Christine Bleakley

Christine Lampard
Born Christine Louise Bleakley
(1979-02-02) 2 February 1979
Newtownards, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Residence New York City, New York, United States
Education Queen's University of Belfast
Occupation Television and radio presenter
Years active 1997–present
Employer BBC (2004–2010, 2016—)
ITV (2010—)
Radio Aire 2 (2015)
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Television The One Show (2007–2010)
Daybreak (2010–2011)
ITV Specials (2010–2014)
Text Santa (2011–2015)
Dancing on Ice (2012–2014)
This Morning (2013—)
Wild Ireland (2015)
Spouse(s) Frank Lampard (m. 2015)
Parent(s) Frederick and Mina Bleakley
Website Official Twitter

Christine Louise Lampard (born 2 February 1979) is a British broadcaster from Newtownards, Northern Ireland, best known for her television work with the BBC and ITV.

She has presented various shows with Adrian Chiles such as The One Show (2007–2010) and Daybreak (2010–2011) and with Phillip Schofield she has presented Dancing on Ice (2012–2014) and This Morning (2013–present).[1][2] More recently, Bleakley has presented factual series for ITV including Off The Beaten Track (2013) and Wild Ireland (2015).

Early life

Bleakley was born in Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry to Mina and Frederick Bleakley, and grew up in Newtownards.[3] She has a younger sister, Nicola.[4]

Bleakley started her television career as a runner and then trained to become a floor manager while studying for her A-Levels at Bloomfield Collegiate School in Ballyhackamore, Belfast. She continued to work at BBC NI while studying for a politics degree at Queen's University, Belfast. Bleakley did not complete her degree course, however, instead moving into television work full-time.[5]

Career

BBC

Bleakley moved into television with BBC Northern Ireland hosting a wide variety of shows. One of her programmes was called Sky High which saw her flying around Northern Ireland in a helicopter in 2004. A weekly entertainment show called First Stop followed, and she also hosted Would You Pass The 11+[6][7] and BBC NI coverage of Children in Need.[8] She also took part in cookery show, Spill the Beans.[9]

Outside Northern Ireland, Bleakley co-hosted BBC Two's Let Me Entertain You with Brian Conley[10] and in July 2007, she became co-host of The One Show on BBC One, replacing Myleene Klass. Bleakley and Adrian Chiles hosted the show for three years.[10] On 20 January 2010, comedian Patrick Kielty was a guest on The One Show, when he revealed Bleakley's mobile number to the camera, to prove that he had her number to celebrate their double birthday celebrations. Within five minutes of Kielty's mistake, Bleakley was bombarded with calls and text messages. She has since changed her number.[11]

In October 2009, Christine co-presented The Teaching Awards alongside Jeremy Vine on BBC Two.[12] In 2009, Bleakley occasionally hosted The National Lottery Draws on BBC One. Bleakley co-hosted a segment of the Sport Relief telethon with Gary Lineker in March 2010.

When Chiles left the BBC in 2010, there was a great deal of speculation on whether Bleakley would extend her BBC contract or move to ITV.[13] After the speculation, Bleakley also left The One Show to join ITV as the co-host of Daybreak following Adrian Chiles' departure from the BBC to ITV. Questions were raised in Parliament over the size and scale of the proposed £900,000 per year two-year BBC contract.[14] Shortly after she fired her long-term manager and signed with Chiles' management company, on 20 June 2010, the BBC announced that it had withdrawn an offer to extend her current contract.[14] Later that day ITV (owners of GMTV) announced she would again partner Chiles by co-hosting the revamped breakfast show with him, and also hosting other entertainment programmes.[1] On 8 July 2010, the BBC confirmed that Bleakley was not returning to The One Show after the programme returned from the World Cup break on 12 July.[15]

In September 2016, it was announced that Bleakley would return to the BBC to co-present The Nature of Friendship.[16] She will co-host three-part series with Adrian Chiles and it will air on BBC Northern Ireland.

ITV

Bleakley moved to ITV less than three hours after the BBC had withdrawn their £1 million offer for her to remain on the channel. She joined ITV on a four-year contract worth £4 million.

“ I am looking forward to a brand new experience at ITV albeit with an old friend. And it will be exciting to work alongside Peter Fincham again, who kindly gave me a break on The One Show in the first place. I have been torn between working with Adrian Chiles and remaining at the BBC ”

On 6 September 2010, Bleakley joined Chiles to host ITV Breakfast's Daybreak. The programme suffered mixed reviews and poor viewing figures in its first weeks on air,[17][18] and Bleakley herself was the subject of criticism.[19] On 18 November 2011, Bleakley and co-presenter Chiles were replaced by Dan Lobb and Kate Garraway who presented on an interim basis. In September 2012, they were replaced by Aled Jones and Lorraine Kelly.[20]

From 2011 until 2015, Bleakley co-hosted ITV's Christmas telethon Text Santa. In 2011, 2014 and 2015, she co-hosted the charity appeal with Phillip Schofield and with Paddy McGuinness in 2012 and 2013.[21]

Bleakley has hosted a number of ITV Specials, including Simply Red: For the Last Time in 2010,[22] Duran Duran: One Night Only in 2011[23] and Michael Flatley: A Night to Remember in 2014.[24] On Boxing Day 2012, Bleakley hosted That Dog Can Dance.[25]

In 2011, Bleakley became Phillip Schofield's co-presenter on Dancing on Ice, replacing Holly Willoughby who joined The Voice UK. She presented three series of the show between 2012 and 2014 when it came to an end after the ninth series on 9 March 2014.[26] For each episode of Dancing on Ice, Bleakley was paid £24,163. When she was hosting the show, she was the highest paid female television star, earning around £400 per minute.[27][28] On 11 May 2011, Bleakley presented The National Movie Awards.[29]

On 1 November 2013, Bleakley began presenting a series called Off The Beaten Track. On 3 March 2014, the show was axed, despite good viewing figures.[30] Of this announcement, a spokesperson for the channel said "We're looking at several other projects to work on with Christine, who remains a big part of the ITV presenting line-up".

Bleakley is a frequent stand-in host on This Morning, subbing whenever Phillip Schofield or Holly Willoughby are unable to appear.[27][31][32]

On 23 December 2014, Bleakley co-hosted one-off documentary Roman Britain From the Air with Michael Scott.[33][34] On 27 December 2014, Bleakley hosted the one-off magic special Darcy Oake: Edge of Reality[35] and acted as Oake's assistant in two illusions, first being made to appear on a large motorcycle and then being sawed in half in Oake's Clearly Impossible sawing illusion.

In 2015, Bleakley hosted the six-part documentary series Wild Ireland which saw her travel across the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland.[36] In October 2016, she was a guest panellist on an episode of Loose Women.[37][38][39]

Strictly Come Dancing

Main article: Strictly Come Dancing

In 2008, Bleakley took part in the sixth series of Strictly Come Dancing, in which she was partnered with professional dancer Matthew Cutler.[40] Bleakley and Cutler were eliminated on 30 November 2008, leaving the competition in fifth place, after Rachel Stevens and Vincent Simone beat them in the dance-off.[41]

Week Dance/Song Judges' scores Result
Craig Revel Horwood Len Goodman Arlene Phillips Bruno Tonioli Total
2 Foxtrot / "The Way You Look Tonight" 6 6 8 7 27 Safe
4 Quickstep / "She's So Lovely" 6 6 7 7 26 Safe
5 Samba / "Baila, Baila Conmigo" 7 7 8 8 30 Safe
6 Paso Doble / "Fighter" 3 6 7 6 22 Safe
7 American Smooth / "Singin' in the Rain" 7 7 8 7 29 Safe
8 Jive / "Jailhouse Rock" 7 8 8 8 31 Safe
9 Waltz / "See the Day" 8 8 9 9 34 Safe
10 Cha Cha Cha / "I Like It Like That" 6 6 8 7 27 Safe
11 Tango / "Addicted to Love" 6 7 8 7 28 N/A
11 Salsa / "Cosmic Girl" 7 7 8 8 30 Eliminated

Radio

At the beginning of her career, Bleakley worked at Belfast Citybeat as a newsreader and presenter, working with Stephen Nolan.[42] From January to March 2015, Bleakley presented a Sunday afternoon programme called Sunday Lunch from 3–4pm on Magic Radio.[43][44]

Film

Bleakley was the voice of the Newsreader in the 1998 film Divorcing Jack[45] and the voice of Sandra in the 2010 film A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures.[46]

Other work

In 2010 and 2011, Bleakley was on the judging panel for the Pride of Britain Awards.[47] She released a 60 minute fitness DVD called Christine Bleakley – The Workout in December 2011.

On 20 March 2010, Bleakley made her stand-up comedy debut when she took part in Channel 4's Comedy Gala, a benefit show in aid of Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital, filmed at the O2 Arena in London.[48] In August 2014, Bleakley was announced as the new brand ambassador for Soft & Gentle anti-perspirant.[49]

In October 2016, Bleakley co-presented Celebrity Haunted Hotel Live for the W channel. The show, which she co-hosted alongside Matt Richardson and Jamie East, aired for five consecutive nights from 27–31 October.[50][51]

Awards

In November 2010, Bleakley was awarded the title 'Top TV Host' at the 2010 Cosmopolitan Ultimate Women of the Year Awards.[52][53]

Personal life

Bleakley dated Belfast Giants star Curtis Bowen as she started her TV career. After breaking up with Bowen in 2003, Bleakley dated Dublin restaurant owner Christian Stokes to whom she got engaged in 2004.[54] She was then in a relationship with entrepreneur Mark Beirne for 3 years until they split in January 2009.[55][56]

In October 2009, after attending the Pride of Britain Awards, Bleakley began a relationship with footballer Frank Lampard.[57][58] The couple married in Knightsbridge, London on 20 December 2015.[59][60] She assumed her husband's surname.[61]

Charity

Bleakley is a Northern Ireland ambassador for The Prince's Trust.[10] In 2010, Bleakley did a water skiing challenge, raising £1,321,623 for Sport Relief. In the same year, her co-host on The One Show, Adrian Chiles grew a beard, which was later shaved off by Bleakley for Sport Relief, raising £60,000 in the process.[62]

In 2012, Bleakley took part in a 5 km run for Cancer Research UK with Heidi Range and Roxanne Pallett. She ran through Blackheath on 1 July.[63] In 2014, Bleakley became a Sainsbury's Active Kids ambassador, which encourages children to be more physical at school.[64]

Bleakley is a patron for the Sparks children's charity. In 2015, she hosted the charity's winter ball for the first time.[65] She also supported the Text Santa appeal and presented their annual telethon from 2011 until 2015.

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes Network
2004 Would You Pass The 11+ Co-presenter With Eamonn Holmes BBC
2006–2007 Let Me Entertain You Co-presenter With Brian Conley
2007–2010 The One Show Co-presenter With Adrian Chiles
2008 Strictly Come Dancing Participant Series 6
2009 The Teaching Awards Co-presenter 1 episode, with Jeremy Vine
The National Lottery Draws Presenter Occasional episodes
2010 Sport Relief Co-presenter 1 episode; with Gary Lineker
2010–2011 Daybreak Co-presenter With Adrian Chiles and Dan Lobb ITV
2010 Simply Red: For the Last Time Presenter One-off special
2011 Duran Duran: One Night Only Presenter One-off special
National Movie Awards Presenter 1 episode
Westlife: For the Last Time Presenter One-off special
2011–2015 Text Santa Co-presenter With Phillip Schofield and Paddy McGuinness
2012–2014 Dancing on Ice Co-presenter With Phillip Schofield
2012 This is Lionel Richie Presenter One-off special
That Dog Can Dance Presenter One-off special
2013— This Morning[66] Stand-in presenter Regular stand-in presenter
2013 Off The Beaten Track Presenter Primetime documentary series
2014 Michael Flatley: A Night to Remember Presenter One-off special
Spandau Ballet: True Gold Presenter One-off special
Roman Britain From the Air Co-presenter One-off special, with Dr. Michael Scott
Darcy Oake: Edge of Reality Co-presenter One-off special
2015 Wild Ireland Presenter Primetime documentary series
2016 Loose Women Guest panellist / Guest presenter 2 episodes
Celebrity Haunted Hotel Live Co-presenter With Matt Richardson and Jamie East W
2017 The Nature of Friendship Co-presenter Upcoming documentary series; with Adrian Chiles BBC
Guest appearances
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1998 Divorcing Jack Newsreader Voice only
2010 A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures Sandra Voice only
Radio
Year Title Role Notes
Belfast Citybeat Newsreader With Stephen Nolan
2015 Sunday Lunch[76] Presenter Sundays, 3–4pm

References

  1. 1 2 "Christine Bleakley joins GMTV". GMTV. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  2. ↑ Daybreak Press Pack ITV, 31 August 2010
  3. ↑ How old are you Christine Bleakley? One Show star claims to be 29 but her birth certificate says she's 30 Daily Mail (London), 15 September 2009
  4. ↑ "Meet Christine Bleakley's little sister". Belfast Telegraph. 5 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  5. ↑ "Get work in NI – Real lives, real jobs". BBC Northern Ireland. Retrieved 8 September 2008.
  6. ↑ Would You Pass The 11+ BBC Northern Ireland, December 2004
  7. ↑ Wild programmes Wild Rover Productions
  8. ↑ Christine Bleakley rejoins Adrian Chiles on GMTV, but could it all go very badly wrong? Belfast Telegraph, 22 June 2010
  9. ↑ How Christine (31) ruined Grainne's (36) hopes for the GMTV hot seat Herald.ie, 22 June 2010
  10. 1 2 3 "Christine Bleakley's profile". The One Show. BBC. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
  11. ↑ "Bad call, Patrick! TV host Kielty accidentally gives out Christine Bleakley's number during an appearance on The One Show". Daily Mail. London.
  12. ↑ "BBC Two - Teaching Awards, 2009". BBC.
  13. ↑ "Bleakley 'torn' over TV offers". BBC News. 13 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  14. 1 2 "BBC withdraws Christine Bleakley TV offer". BBC News. 21 June 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  15. ↑ "Christine Bleakley will not return to The One Show". BBC News. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  16. ↑ "Adrian Chiles And Christine Bleakley Set For TV Reunion". 9 September 2016.
  17. ↑ Daybreak fails to ignite early morning ratings as it loses viewers battle to BBC Breakfast Daily Mail (London), 8 September 2010
  18. ↑ Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley's Daybreak loses viewers Belfast Telegraph, 16 September 2010
  19. ↑ Daybreak: What has gone wrong for Chiles and Bleakely dream team? Belfast Telegraph, 28 October 2010
  20. ↑ Methven, Nicola (19 November 2011). "Christine Bleakley and Adrian Chiles axed as hosts of ITV flop Daybreak". Daily Record.
  21. ↑
  22. ↑ Simply Red: For The Last Time ITV Press Centre, 15 September 2010
  23. ↑ Duran Duran: For One Night Only ITV Press Centre, 10 March 2011
  24. ↑ Tom Eames (30 April 2014). "Michael Flatley to return in ITV special". Digital Spy.
  25. ↑ Sheridan, Emily (28 December 2012). "Another ratings disaster for Simon Cowell as his 'X Factor for dogs' only gets 3.7million viewers". Daily Mail. London.
  26. ↑ Percival, Ashley (18 November 2011). "Holly Willoughby quits Dancing on Ice for The Voice". AOL. Retrieved 18 November 2011.
  27. 1 2 Carl Greenwood (5 February 2014). "This Morning: Christine Bleakley to co-star alongside Holly Willoughby as Phillip Schofield takes a break". Daily Mirror.
  28. ↑ Prosser, Caroline (9 March 2014). "Their first and last! Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley debut their skating skills as Dancing on Ice bows out". Daily Mail. London.
  29. ↑ The King's Speech wins three National Movie Awards BBC News, 11 May 2011
  30. ↑ Davison, Rebecca (2 March 2014). "Christine Bleakley's show Off The Beaten Track will not be recommissioned just as Dancing On Ice is set to end". Daily Mail. London.
  31. ↑ Frances Taylor (4 February 2014). "Christine Bleakley to co-host This Morning with Holly Willoughby". Digital Spy.
  32. ↑ "Amanda Holden to present This Morning". ITV.com.
  33. ↑ "Roman Britain From The Air". "ITV Press Centre".
  34. ↑ "Roman Britain From the Air".
  35. ↑ Darcy Oake: Edge of Reality, itv.com.
  36. ↑ "Christine Bleakley set to front new ITV series Wild Atlantic Way". Irish Post.
  37. ↑ https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/2047556/christine-lampard-opens-up-about-being-childless-at-37-on-loose-women-almost-a-year-after-her-marriage-to-husband-frank/
  38. ↑ http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/loose-women-panel-gets-blasted-9121123
  39. ↑ http://metro.co.uk/2016/10/25/fans-call-for-loose-women-guest-panellist-christine-lampard-to-join-as-main-presenter-6215112/
  40. ↑ "Strictly celebrities are unveiled". BBC News. 28 August 2008. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
  41. ↑ "TV's Bleakley performs last tango". BBC News. 30 November 2008.
  42. ↑ Christine Bleakley moving to ITV – joining Adrian Chiles on the GMTV sofa Belfast Telegraph, 21 June 2010
  43. ↑ Susannah Alexander (5 January 2015). "Magic Radio signs John Barrowman and Christine Bleakley for national launch". Digital Spy.
  44. ↑ "Christine Bleakley among stars on Magic radio as it launches in Portsmouth".
  45. ↑ "Christine Bleakley". IMDb.
  46. ↑ "The Fan Carpet". The Fan Carpet.
  47. ↑
  48. ↑ Stars turn out for charity comedy gala Newsbeat, BBC, 31 March 2010
  49. ↑ "Christine Bleakley named Brand Ambassador for Soft & Gentle". Fashion Monitor.
  50. ↑ "UKTV's W Channel Orders 'Celebrity Haunted Hotel Live' Fronted By Christine Lampard, Matt Richardson & Jamie East - TVWise". 4 October 2016.
  51. ↑ "Christine Lampard is checking into a REAL haunted hotel". 3 October 2016.
  52. ↑ Cosmo’s Ultimate Women of the Year Awards Cosmopolitan, 3 November 2010
  53. ↑ Christine Bleakley crowned top TV host despite Daybreak's flagging ratings The Daily Telegraph (London), 3 November 2010
  54. ↑ "BLISS FOR TELLY BABE BLEAKLEY; Christine's Joy as Christian Pops the Question".
  55. ↑ Looks like Mark wasn't the one! Sunday Life, 1 February 2009
  56. ↑ One Show co-stars' friendship back under the spotlight as Christine Bleakley is ditched by her boyfriend Daily Mail (London), 30 January 2009
  57. ↑ 'Christine Bleakley is brainy, funny and very pretty, and so way too good for a Chelsea player,' I told Frank Lampard Daily Mail (London), 23 November 2009
  58. ↑ Who's that girl Irish Independent, 31 July 2010
  59. ↑ "When a WAG's had to wait four years to tie the knot, only a £10,000 dress will do: Christine Bleakley wears showstopper to lavish wedding to Frank Lampard (although, it's a shame she got mud on the gown)". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  60. ↑ Tom Bryant (21 December 2015). "Frank Lampard: Marrying Christine Bleakley is best day of my life". Daily Mirror.
  61. ↑ McCullough, Chris (4 January 2016). "It's Mrs Lampard as Christine Bleakley forsakes maiden name after marrying Frank". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  62. ↑ Sawer, Patrick (30 January 2010). "Adrian Chiles's beard is sign of new trend". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  63. ↑ Mayer Nissim (24 June 2012). "Heidi Range, Roxanne Pallett on Race for Life: 'It's a celebration'". Digital Spy.
  64. ↑ "Christine Bleakley slips into chic polka-dot blouse". Daily Mail. London. 14 July 2014.
  65. ↑ "Sparks". Sparks.
  66. ↑ "Christine Bleakley and Amanda Holden return to ITV's This Morning to co-host with Phillip Schofield in 2015". "ITV Press Centre".
  67. ↑ Shooting Stars BBC Two
  68. ↑ Would I Lie To You? BBC One
  69. ↑ Ant & Dec. "I'm Christine Bleakley... Get Out Of Me Ear!". Ant & Dec.
  70. ↑ "Through The Keyhole". "ITV Press Centre".
  71. ↑ "Celebrity Squares". "ITV Press Centre".
  72. ↑ Rachel Babbage (19 February 2015). "Jonathan Ross and Christine Bleakley for latest Keith Lemon Sketch Show". Digital Spy.
  73. ↑ "Play To The Whistle". "ITV Press Centre".
  74. ↑ "Episode 1, Delete, Delete, Delete - BBC One".
  75. ↑ "Christine Bleakley's a natural as she treads the boards for Give My Head Peace special - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk".
  76. ↑ "Christine Bleakley". Magic.

External links

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