Toby Anstis
 |
Toby Anstis | |
|---|---|
 Toby Anstis in 2007 | |
| Born | 14 December 1970 Northampton, Northamptonshire, England |
| Occupation(s) | Radio and television presenter |
| Employer | Global Radio |
Toby Anstis (born 14 December 1970) is a British radio and television presenter. He works for the Global Radio-owned Heart network, where he presents the mid-morning slot. Since January 2009, his show has been broadcast around the UK to the former local stations now branded as Heart.
Early life
Originally from Northampton, Toby Anstis was educated at an all-boys school, Desborough School, in Maidenhead, Berkshire. He graduated in Psychology and Marketing from the University of Surrey Roehampton.[1]
Career
Anstis’ introduction to the entertainment industry came shortly after leaving university when a friend invited him to visit a BBC children’s TV studio. He was asked if he would be interested in screen testing for Children's BBC. He initially refused citing an allergy to cotton wool buds. Anstis' first break came when he appeared in The Broom Cupboard on Children's BBC from April 1992 to September 1995. He then hosted The O-Zone music show on BBC Two. Highlights included a first interview with Michael Hutchence and Andrew Farriss of INXS in Rome and an O Zone Special featuring his childhood hero Prue Leith. He completed a world record with Bon Jovi, flying around the UK on the band's private jet, filming with the band as they played live in Glasgow, Cardiff and London in a single day, He hosted a Radiohead special for BBC Two in Vancouver, and a special with Guns N' Roses in Athens, at the Olympic Stadium and on their private yacht.
He was offered his first role as an adult presenter on the National Lottery Live, began presenting cricket films for Grandstand and hosted live coverage of Party In The Park and Reading Festival for ITV2.
Anstis then moved into radio, presenting for the Liberty Radio breakfast show, and for various programmes on Challenge (such as TV Scrabble), before moving to Heart FM in 2002.
In 2004, he appeared in the Living TV reality show, I'm Famous and Frightened!. Anstis co-hosted Children in Need, The National Lottery Live and Grandstand on BBC One, as well as Fan TC with Dannii Minogue and Electric Circus for Live & Kicking, and Bright Sparks. He also presented Trust Me – I'm a Holiday Rep on Channel 5 .[citation needed] In November 2006, he took part in the sixth series of the ITV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and was the first person to be voted out of the show, although it was reported the next day in various tabloids including The Sun that there had been a voting error and Dean Gaffney[2] should have gone. In 2007, he was a judge on VH1's Wannabe and featured on The Killer In Me for ITV1 along with Fiona Phillips (GMTV), footballer John Barnes and political presenter Andrew Neil.
In 2009, he featured on Ready Steady Cook and The Alan Titchmarsh Show. In 2011, he appeared on the BBC quiz show Eggheads. He was the first ever honorary 'Loose Man' on ITV Loose Women and made his stage debut as Teen Angel in the West End production of Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre on 25 January 2010.[citation needed]
He was nominated for 'Presenter Of The Year' at the Arqiva UK commercial radio awards in London in 2011.[3]
Charity work
In 1992 Anstis took part in a charity fun run for Help the Aged. He raised over £4,000.[citation needed]
In 1994, he took part in an episode of Challenge Anneka, where he contributed a spaghetti bolognese recipe to a book in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer. He is an ambassador for The Prince's Trust.[citation needed]
In 2016 he did a 'strawfie' to raise awareness of cystic fibrosis at an event held by the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.[4]
Filmography
- TV
- I'm Famous and Frightened! (2004) – Guest
- Children in Need – Co-presenter
- Trust Me – I'm a Holiday Rep – Presenter
- The Mint – Guest
- I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (2006) – Participant
- Big Brother's Big Mouth (2006) – Pundit
- Ready Steady Cook (2009)
- The Alan Titchmarsh Show (2009)
- Eggheads (2011)
- Loose Women – Loose Man
- Pointless Celebrities (2012 & 2016) – Contestant
- Celebrity Come Dine with Me: Christmas Special – Contestant
- Who's Doing the Dishes? (2015) – Celebrity chef
- Hacker's Birthday Bash: 30 Years of Children's BBC (2015) – Himself
- A Place in the Sun (2017) - Himself
References
- ^ Fame and Fortune The Sunday Times Money 31 August 2008
- ^ Double Eviction Archived 2 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Goodacre, Kate (7 July 2011). "Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards 2011 - The winners". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ^ "Cystic Fibrosis Toddler Tilly Has Fun with DJ Toby Anstis". Good News Shared. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
External links
- Toby Anstis at IMDb