Craig Phillips

Last updated

Craig Phillips
Craig Phillips teaching DIY.jpg
Phillips in 2011
Born (1971-10-16) 16 October 1971 (age 52)
Liverpool, England
Years active2000–present
Television Big Brother 1
Spouse
Laura Sherriff
(m. 2018)
Children2

Craig Phillips (born 16 October 1971) is an English television personality and builder. He is known for winning the first series of Big Brother in 2000. [1] He is trained as a bricklayer, and has appeared in numerous television series related to building since winning Big Brother.

Contents

Early life

The younger of two children and born in Liverpool, his family moved to Newport, Shropshire, in the late 1980s. At 18, Phillips secured a day release bricklayers apprenticeship whilst employed with Wrekin Council's construction department. He also attended further night school classes in advanced brickwork and civil engineering. Having qualified with a City & Guilds, Phillips went on to set up his own building company. In the 1990s, he presented Renovation Street with Linda Robson for Carlton ITV before being brought in as the DIY expert for the BBC on an exclusive contract in 2001.

Career after Big Brother

After leaving Big Brother as the first winner, Phillips announced he was giving his £70,000 prize fund to his friend Joanne Harris, who had Down syndrome, to pay for her heart and lung transplant. He had begun raising money with friends for Harris sometime before entering Big Brother, raising only small amounts of money towards the £250,000 needed for her operation, but within 6 days of winning, he achieved the target required for her life saving operation thanks to public support and donations from celebrities. Harris died in April 2008. [2] He has featured in comedy series Bo' Selecta! and appeared in the reality series Back To Reality , raising £40,000 for Macmillan Cancer Trust. [3]

At Christmas 2000, Phillips released the charity single, "At This Time of Year" through Warner Music. The single went to Number 14 in the UK Singles Chart, [4] achieving silver disc status, and raising over £40,000 for the Down's Syndrome Association. It stayed in the top 40 for three weeks. Since then, he appeared in videos for two other Xmas singles – Bo Selecta!'s Proper Crimbo which reached No. 4 in 2003 and Ricky Tomlinson's "Christmas My A*se" which reached 25 in 2006.[ citation needed ] In 2001, Phillips appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank ; [5] in 2003, Phillips appeared on the fifth series of Fort Boyard.

Phillips has presented numerous televisions programmes, including Housecall, Housecall in the Country, Builders Sweat and Tears, Our House, Trading Up, Big Strong Boys, Boyz in the Wood, Big Strong Boys in the Sun, Renovation Street, Trading Up in the Sun, House Trap and Craig’s Trade Tips. He also has a production company called Avent Productions. [6] For Avent, he has presented Conversion; a 10-part series for Discovery Realtime, and the sixth series of Hung, Drawn & Broke, a 6-part series filmed for British Forces Broadcasting Service. The company also produces corporate productions many of these for building companies. In 2007, Phillips joined the team of 60 Minute Makeover for ITV. He appeared in 80 episodes in 2008.[ citation needed ]

In February 2009, Phillips appeared in Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway in "Escape from Takeaway Prison" for six weeks. In summer 2009, he released his debut autobiography. In July 2009, Phillips returned to the Big Brother house to help celebrate the show's tenth anniversary. In 2010, Phillips appeared on Big Brother again, and competed in a shed building task. He also appeared in Dermot's Last Supper, a special to celebrate the ending of Big Brother. In April 2011, he hosted a show called Celebrity DIY with Craig Phillips for Home. In June 2011, he also hosted If It's Broke, Fit It for Home.[ citation needed ]

In June 2020, he made a guest appearance on Big Brothers's Best Shows on E4, where he talked about watching his series back. [7]

Since 2013, Phillips has worked as a presenter for the SilverLine Tools YouTube channel, demonstrating how to put together and build some of their products. He is also often featured in their website and social media. [8]

Personal life

In 2018, Phillips married Laura Sherriff at Peckforton Castle, Cheshire, after the couple had dated for two years. [9] Rather than asking for gifts from guests, he and Sherriff asked that the attendants donate to hospice charities instead. [10] The couple have two children: Nelly (born March 2019), [11] and Lennon (born December 2020). [12] The couple featured in Channel 5's (S1 Ep1) "Millionaire Age Gap Love" in 2020. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carol Smillie</span> Scottish television presenter

Carol Patricia Smillie is a Scottish former television presenter, actress and former model. Smillie became famous as a presenter on British TV during the 1990s and early 2000s. She was best known for assisting Nicky Campbell on the UK version of the game show Wheel of Fortune between 1989 and 1994. Between 1996 and 2003, she was the main presenter on the BBC One home makeover show Changing Rooms.

Blankety Blank is a British comedy game show which started in 1979 and is still running today, albeit with some sizeable gaps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ant & Dec</span> British television presenting duo

Ant & Dec are a British television presenting duo consisting of Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly from Newcastle upon Tyne. Formed after their meeting as child actors on CBBC's drama Byker Grove, they performed together as pop musicians PJ & Duncan, the names of their characters from the series. For their earliest TV presenting roles they used the aliases Tony & Lan.

Julie Goodyear MBE is an English actress. She is known for portraying Bet Lynch in the long-running ITV soap opera Coronation Street. She first appeared as Bet for nine episodes in 1966, before becoming a series regular from 1970 to 1995. She returned for eight episodes in 2002 and another seven in 2003. For her role on Coronation Street, she received the Special Recognition Award at the 1995 National Television Awards. She was made an MBE in the 1996 New Year Honours.

<i>Bo Selecta!</i> Television series

Bo' Selecta! is a British television sketch show written and performed by Leigh Francis. It was broadcast on Channel 4 from 2002 until 2009 and lampooned popular culture, becoming known for its often surreal, abstract toilet humour. Season 4 was known as A Bear's Tail while season 5 shifted filming to the United States and was called Bo! In the USA. The show consists of comedy sketches of characters played by Francis, with minor support roles over the years played by Craig Phillips, Caroline Flack, Ozzy Rezat, Patsy Kensit, Karen Hayley, Barunka O'Shaughnessy, Dexter Fletcher, Sean Pertwee, Luis Fernandez-Gil and Robert Stone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claire Sweeney</span> English actress, singer and television personality (born 1971)

Claire Jane Sweeney is an English actress, singer, and television personality. Known for her portrayal of Lindsey Corkhill on Channel 4's Brookside (1991–2003), she also played Roxie Hart in Chicago and starred in touring productions of Guys and Dolls (2006), Tell Me on a Sunday (2011), Legally Blonde (2011), and Educating Rita (2012). She was a panellist on ITV's Loose Women between 2003 and 2005, and presented 60 Minute Makeover from 2004 to 2006. Her debut album, Claire, reached number 15 on the UK Albums Chart in 2002. Sweeney has portrayed Cassie Plummer on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street since 2023. Her other credits include Candy Cabs (2011), Scarborough (2019), and The Good Ship Murder (2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Duffy</span> Irish singer, actor, radio and television presenter and drummer

Keith Peter Thomas Francis Julian John Duffy is an Irish singer, actor, radio and television presenter and drummer who began his professional music career as part of Irish boy band Boyzone alongside Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately in 1993. The band decided to focus on solo projects in 2000 since which Duffy has taken acting roles in soap operas such as Coronation Street and Fair City. He has also presented The Box and You're a Star.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phillip Schofield</span> English television personality (born 1962)

Phillip Bryan Schofield is an English television presenter. He began his career as a Children's BBC continuity announcer from 1985 to 1987, and went on to present a wide range of high-profile programmes for the BBC and ITV, including Going Live! (1987–1993), This Morning (2002–2023), Dancing on Ice, All Star Mr & Mrs (2008–2016), and The Cube. As an actor, he played the leading roles in the musicals Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Doctor Dolittle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradley Walsh</span> English actor, comedian, singer and television presenter

Bradley John Walsh is an English actor, television presenter, comedian, singer, and former professional footballer.

Brian Patrick Robert Dowling is an Irish television presenter. He rose to fame after winning the second series of reality series Big Brother, and went on to win Ultimate Big Brother in 2010. In 2007, he came third in Hell's Kitchen and in 2008, he was runner-up in the Irish reality television series Fáilte Towers. Dowling then guest-presented Live from Studio Five alongside Kate Walsh from 2010 until its cancellation in February 2011.

Teresa "Terri" Dwyer is a British television presenter and actress, best known for her role as Ruth Osborne in the British soap opera Hollyoaks. She has also presented the ITV home makeover show 60 Minute Makeover.

June Konadu Sarpong is a British television presenter and executive. She was a panellist on ITV's Loose Women and is currently a panellist on the Sky News programme The Pledge. In November 2019, Sarpong was appointed as the BBC's first Director of Creative Diversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andi Peters</span> British television personality

Andi Eleazu Peters is a British television presenter, producer, journalist and voice actor, currently employed by ITV and known for presenting Children's BBC, roles on breakfast TV shows Live & Kicking, GMTV, Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, and for hosting Dancing on Ice: Extra and The Big Reunion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Mulhern</span> English entertainer (born 1977)

Stephen Daniel Mulhern is an English television presenter, magician and comedian. He began his career at CITV presenting the children’s television shows Finger Tips (2001–2004) and Tricky TV (2005–2010). Mulhern has presented various television shows for ITV, including Britain's Got More Talent (2007–2019), Animals Do the Funniest Things (2007–2011), This Morning's Hub (2011–2014), Catchphrase (2013–present), Big Star's Little Star (2013–2018), In for a Penny (2019–present), Rolling In It (2020–2021), Deal or No Deal (2023–present) and Dancing on Ice (2024–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denise Welch</span> English actress and television personality

Jacqueline Denise Welch is an English actress, television personality, writer and broadcaster. Her roles include Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street (1997–2000), Steph Haydock in Waterloo Road (2006–2010), and Trish Minniver in Hollyoaks (2021–2022). Welch also appears as a regular panellist on the ITV chat show Loose Women.

Patricia "Tricia" Penrose is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Gina Ward in ITV's long-running 1960s drama Heartbeat, a role she played continuously for 17 years from 1993 to 2010. She has also appeared on The Royal, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Boon, Justice, Fort Boyard, The Bill and Dancin' Thru the Dark. As well as her acting roles, she has had her own show on Radio Wirral and since 2021 has been working on some shows for BBC Radio 4.

Cleo Rocos is a UK-based comedy actress, producer, presenter and businesswoman who starred alongside Kenny Everett on The Kenny Everett Television Show.

Fiona Dolman is a Scottish actress known for playing Miss Pamela Andrews in the ITV daytime drama series and spinoff to The Royal, The Royal Today, and for the role of Jackie Rosemary Lambert Bradley, PC Mike Bradley's solicitor wife in Heartbeat. She also featured in Channel 4's vampire serial Ultraviolet.

<i>Text Santa</i> British TV series or programme

Text Santa was a charity initiative set up in 2011 by ITV to support UK-based charities during the Christmas period. The appeal to the public is to donate money mainly via text donation and profits from merchandise. The telethons have been hosted by popular ITV presenters including Phillip Schofield, Christine Bleakley, and Ant & Dec. The 2015 appeal show was the last after ITV decided to axe the show to make way for an all-year appeal.

References

  1. McCreesh, Louise (6 November 2018). "Big Brother winner Craig Phillips is glad show's ended". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  2. "Big Brother 1 - News - Craig Phillips's BB winnings donee dies". Digital Spy . 16 April 2008.
  3. JustGiving. "Read Craig's story". www.justgiving.com. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  4. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 124. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  5. Lily Savage's Blankety Blank. 18 February 2001. ITV. Repeated 25 August 2016 on Challenge TV.
  6. "Avent Productions". Archived from the original on 10 December 2006.
  7. "'It was the most captivating things I've seen on TV': Big Brother winner Craig Phillips' top 5 BB highlights ahead of Best Shows Ever". Metro . Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  8. "Silverline Tools TV on YouTube". YouTube. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  9. "Big Brother's Craig Phillips marries fiancée Laura – see wedding photos". HELLO!. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  10. "Big Brother's Craig Phillips asking for hospice donations at wedding". Metro. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  11. "Big Brother: What ever happened to the winners? From Craig Phillips to Cameron Cole". Metro . Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  12. Whitwam, Emily (11 January 2020). "Craig Phillips and wife Laura reveal special meaning behind baby son Lennon's name as they open up on 'textbook perfect birth'". OK! Magazine . Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  13. https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-express/20200109/282192242921308 . Retrieved 2 December 2022 via PressReader.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)