Jason John Manford was born in Salford on 26 May 1981, the son of Sharon (née Ryan)[1] and courtroom stenographer and trade unionshop steward in the NHS Ian Manford.[2][3] His maternal grandmother, Nora (née Peate), was an Irish Catholic from Dublin.[4][5] Manford and his four siblings grew up in a terraced house in the Whalley Range area of Manchester.[2][6] He attended St Margaret's Primary School in Whalley Range, and later Chorlton High School (at the time known as Oakwood High School). He formed a band in school with two friends, Simon and Neil, with his mother later saying that this was what got him into singing.
During a Twitter exchange in which Manford defended strike action taken by British Railway workers in the ASLEFtrade union, Manford recalled the various workplaces he had worked in before his current career including building sites, call centres, shops, bars, warehouses and offices. He stated: "I didn't just leave school and say 'right, I'm off to play the arena!'".[3] While working as a glass collector at a local pub,[7] Manford became interested in comedy after watching the likes of Eddie Izzard, Peter Kay and Johnny Vegas perform at the local comedy club. Kay recommended him to undertake an HND in media and performance at the University of Salford, which Kay himself had done.[8] Despite not having the required A-level grades, he was accepted into the programme and eventually upgraded to a full degree. His brother Colin, also a University of Salford graduate, followed him into performing[9] and is also a stand-up comedian.[10]
Career
Television
From June to November 2007, Manford had a small part in Ideal as Jack.[11] He later made another appearance in episode five of the series. He hosted a breakfast show on Xfm Manchester[12] until May 2008.[13]
On 26 May 2010, Manford was announced as the new presenter of BBC One's The One Show from July 2010.[16] He resigned from the programme in November 2010 following allegations surrounding his private life.[17]
Manford played the role of Marty in the 2015 BBC Drama Ordinary Lies.[20] In 2015, he hosted The Money Pit for Dave and It's a Funny Old Week for ITV.[21]
Since 2017, he has been the voice of Daisy's dad in a CHF Entertainment cartoon called Daisy & Ollie. He also writes some of the episodes for it.[22]
In 2018, he fronted What Would Your Kid Do?, a new series for ITV.[23]
In May 2021, Manford became the presenter of BBC quiz show Unbeatable.[26]
Stand–up
After a successful first UK tour[27] and high sales of the following DVD, filmed live at the Manchester Apollo, he began his "Turning into My Dad" tour on 14 July 2010.[28]
He toured the UK with "First-World Problems" from June to December 2013 and produced a DVD of the same name. His show "Muddle Class" was toured across the UK until the end of 2018. His tour "Like Me" began in early September 2020 and finished in October 2021.[29]
In 2011 Manford became one of the shareholders of the Chester comedy club The Laugh Inn. He frequented the club to see shows and support the circuit comedians, as well as performing impromptu shows. The club closed in 2013.[30]
Singing
Manford comes from a family of singers and musicians[10] and sang regularly with them. In the TV competition Born to Shine in 2011, he was taught daily to sing in an operatic style; he went on to win[31] the show, and has released an album of show tunes, titled A Different Stage.
On 16 December 2022, Manford released Assembly Bangers: The Album with Chris Sutherland,[35] with the "Christmas Assembly Bangers" single being released on the same day. Again, all proceeds were donated to the Trussell Trust.[36]
Acting
Manford has a minor voice role in the Xbox 360 video game Fable III, playing Jammy, who teaches the player how to use mortars.[37]
In 2019, he starred in Curtains, a musical whodunnit by Fred Ebb and John Kander, which toured the UK. It moved to the Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End mid-December until mid-January 2020, after which it began a further UK tour.[38]
In February 2024, it was confirmed that Manford had joined the cast of BBC's Waterloo Road as the school's new headteacher, Steve Savage.[40]
Influences
Manford has cited Billy Connolly as his comedy hero,[41] after seeing him when he was 11; further, comics such as Tommy Cooper and Peter Kay heavily influenced his comic style.[7]
Charity
In November 2008, Manford became patron of Savebabies, a charity campaigning for newborn screening.[42]
In April 2014, Manford became a supporter of the cancer charity Stephen's Story, set up by Stephen SuttonMBE, a 19-year-old blogger with terminal colorectal cancer who set up the initiative to help others suffering from cancer.[43] All profits made by Manford's comedy clubs during May 2014, the month of Sutton's death, were given to the charity.[44]
Personal life
Manford married his first wife, Catherine, in October 2007. They had four children together: twin daughters born on 20 August 2009, a third daughter born in December 2010, and a son born in 2012.[45] The family lived in Bramhall.[46]
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