity Come Dine With Me Channel 4, 9 February 2009
  35. ^ Celebrity Come Dine With Me Julia Bradbury
  36. ^ a b Around the World in 80 Days BBC One, 15 November 2009
  37. ^ Ali Hussain (11 March 2007). "Watchdog host is happy to be well heeled". Times Online. Retrieved 15 January 2008.
  38. ^ Pregnant Julia Bradbury tells of delight Scotsman.com News, 28 February 2011
  39. ^ Julia Bradbury: 'Miracle' baby for TV star at 40 fertility-ovulation-pregnancy.com
  40. ^ Land Rover Owner Mac 4x4 Feature Mac 4x4 UK Challenge, May 2009
  41. ^ Julia Bradbury: New President of Campaign to Protect Rural England, Peak District & South Yorkshire Derbyshire Life, 27 February 2009
  42. ^ "New face for walking as Julia Bradbury elected President". Ramblers. 13 April 2010.
  43. ^ "Update from General Council 2010". Ramblers. 12 April 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2010. [dead link]
  44. ^ Kennet and Avon Canal relay marks Ramblers' anniversary BBC News, 8 May 2010
  45. ^ South Africa Walks With Julia Bradbury (DVD) BBC Shop, 7 June 2010

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Julia_Bradbury&oldid=581678490"