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Sara Cox

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Sara Cox
Sara Cox at Manchester Fashion Week, October 2007
Born
Sarah Joanne Cox

(1974-12-13) 13 December 1974 (age 49)
Bolton, Greater Manchester, England
Other namesSara Cox
Occupation(s)Television presenter, disc jockey
Spouse(s)Jon Carter (2001-2005)
Ben Cyzer (2013-present)
WebsiteSara's Radio 1 Page

Sarah Joanne Cyzer née Cox (born 13 December 1974) more commonly known by her radio name "Sara Cox", is a British broadcaster, best known for presenting the The Radio 1 Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 1 between 2000 and 2003, but more recently as maternity cover for Fearne Cotton every weekday from 10 am-12.45 pm in 2013. She is also the host of "Sounds of the 80s" on BBC Radio 2.[3]

Early career

Cox was born Sarah Joanne Cox in Bolton, Greater Manchester, but later dropped the use of the letter 'h' from her first name.[4] She is the youngest of five.[5] She attended Smithills High School until the age of 16, and left Canon Slade School after her A-levels to pursue a career in modelling.

Cox won her first television show role in 1996, presenting early "Girl Power" show The Girlie Show on Channel 4.[6] She later had stints on Channel 5 entertainment show Exclusive and Channel 4 music programme Born Sloppy. In 1997 Cox presented on the UK feed of MTV, hosting MTV Hot, a late night music show. In 1998 Cox won her first film role in "The Bitterest Pill".[7][8]

In September 1998 she became a presenter of The Big Breakfast, following in the footsteps of her friend Zoë Ball (for whom Cox was a bridesmaid at Ball's wedding to DJ Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, in 1999). During her time on The Big Breakfast she interviewed stars such as Robbie Williams, Sting and Leonardo DiCaprio. Cox preferred to do interviews in her dad's caravan which was situated in The Big Breakfast garden.

BBC Radio 1

Main article: BBC Radio 1

1999–2002

A transfer to radio came in September 1999 when she joined BBC Radio 1. She co-hosted the Saturday lunchtime show with Emma B from 1 pm-3 pm and she launched the hugely popular Sunday Surgery with Dr. Mark Hamilton, a health and welfare show where listeners called in about their problems, with Sara acting as "Nurse Coxy". The show still proves popular today, and is currently hosted by Aled Haydn Jones.

In December 1999 it was announced that Cox would again step into Zoë Ball's shoes as presenter of The Radio 1 Breakfast Show, as Ball had decided to leave the organisation to bring up a family. Cox's breakfast show stint began on 31 March 2000, three days early so she could calm her nerves. Initially her listening figures were very good, growing from 6.9 million to 7.8 million listeners during her first fifteen months in the job – earning Radio 1 its largest breakfast audience ever – higher than that of her predecessor and Chris Evans. By August 2002, however, numbers had dipped back under 7 million.

In August 2000 Cox controversially said live on air that the Queen Mother "smelt of wee".[9]

2003–2008

In January 2003 she denied rumours that she was preparing to leave the BBC for a rival show, and signed a three-year contract with the public service broadcaster, tying her to the breakfast show until April 2004 and with the BBC for two years after that. In August 2003, the BBC again denied rumours, reported in the Daily Mail, that she had been given 10 weeks to increase ratings, or to face replacement. However just two months later the BBC announced that Cox, whose listening figures had slipped to 6.6m, would be replaced by Chris Moyles in January 2004. She hosted her final breakfast show on 19 December 2003. Her final track was "(I've Had) The Time of My Life".

Cox then presented the afternoon "drivetime" slot, effectively swapping shows with Chris Moyles. She hosted the Drivetime show for 6 months with features such as; 'For Your Ears Only', 'Me, Myself and I' and 'Chap's Eye Pub Quiz' (referring to her then sidekick Mark Chapman). She began maternity leave to give birth to a baby girl, Lola Anne, in June 2004. Before she returned to Radio 1 in early 2005, Scott Mills, the presenter who took over her slot during her maternity leave, was given the drivetime slot permanently.

From February 2005 she took over the afternoon show (1 pm-4 pm) on Saturdays and Sundays.

2008–present

On 17 February 2008 she presented her last show for six months before leaving for maternity leave to have her second child. Annie Mac presented the show during Cox's absence. Cox later covered for Jo Whiley who was on maternity leave between October 2008 and February 2009. Following Whiley's return, Cox returned to weekends to present a Sunday mid-morning show, broadcasting between 10 am and 1 pm.

In March 2010 Cox went on maternity leave for the third time, leaving her show in the hands of the newest Radio 1 presenter, Matt Edmondson.[10] She returned to the airwaves on 9 August 2010 to cover for Fearne Cotton for three weeks. Cox made a self-confessed unexpected return to the breakfast show on 2 September 2010, as she sat in for the poorly Chris Moyles[citation needed].

In June 2011 Cox began hosting the fourth series of the comedy programme Hot Gossip on BBC Radio 2, covering for Claudia Winkleman, who chose not to present the series as she was heavily pregnant at the time.[11]

During the first week of March 2012, she covered for Alex Lester on BBC Radio 2. She has also covered for Janice Long on the same station.

In August 2012, it was announced that Cox would cover Fearne Cotton's show on BBC Radio 1 weekdays from 10:00 – 12:45 whilst Cotton is on maternity leave.[12][13]

In the last week of September 2012, Cox covered for Vanessa Feltz on BBC Radio 2 in the 5:00 to 6:30 slot; during this week she was immediately followed by Zoë Ball, who was filling in for Chris Evans on the breakfast show.

Cox presented Radio 1's mid-morning programme while Fearne Cotton went on maternity leave. She was replaced by Matt Edmondson on Sunday mornings.

Cox joined BBC Radio 2 for her first regular show each Saturday night from 10 pm to midnight, presenting an 80s show to complement the weekend 60s and 70s decade shows. The show began on Saturday 5 October 2013.[14]

After Fearne's return she did various cover shows; her final show for Radio 1 was on Monday 17 February 2014.

Personal life

She married DJ Jon Carter on 6 October 2001; they split in December 2005. She gave birth to a girl, Lola Anne Carter, on 13 June 2004 at the Hospital of St John and St Elizabeth in St John's Wood, north London.

On 16 September 2007 Cox announced on her BBC Radio 1 weekend show that she was expecting her second child.[15] Cox's last weekend show was on Sunday 17 February 2008 before she left for 6 months maternity leave. Her second child, a baby boy named Isaac, was born on 10 March 2008 weighing 7 lb 12oz, at a London hospital.[16] She returned to Radio 1 in September 2008. Cox went on maternity leave for the third time, after her show on Sunday 7 March 2010. Less than a week later, on 12 March, she announced that she had given birth to a baby girl, named Renee, at 8:30 am GMT.

In November 2007, when a guest on humorous news quiz Have I Got News for You, Cox revealed that she had been born with a dislocated hip.[17]

Sara Cox is also committed to protecting the environment. In 2009 she joined the 10:10 project in a bid to help her reduce her carbon footprint. She explained that, as she was brought up on a farm, she has no problem wearing extra layers instead of turning up the thermostat. Giving up meat is a different story however, "My dad is a beef farmer so he wouldn't be best pleased. I tried going veggie once, but it lasted about four hours."[18]

On 23 June 2013, Cox tweeted a picture to announce she had just been married to long-term boyfriend, Ben Cyzer.[19]

Privacy

In June 2003 Cox and her husband received £50,000 in an out of court settlement from the British newspaper The People after it printed photographs of her sunbathing in the nude on her honeymoon in 2001. Cox, who was photographed with a telephoto lens whilst on a private island, initially complained to the Press Complaints Commission, who found in her favour. The People printed an apology. Cox was unsatisfied, and sued the newspaper in the High Court for a breach of her right to privacy under the Human Rights Act. The People agreed to an out of court settlement with Cox and her husband before any judgement was made. Cox received £30,000 and her husband £20,000, The People also agreed to pay the couple's legal costs, reported to be in excess of £100,000. Cox was not the first person to sue after involving the PCC but the case was considered significant at the time because of the high profile of the case and size of the settlement.[20][21]

Charitable activity

Cox will be one of 52 celebrities contributing to a children's story entitled 'Once Upon a Time'[22] to promote a new charity directory inquiries number 118 520. The book will be auctioned with the profits going to the NSPCC. Sara is also a named supporter of the animal charity PDSA, and has promoted the charity by being photographed[23] with her pet dog, Snoop, by the late Lord Lichfield. Cox and other celebrities entered the women's race (The Magnolia Cup) fundraising for the charity Great Ormond Street at Glorious Goodwood on 28 July 2011 she came ninth.[24]

Cox has also been an ambassador for Centrepoint – the UK's charity for homeless young people – since 2000, making her its longest serving celebrity supporter. She takes part in the charity's flagship fundraising event, Sleep Out, every year, sleeping outside in a London location with around 800 other fundraisers. She also gives her time to Centrepoint for other events, messages of support and fundraising promotions.

Other activities

In 2006 Cox participated as a celebrity showjumper in the BBC's Sport Relief event Only Fools on Horses. In November of that year she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Bolton for contributions to broadcasting.[25]

In July 2007 she became the presenter of The Album Chart Show on Channel 4, and appeared as a guest star on Sky 1's Angela and Friends in November 2009.[26] and as Guest Presenter in January 2010.[27] Also in 2010 she appeared as a team captain on What Do Kids Know? along with Rufus Hound and Joe Swash on Watch.[28]

Cox commentated for the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest on BBC Three with fellow BBC Radio DJ Scott Mills[29] from the 2011 Contest through till the 2012 Contest. Cox was replaced by Ana Matronic starting from the 2013 Contest.[30]

References

  1. ^ Exclusive: Dosh Jockeys. The Daily Mirror, first published 18 April 2006.
  2. ^ Fear, loathing and envy at the BBC as mole spills salary secrets of radio stars. The Guardian, first published 19 April 2006.
  3. ^ Radio Today: Sara Cox Makes Radio 2's Sounds of the 80s
  4. ^ England & Wales, Birth Index: 1837–1983. Ancestry.co.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2007.
  5. ^ Loose Women, 9 October 2013
  6. ^ "BBC Cult – I Love 1996". Retrieved 11 March 2008.
  7. ^ "Sara Cox – Presenters". Troikatalent.com. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  8. ^ "The Bitterest Pill". Britfilms.com. 20 February 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  9. ^ "DJ Cox's Queen Mother gaffe". London: BBC News. 4 August 2000. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  10. ^ "Press Office – Matt Edmondson to cover for Sara Cox on BBC Radio 1". BBC. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  11. ^ "Radio 2 Programmes – Hot Gossip, Series 4, Episode 1". BBC. 25 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  12. ^ "BBC – Newsbeat – Sara Cox to fill in for Fearne Cotton on Radio 1 show". BBC Newsbeat. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  13. ^ James Gill (10 August 2012). "Sara Cox to cover Fearne Cotton Radio 1 maternity leave". Radio Times. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  14. ^ Hendry, Steve (29 September 2013). "Radio star Sara Cox dreamed of marrying George Michael.. now she can't wait to host new show celebrating the 80s". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  15. ^ "Radio 1 host Cox expecting baby". London: BBC News. 15 September 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2010.
  16. ^ "Baby boy for Radio 1's Sara Cox". London: BBC News. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
  17. ^ "Have I Got News For You". 18 November 2007. BBC 2. {{cite episode}}: Missing or empty |series= (help)
  18. ^ "Case study: Sara Cox | 10:10". 1010global.org. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
  19. ^ "Celebrity Wedding – Radio DJ Sara Cox Secretly Marries Boyfriend Ben Cyzer". andbag.com. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  20. ^ "Cox privacy case 'a watershed'". BBC News. 7 June 2003. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  21. ^ "Privacy law remains confused". BBC News. 9 June 2003. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  22. ^ "Sara Cox to contribute to a children’s story to promote a new charity directory number 118 520", Charities Aid Foundation, 19 February 2008. Retrieved 20 February 2005.
  23. ^ "PDSA Celebrity supporters", People's Dispensary for Sick Animals, 14 October 2008. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  24. ^ "Nice and Edie for Campbell as model wins Magnolia Cup at Goodwood", Daily Mail, 28 July 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  25. ^ "University announces winter Honorary Doctorates". University of Bolton. 24 November 2006.
  26. ^ "Angela and Friends cast list", "imdb.com" July 2011
  27. ^ "Angela and Friends cast list", "imdb.com" July 2011
  28. ^ "What Do Kids Know?", "UKTV" July 2011
  29. ^ "Sara Cox and Scott Mills front Eurovision semi-finals exclusively on BBC Three". BBC Press Office. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
  30. ^ "United Kingdom: Ana Matronic replaces Sara Cox". ESCXTRA. 7 March 2013. Retrieved 7 March 2013.

External links

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Preceded by BBC Radio 1
Breakfast Show presenter
2000–2003 		Succeeded by

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