Off The Kerb

Jonathan Ross, OBE, is a stalwart of British television. To-date, he’s presented over 200 episodes of his iconic BBC1 show, Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. His Saturday morning BBC Radio 2 show and BBC Film... have been hosted by Jonathan since 1999.

Jonathan’s keen interest in film and popular culture led Jonathan to present three series of Japanorama on popular culture in Japan (2002, 2006, 2007) followed by the three-part documentary, Jonathan Ross’ Asian Invasion (2006).

Memorable highlights include hosting BBC's Red Nose Day, the BAFTAs, the British Comedy Awards, the BBC's coverage of The Oscars, three Hollywood Greats specials on James Stuart, Kirk Douglas and Michael Caine, and a feisty one-off special interview with Madonna in Friday Night with Ross and Madonna.

Awards
Jonathan's list of awards include the 2008 Gold Sony Award for Music Radio Personality of the Year. They sit alongside four BAFTA TELEVISION AWARDS (2004, 2006, 2007), the Royal Television Society Award for Best Entertainment Performance (2003), Broadcast Award for Best Light Entertainment Programme (2004), British Comedy Award (2002) and two TRIC Awards (Television & Radio Industries Club) for Radio Personality of the Year and Television Personality of the Year (2005). Not bad, eh?

Breaking the mould...
Jonathan's first job in television was at RPM Productions as a researcher on the ill-fated Channel 4 chat show Loose Talk. Various other documentaries and shows followed before Jonathan began working on Soul Train. It was whilst working on this show that he met another young and keen researcher, Alan Marke. They struck up a creative partnership and together came up with the working idea for what would later be called The Last Resort.

TV presenting debut
Confident they had hit upon a winning formula, Jonathan and Alan decided to set up their own production company to make The Last Resort and in 1987, Channel X was born. Finding themselves short of a satisfactory host, Jonathan stepped in, literally as 'the last resort', and made his television presenting debut in January 1987. The show was a hit and broke the mould of the traditional TV chat show in this country.

Tonight with Jonathan Ross was born from a two-week stint hosting Wogan, the BBC1 chat show in 1991. This led to Michael Grade commissioning the three-night-a-week chat show for Channel 4. The chat and variety show Saturday Zoo, which regularly featured new talent including Steve Coogan, Mark Thomas and Jo Brand, followed in 1994. However, disillusioned with Channel 4's lack of support and the general direction that Channel X as a company was taking, Jonathan turned down the offer of a second series of Saturday Zoo and left Channel X in 1995 after selling his share for just £1.

At the end of 1995, Jonathan signed a two-year deal with ITV to host a variety of shows including one series of the chat show The Late Jonathan Ross (1996); a series of one-off entertainment shows called In Search Of... and The Big Big Talent Show (1996-1997)

In June 1999, Jonathan hosted the first series of BBC1's It's Only TV But I Like It, a comedy panel show, starring alongside Jack Dee and Julian Clary.

In 1998, Jonathan became a regular panelist on They Think It’s All Over – staying with the show for 8 years until 2006.

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross – who hasn’t he interviewed! – has been on air since November 2001. The show has seen him delight, cajole, tease and tickle the likes of Madonna, Jim Carey, Jack Dee, JK Rowling, Will Smith, David Tennant, Meryl Streep, Alan Carr, Ricky Gervais, Sarah Jessica Parker and Vivienne Westwood with music from Coldplay, Alicia Keys, the Kooks, Radiohead and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Jonathan also fulfilled a dream - to interview one of his all-time heroes, David Bowie. Friday Night with Ross and Bowie - a one-off special for BBC1 - saw Bowie performing three live numbers with his band including the '70s classic, Ziggy Stardust.




Radio Jonathan's radio career began in back 1987 when he filled in for Janice Long on Radio 1 for two weeks. He then went on to host a flagship show on Richard Branson's first radio station, Radio Radio (the forerunner to Virgin Radio), in 1988, the show was produced by teenager, Chris Evans. In 1998, Jonathan teamed up with Chris Evans again to host a flagship show for the new-look Virgin Radio, The Jonathan Ross Show - a mixture of 'chat, hijinks and general japery'. 1999 saw Jonathan join BBC Radio 2 to host his own show on Saturday mornings, *The Jonathan Ross Show. Now with over 3 million listeners, Ross's award-winning show has had judges of the Sony Awards "laughing out loud... Jonathan Ross is one of the best TV & radio presenters we have. His sometimes angst-ridden, always funny journey into his middle age is recognised by many of his audience." For his efforts, Jonathan has won 4 Sony Awards (the latest 2 gold and one silver in 2003) and a Television and Radio Industry Club Award. Master of Ceremonies 1991 was the first year that Jonathan compered the prestigious British Comedy Awards* for the ITV network, an annual engagement that he has now made his own, having hosted it every year since. In April 1999, Jonathan hosted the film BAFTAS for the BBC. Jonathan also hosted the British Comedy Awards for 13 years.