Alex Jones (Welsh presenter)
Alex Jones | |
|---|---|
| File:Cameron The One Show.jpg Jones alongside David Cameron during his appearance on The One Show | |
| Born | Charlotte Alexandra Jones[1] 18 March 1977 |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Aberystwyth University |
| Occupation | Television presenter |
| Television | The One Show (2010—) Let's Dance for Comic Relief (2011–2013) Strictly Come Dancing (2011) Tumble (2014) Close Calls: On Camera (2015—) Shop Well for Less? (2016—) |
| Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Spouse | Charlie Thomson (m. 2015) |
Charlotte Alexandra "Alex" Jones (born 18 March 1977)[2] is a Welsh television presenter, best known for co-presenting the BBC One magazine programme The One Show with Matt Baker.[3][4]
Early life
Jones was born in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire,[1] and has a younger sister Jennie. Her first language at home was English, but Jones was educated at the Welsh language school Maes yr Yrfa, and is fluent in both English and Welsh. After training as a ballet dancer as a child,[3] Jones studied theatre, film and television at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, sitting her finals exams in Magaluf, Spain, while appearing as a contestant on the Sky1 show Prickly Heat.[3][5]
Career
After graduation, Jones became a television researcher, but after being sacked twice, was asked by a producer at Avanti productions to audition in front of the camera.[5] Her first presenting job was for BBC Choice, and she then joined S4C as a presenter on the singing programme Cân i Gymru (A Song for Wales).[5] Jones developed a speciality presenting Welsh-language children's programmes on S4C, including Hip neu Sgip?[6] and Salon, alongside occasional appearances on mainstream British television, including Channel 4's RI:SE.[5]
Jones presents travel show Tocyn (Ticket) on S4C with Aled Samuel, the extreme sports show Chwa, and was part of the crew on Jonathan Davies's Welsh-language rugby show Jonathan for the 2010 Six Nations Championship.[5] Jones is a regular co-host on Real Radio GMG in Wales.[7]
On 25 July 2010, Jones was announced as the new female co-host on The One Show, replacing Christine Bleakley.[3][7][8][9] Jones replaced Claudia Winkleman as co-presenter of Let's Dance for Comic Relief during the programme's third series in February 2011.[10] She also was part of the BBC team for The Royal Wedding 2011 on 29 April 2011, reporting from Catherine Middleton's home town. Jones also presented the United Kingdom's points in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011.
Jones competed in the ninth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2011.[11] Her professional partner was James Jordan.[12] Jones and Jordan were eliminated a week before the final, and finished 5th overall in the competition.
On 23 March 2014, two days after the main Sport Relief telethon, Jones, along with Matt Baker and John Inverdale co-hosted The Sport Relief Games Show, live coverage of the Sport Relief games that afternoon. They will do this again in March 2016.
On 19 July 2014, Jones hosted the Live at Edinburgh Castle concert event on BBC One.[13] Beginning on 9 August 2014, Jones presented the BBC One gymnastics competition series Tumble [14][15] which ran through September 2014.[16]
In 2015, Jones began presenting the daytime series Close Calls: On Camera for BBC One. She will co-host the upcoming BBC series Shop Well for Less alongside Steph McGovern from early 2016.
Personal life
On 10 July 2012, Jones became a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.[17]
On 6 February 2015, during an episode of The One Show, it was announced that Jones had become engaged to New Zealand insurance broker, Charlie Thomson,[18] and on 31 December 2015 she and Thomson were married at Cardiff Castle.[19]
Jones was appointed as a member of the Gorsedd of the Bards during a ceremony at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in Meifod, Powys, in August 2015; honoured for her contribution to Welsh culture.[20]
Charity
Jones is a patron for the Kidney Wales Foundation alongside Katherine Jenkins.[21]
From 18 to 20 March 2014, Jones participated in the Sport Relief appeal by climbing the 1200 ft Moonlight Buttress in Zion National Park, Utah in the US with climber Andy Kirkpatrick.[22] Jones raised £1,281,476 for the charity appeal.[22] Coverage of the challenge was shown on The One Show as well as a 30-minute film which aired on 23 March 2014 on BBC One called Alex Against the Rock for Sport Relief.[23]
From 7 March 2016, Jones will take part in her second challenge for Sport Relief, called 'Hell on High Seas', in which she, along with five other celebrities including Suzi Perry, Hal Cruttenden and Ore Oduba will sail 1,000 miles from Belfast around a section of Britain.[24][25]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Channel | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010— | The One Show | Co-presenter | BBC One | With Matt Baker |
| 2011–2013 | Let's Dance for Comic/Sport Relief | With Steve Jones | ||
| 2011 | Strictly Come Dancing | Participant | ||
| 2014, 2016 | The Sport Relief Games Show | Co-presenter | With Matt Baker | |
| 2014 | Tumble | Saturday night show | ||
| 2015— | Close Calls: On Camera | Presenter/narrator | Daytime series | |
| 2016— | Shop Well For Less? | Co-presenter | Upcoming BBC series |
Guest appearances
- Alan Carr: Chatty Man (8 August 2010) – Guest
- Epic Win (10 September 2011) – Guest
- Pointless Celebrities (2011) – Contestant
- Loose Women (3 November 2011, 4 March 2014) – Guest
- Would I Lie to You? (13 April 2012) – Guest
- Let's Do Lunch with Gino & Mel (10 July 2012) – Guest
- 12 Again (2012) – Contributor
- Room 101 (8 February 2013) – Guest
- 8 Out of 10 Cats (22 February 2013, 1 November 2013, 7 April 2014) – Guest panellist
- What's Cooking? (11 April 2013) – Guest
- The Apprentice: You're Fired! (2013) – Guest panellist
- That Puppet Game Show (24 August 2013) – Contestant
- I Love My Country (31 August 2013) – Guest panellist
- The Sarah Millican Television Programme (29 October 2013) – Guest
- The Chase: Celebrity Special (2 November 2013) – Contestant
- The Michael McIntyre Chat Show (14 April 2014) – Guest
- W1A (23 April 2015) – Cameo appearance
- The Box (23 June 2015) – Guest
- Would I Lie to You? (14 August 2015) – Guest
- Duck Quacks Don't Echo (7 September 2015) – Guest
- The TV That Made Me (2016) – Upcoming guest
References
- ^ a b BDM Swansea 1977 April–June V27 p2577
- ^ Her birthday was mentioned on an episode of The One Show dated 19 March 2014
- ^ a b c d James Robinson (25 July 2010). "Alex Jones to replace Christine Bleakley on The One Show". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Talking to Alex Jones –Cymru – Tocyn – Dysgu ar S4C". S4C. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Rachel Mainwaring (12 February 2010). "Alex Jones: My decade on Welsh TV". Western Mail. Archived from the original on 28 July 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Hip Neu Sgip? (2004) Internet Movie Database
- ^ a b "Alex Jones gets top spot on The One Show sofa". Western Mail. 25 July 2010. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Welsh TV host Alex Jones named new One Show presenter". BBC News. 25 July 2010. Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Alex Jones to join The One Show". Digital Spy. 25 July 2010. Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Let's Dance For Comic Relief axed". The List. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ "Strictly Come Dancing signs up Lulu and Edwina Currie". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
- ^ "Alex Jones". Strictly Come Dancing. BBC. 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ "Fellowships for Jones and Sheen". Aberystwyth University. 10 July 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- ^ [5]
- ^ Williams, Kathryn (31 December 2015). "The One Show presenter Alex Jones is getting married at Cardiff Castle today". Wales Online. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ "One Show presenter Alex Jones honoured by Gorsedd of the Bards". BBC News. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
- ^ "The One Show's Rickshaw Challenge 2012". BBC Children in Need.
- ^ a b "Alex Against the Rock". Sport Relief. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ Dassanayake, Dion (21 March 2014). "Alex Jones heads to Sport Relief 2014 after completing 1,200ft rock climb in Utah". Daily Express. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
- ^ http://www.sportrelief.com/whats-going-on/hell-on-high-seas
- ^ http://home.bt.com/news/bt-life/x-11364043857543