Justin Lee Collins

Last updated

Justin Lee Collins
Justin Lee Collins book signing (cropped etc).jpg
Collins signing autobiography Goodtimes
Born (1974-07-28) 28 July 1974 (age 49)
Bristol, England
MediumRadio, television, stand-up, music
NationalityBritish
Years active1997–2016
Genres Observational comedy, surreal humour, slapstick
Subject(s) Celebrities, pop culture
Spouse
Karen Lee Collins
​
​
(m. 2003;separated [1]  2010)​
Children4
Notable works and roles FAQ U
The Convention Crasher
The Friday Night Project
Bring Back...
The Justin Lee Collins Show
Heads or Tails
Good Times
Turning Japanese

Justin Lee Collins (born 28 July 1974) is a former actor and radio and television presenter from Bristol, England. [2]

Contents

Collins began his career as a comedian in the 1990s when he was in his late teens.

He then presented a number of UK TV shows. From 2003 to 2005 he hosted his own radio show on XFM. He was one of the duo presenting The Sunday Night Project (previously named The Friday Night Project), appearing alongside Alan Carr for Channel 4. He also hosted numerous specials on Channel 4 entitled 'Bring Back...', reuniting the cast and crew from shows and films such as Dallas , Star Wars , The A-Team and Fame . He then took on challenges to become a Mexican wrestler, a surfer, a ballroom dancer, a ten-pin bowler, a high diver and a West End star.

He later became a real West End star in Rock of Ages . [3]

In 2012 he was convicted of harassing ex-girlfriend, Anna Larke. [4] Subsequently losing several television contracts, leading to a career hiatus.

In 2014 Collins tried to return to UK screens, starring in the comedy horror feature film The Hatching alongside Thomas Turgoose and Andrew Potts. In 2015 he played a small role in the time-travel comedy Time Slips while hosting an independent radio show on Fubar Radio until 2016, [5] then presenting short lived Football themed magazine show, FanTV UK. [6]

Collins has since been inactive.

Early life

Collins was born on 28 July 1974 in Southmead, Bristol, to Anita and Danny Collins. His father was a self-employed electrician. [7] [8] Collins is an only child. In 1990, he left education at Speedwell Secondary School aged 15 with no qualifications and started working at Marks & Spencer as a warehouseman. [8] [9]

Career

Comedy and theatre

Collins began his career in entertainment as a stand-up comic whilst still working part-time as a double-glazing window demonstrator. He won the Best New Comedy Act award at the Glastonbury Festival in 1997 and reached the finals of the BBC New Comedy Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival the same year. [10] Collins gave up stand-up comedy in 2002 to concentrate on TV and radio presenting, stating he intended to never return to the profession. [9]

In 2007 and 2010, Collins won the category Funniest Man at Loaded's Lafta awards. [11]

In 2008 Collins appeared as Amos Hart in the hit show Chicago, for which he rehearsed at the Cambridge Theatre. Collins said of the role, "I'm over the moon to be playing the sexiest part in the best show on the West End stage. I've already gone through a dozen pairs of tights." [12]

From August 2011 to September 2012 Collins played Dennis Dupree in the West End production of Rock of Ages.

In 2013, Collins made a one-night-only return to stand-up comedy when he participated in "What’s the Fuss?", an event organised by Helen Lederer. [13]

Radio

Collins began hosting a radio show on XFM in 2003, initially on Sundays at 1 to 3 am, later progressing to Saturday afternoons from 3 to 6 pm. He left in December 2005 and returned to host the Saturday 2 to 6 pm slot during April 2011. On 17 September that year, Collins sat in for Dermot O'Leary's Saturday show on BBC Radio 2. Collins was heard performing a Tom Jones impersonation on BBC Radio 1's Chris Moyles show in January 2008. [14]

In 2014, Collins returned to radio with his own weekly show on Fubar Radio, an uncensored station featuring Andy Parsons and Mark Dolan. The show is also available via iTunes in podcast form.

Television and film

Collins in 2007 Justin Lee Collins 20070728.JPG
Collins in 2007

In 2002, Collins made shows for Bravo and MTV and became the host of the companion show for the first series of Strictly Come Dancing . He was replaced by Claudia Winkleman the following year and the show moved from BBC Three to BBC Two.

In 2005 and 2006, Collins presented The Games: Live At Trackside on E4 alongside Caroline Flack. The series was the companion show to Channel 4's sports-based reality programme The Games.

He was one of the presenters of Channel 4 and Paramount's Flipside TV .

He fronted a series for Channel 4 entitled The Convention-Crasher, aired in late 2007 and early 2008, in which he learned skills such as clowning and ventriloquism in an attempt to win prizes at professional conventions.

On 7 May 2007, he was a guest presenter on The New Paul O'Grady Show on Channel 4 when O'Grady took a break. Collins appeared on Top Gear with Alan Carr on 22 June 2008, for the Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car segment. [15]

In June 2008, a show was aired on Sky One entitled Justin Lee Collins: 180, which followed his quest to be a professional darts player. In the show, he practised with Keith Deller and played in the BDO International Open on 15 June 2008. He lost in the first round 3-0 in legs to county player Stuart Bousfield, who was in the top 100 in the BDO rankings at the time. [16]

He signed a £3 million deal with ITV for a show which focused on topical issues, but with a comedic twist, titled The Justin Lee Collins Show on ITV2 which ran from March to May 2009. [17] That year he became the host of the Sky 1 show Oops tv, which shows home videos of people doing stupid things and things going badly wrong. That August he appeared on JLC Is, a six-part series on Sky 1 HD depicting the comedian taking on challenges to become a Mexican wrestler, a surfer, a ballroom dancer, a ten-pin bowler, a high diver and a West End star. [18] The following month on 11 September, whilst being interviewed on BBC Radio 1's Chris Moyles Show it was announced Collins had signed an exclusive deal with Channel 5, and he confirmed he would therefore not be making another series of The Justin Lee Collins Show for ITV2. On joining Five he hosted the game show Heads Or Tails, where players could win up to £1m by correctly calling coin flips, and a chat show called Good Times which was cancelled due to poor viewing figures. [19]

In Justin Lee Collins: The Wrestler, Collins trains for 10 days in Mexico with a Mexican Luchador (Mexican wrestler) who fights under the name Cassandro, as an exotico. Justin adopts a rudo (bad guy) Luchador persona, El Glorioso, or the Glorious Lee One, with his own wrestling mask. His persona is given the blessing of El Hijo del Santo (The Son of Saint). Returning to London, Justin fights Cassan Dro in a Lucha libre event in the Roundhouse, ultimately losing and being unmasked. [20]

In 2014, Collins was cast in British feature film The Hatching as Stan. It was directed by Michael Anderson. Collins stars alongside Andrew Potts and Thomas Turgoose. The following year he had a bit part in time-travel comedy Time Slips, directed by Stephen Hyams.

In August 2016 Collins made a return to TV, four years after his conviction, becoming a regular presenter on FanTV. The show attracted a small audience and was cancelled a few months later. [21]

Music

After failing to be chosen to represent the United Kingdom in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, on 22 January 2010 Collins announced on RTÉ's The Late Late Show his intention to seek the nomination to represent Ireland. His proposed song was written by Boyzone star Ronan Keating. [22] RTÉ confirmed on 9 February 2010 the song had not been shortlisted for the Irish final. [23]

In 2007, Collins signed a three-album deal with Universal. Because of other commitments the first album (titled Another Side) was never released and subsequently the deal was called off. Collins stated in an interview with Reveal magazine (2012) that he would like to resume his efforts to release music in the future. [24] [25]

Writing

In September 2009 Collins' autobiography Good Times! was published by Ebury Press. An audiobook followed.

Personal life

Marriage and children

In 2003, Collins married Karen Lee. [26] [27] She gave birth to their first child, a boy, in May 2005. [28] In January 2008, Collins announced his wife had recently given birth to their second son. [29] Collins separated from his wife in late 2010. [1]

Harassment conviction

In November 2010, Justin Collins began a relationship with Anna Larke. [30] After their break-up, Collins was charged with harassment of Larke under Section 4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (harassment causing fear of violence), [31] and was subsequently tried at St Albans Crown Court, where he was sentenced to 140 hours of community service and to pay £3,500 prosecution costs. [32] [33]

Following the trial he sought help from a psychotherapist. [13]

Television credits

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graham Norton</span> Irish comedian, actor and television host

Graham William Walker, better known by his stage name Graham Norton, is an Irish comedian, actor, author and television host known for his work in the UK. He is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for his comedy chat show The Graham Norton Show (2007–present) and an eight-time award-winner overall. He has received the British Academy Television Award for Best Entertainment Performance three times for So Graham Norton. Originally shown on BBC Two before moving to other slots on BBC One, his chat show succeeded Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in BBC One's late-Friday-evening slot in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Ross</span> English broadcaster, film critic, actor, and comedian (born 1960)

Jonathan Stephen Ross is an English broadcaster, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He presented the BBC One chat show Friday Night with Jonathan Ross during the 2000s and early 2010s, hosted his own radio show on BBC Radio 2 from 1999 to 2010, and served as film critic and presenter of the Film programme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Herring</span> English comedian and writer (born 1967)

Richard Keith Herring is an English stand-up comedian and writer whose early work includes the comedy double act Lee and Herring. He is described by The British Theatre Guide as "one of the leading hidden masters of modern British comedy".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Moyles</span> English radio and TV presenter and author

Christopher David Moyles is an English radio and television presenter, author and presenter of The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Cox</span> English broadcaster

Sara Joanne Cox is an English broadcaster and author. She presented Radio 1 Breakfast on BBC Radio 1 from 3 April 2000 until 19 December 2003. Since January 2019, she hosts the BBC Radio 2 drivetime show, Monday to Friday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Walliams</span> English comedian, writer and actor (born 1971)

David Edward Williams, known professionally as David Walliams, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series Little Britain (2003–2006) and Come Fly With Me (2010–2011). From 2012 to 2022, Walliams was a judge on the television talent show competition Britain's Got Talent on ITV. He is also a writer of children's books, having sold more than 37 million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yvette Fielding</span> English television presenter, producer and actress

Yvette Paula Fielding is an English television presenter, producer, actress, and writer. In 1987, aged 18, she became the youngest presenter on the BBC television programme Blue Peter. With her husband Karl Beattie, she presented the Most Haunted series on the Living channel, via their own production company, followed by Ghosthunting With..., establishing Fielding as 'first lady of the paranormal'. She has appeared in a wide range of other programmes, from The Wright Stuff to Through the Keyhole and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iain Lee</span> English broadcaster, writer, and former television presenter and stand-up comedian

Iain Lee is a licenced councillor, and former broadcaster, writer, and television presenter and stand-up comedian who hosts the phone-in talk show The Late Night Alternative on "pay to view" Patreon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Collins (broadcaster)</span> English writer and broadcaster

Andrew Collins is an English writer and broadcaster. He is the creator and writer of the Radio 4 sitcom Mr Blue Sky. His TV writing work includes EastEnders and the sitcoms Grass and Not Going Out. Collins has also worked as a music, television and film critic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Mitchell (comedian)</span> British comedian, actor, writer and television personality (born 1974)

David James Stuart Mitchell is a British comedian, actor and writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Holmes</span> British writer, comedian and broadcaster

Jon Holmes is a British comedian, writer, presenter and broadcaster known for his work on such programmes as The Skewer,The Now Show, Listen Against, along with both music and spoken word radio. He has appeared on numerous television programmes.

David Lloyd Vitty is a British radio presenter. He worked alongside Chris Moyles at BBC Radio 1, having originally been a broadcast assistant on Moyles' early morning show. He became the show's head writer and 'Director of Comedy' and moved with Moyles to the drivetime slot, and then to Radio 1 Breakfast, during which time the programme was known as The Chris Moyles Show. In total, he spent 14 years from 1998 to 2012 working alongside Moyles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Kielty</span> Northern Irish comedian, presenter and actor

Patrick Kielty is a comedian, presenter and actor from Northern Ireland. He is the host of The Late Late Show on RTÉ One and presents a Saturday morning programme on BBC Radio 5 Live. His television credits include the BBC's Patrick Kielty Almost Live and Channel 4's Last Chance Lottery. He has also presented ITV's Love Island and This Morning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Carr</span> English comedian and television personality

Alan Graham Carr is an English comedian, broadcaster and writer. His breakthrough was in 2001, winning the City Life Best Newcomer of the Year and the BBC New Comedy Awards. In the ensuing years, Carr's career burgeoned on the Manchester comedy circuit before he became known for co-hosting The Friday Night Project (2006–2009) with Justin Lee Collins. This led to the release of a short-lived entertainment show Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong (2008), and he went on to star in the comedy chat show Alan Carr: Chatty Man (2009–2016) which aired on Channel 4. Since 2017, Carr often stands in as a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. In 2019, he became a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race UK. In 2021, he began hosting BBC One's Interior Design Masters.

Daniel Renton Skinner is an English actor and comedy writer, working in stage, film and television. Skinner often performs as the character Angelos Epithemiou, and is also one half of the Brian and Roger podcast.

Alex Lowe is an English actor, comedian and voice artist. He is the creator and performer of the characters Barry from Watford on Steve Wright's BBC Radio 2 show and Iain Lee's shows, and the character Clinton Baptiste, originally seen in Phoenix Nights, as whom he has since toured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vernon Kay</span> British television and radio presenter (born 1974)

Vernon Charles Kay is an English broadcaster and former model. He presented Channel 4's T4 (2000–2005) and has presented various television shows for ITV, including All Star Family Fortunes (2006–2015), Just the Two of Us (2006–2007), Beat the Star (2008–2009), The Whole 19 Yards (2010), Splash! (2013–2014), and 1000 Heartbeats (2015–2016).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Whitehall</span> English comedian, actor, presenter and writer (born 1988)

Jack Peter Benedict Whitehall is an English comedian, actor, writer, and television personality. He is known for his roles as JP in the Channel 4 comedy-drama series Fresh Meat (2011–2016) and as Alfie Wickers in the BBC Three sitcom Bad Education also co-writing the latter and its film adaptation, The Bad Education Movie (2015).

John Kennedy O'Connor is a television and radio broadcaster, author, and entertainment commentator. He was born in North London, England, but is a naturalized citizen of the United States. He has written, reported and broadcast for numerous media organizations, as well as written, created and produced media events for a number of international corporations. He is best known for his work within the Eurovision Song Contest as a TV commentator and host. Until 2023, he was the news anchor for NBC and CBS Northern California channels KIEM-TV and KVIQ-LD, before moving to CBS Station KIMA-TV in Washington, as the main anchor.

James Daniel Smallman is a stand-up comedian, radio presenter, professional wrestling promoter, blogger and voice-over artist. Smallman attended school in Hinckley, and went on to De Montfort University, graduating with a first-class Honours degree in English Literature.

References

  1. 1 2 Anstead, Mark (11 December 2011). "Fame & Fortune: Justin Lee Collins". Telegraph. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  2. ↑ Bristol – People – Profile: Justin Lee Collins. BBC (29 April 2008). Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
  3. ↑ "The Afternoon Breakfast Show | FUBAR Radio". Archived from the original on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith (20 August 2014). "Justin Lee Collins apologises for 'irrational' treatment of". The Independent.
  5. ↑ https://fubarradio.com/episodes/justin-lee-collins-episode-111/
  6. ↑ https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/justin-lee-collins-back-tv-8623996
  7. ↑ Justin Lee Collins Archived 19 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine . Justin Lee Collins. Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
  8. 1 2 Life's one big good hair day – Justin Lee Collins interview – News – Scotsman.com. Scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com (2 May 2008). Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
  9. 1 2 Scrumpy & Western website. Made In Somerset from cider! Justin Lee Collins profile page Archived 21 April 2013 at archive.today . Somersetmade.co.uk (28 July 1974). Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
  10. ↑ Justin Lee Collins – Biography. Talktalk.co.uk. Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
  11. ↑ Justin Lee Collins wins Funniest Man award at Laftas – Showbiz – Evening Standard. Thisislondon.co.uk (27 January 2010). Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
  12. ↑ 'CHICAGO' Celebrates 11th B-Day With Justin Lee Collins 12/4 2008/11/26. Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved on 5 February 2011.
  13. 1 2 Eleftheriou-Smith, Loulla-Mae (2 March 2014). "Justin Lee Collins apologises for 'irrational' treatment of ex-girflriend Anna Larke". The Independent. London.
  14. ↑ "Chris Moyles guests 2008" . Retrieved 17 June 2008.
  15. ↑ "Top Gear". On The Box. Archived from the original on 26 June 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008.
  16. ↑ "BDO International Open Brean 2008 – Singles 15/06/08" (PDF). BDO Darts. 16 June 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2008.
  17. ↑ "Justin Lee Collins". Entertainers. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  18. ↑ "JLC Is..." Trailer. Sky1.sky.com (14 August 2009). Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
  19. ↑ Digital Spy 21 July 2010. Digitalspy.co.uk (21 July 2010). Retrieved on 6 June 2012.
  20. ↑ Teeman, Tim (14 August 2009). "Dolce Vito; Justin Lee Collins: Wrestler; How Clean Is Your House? – Last Night's TV". The Times Home Arts & Entertainment TV & Radio. London. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  21. ↑ Dorman, Nick (13 August 2016). "Justin Lee Collins back on TV after harassment shame – but it's not a big job..." Daily Mirror .
  22. ↑ "RTÉ Player: The Late Late Show – beginning 1:32:00". RTÉ News. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  23. ↑ RTÉ announces 2010 Eurosong finalists – RTÉ Ten. Rte.ie (10 February 2010). Retrieved on 5 February 2011.
  24. ↑ Justin Lee Collins Exclusive Interview Reveal 2012. 9 April 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021 – via YouTube.
  25. ↑ "Justin Lee Collins – Another Side (2010, Watermarked, CDr) - Discogs" . Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  26. ↑ McGrath, Nick (23 December 2008). "Justin Lee Collins's heaven and hell". The Daily Telegraph . London. Retrieved 22 July 2010.
  27. ↑ Justin Lee Collins's heaven and hell. Telegraph (23 December 2008). Retrieved on 5 February 2011.
  28. ↑ Morris, Sophie (11 December 2006). "Justin Lee Collins: My Life in Media". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 28 December 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  29. ↑ This Morning TV show (17 January 2008)
  30. ↑ "Justin Lee Collins should have been jailed, says ex". BBC News. 16 October 2012.
  31. ↑ "Justin Lee Collins accused of harassing ex-girlfriend". BBC News. 14 December 2011.
  32. ↑ "Justin Lee Collins found guilty of harassing Anna Larke". BBC Online . 9 October 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2012.
  33. ↑ Justin Lee Collins 'will never accept he is violent', BBC News. Retrieved on 29 November 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.