| 40th | Top performers on Top of the Pops: 1996 |
Darren Day (born 17 July 1968) is an English actor, singer and television presenter, well known for his colourful personal life.
Contents |
Day was born in Colchester, Essex. His paternal grandfather was a support and warm-up act for George Formby. Day attended Sir Charles Lucas Arts College (at the time a comprehensive school, Day having failed his 11 plus), and undertook drama classes at evenings and weekends until he was 13, when he turned his attention to snooker.[1]
Day became a professional snooker player at 17, but found himself drawn to entertainment. When alcoholic Alex Higgins failed to complete an exhibition match, Day got up and sang songs and did impressions to entertain the crowd.[1]
Day auditioned for BBC's talent show Opportunity Knocks in 1987 and appeared on the show in 1988, introduced by host Bob Monkhouse as the new Bobby Davro.[1]
After five years with a career that spanned being a Butlins redcoat, doing stand-up comedy, and singing with bands, Day made his breakthrough as a singer and dancer in London's West End theatre, starring in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, replacing the departing Phillip Schofield.[1] He then developed his career as a television presenter and has presented programmes such as You Bet!, replacing Matthew Kelly, who had commitments with Stars in their Eyes, Don't Try This at Home! He appeared in the first series of the reality television show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! He finished sixth.
In 1991, Day presented Classic Nursery Rhymes video. [2]
Since his admitted cocaine addiction, Day has revived his career by appearing in many touring stage musicals, including Summer Holiday, Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, and Hellbreeder. In the Pantomime season of 2005/06 Day appeared in the Derby Assembly Rooms production of Cinderella, where he played the part of Buttons. This is also were he first met his wife Stephanie, as she was appearing in the production.
After being sacked from Channel 4 reality show The Games for failing to turn up in March 2006,[3] Day worked in November 2006 on the Celebrity Scissorhands project for the BBC in aid of Children in Need. From there he returned to pantomime for the 2006/07 season as 'Jack' in "Jack and the Beanstalk" at the Billingham Forum Theatre.
In 2007, Day toured the UK with a brand new theatre show The Music of Manilow and More, and made a guest appearance in July on ITV's police drama The Bill, playing a sleazy photographer who is the prime suspect in the death of a supermodel.
Autumn 2007 saw him take over from Mark Little in the UK tour of Defending the Caveman before returning to pantomime at The Lowry, Salford as King Rat in "Dick Whittington" co starring his wife, actress Stephanie Dooley and Chesney Hawkes. [4]
Most recently Mr Day has been outspoken in a grass roots campaign to ban the magician Paul Daniels from his beloved Blackpool. [5]
He is currently part of the cast for the Queen musical We Will Rock You alongside Kevin Kennedy and is touring the UK. [6]
On Sunday 14th March 2010, Day took part in Celebrity Come Dine with Me on Channel 4 alongside Claire Sweeney, Kim Woodburn and Tom O'Connor (comedian). He came in last place scoring 20 points out of 30
Day's name has become almost synonymous with short-lived tabloid fame. He has had many celebrity partners, been linked in the tabloids to taking drugs and confirmed being treated for addiction both to cocaine[7] and sex;[8] resulting in a colourful private life that has often overshadowed his not always remarkable performing career.
On 5 October 2006, South Yorkshire radio station Hallam FM revealed that Day had filed for and been made bankrupt at Barnsley County Court,[9] purely to avoid paying child maintenance costs to Suzanne Shaw and leaving her £200,000 in arrears as a result of his debts [10]. In November 2007 he was discharged.
On 18 June 2008, while appearing in a production of Hello, Dolly! in Cardiff, Day was arrested for being over the drink-drive limit after police had observed his car travelling at speed.[11] On 27 August, Day was banned from driving for 18 months after admitting to Cardiff magistrates that he had been over the limit.[11]
In an interview with Sunday Mirror on 3 May 2009, a shadow of his former self now performing on cruise ships for a living in addition of a weight gain, Day stated that he have found God just after being thankful to his doctor when his daughter recovered from a severe illness.[12]
Darren Day was arrested again for being over the Drink Drive limit after crashing his Mercedes car in Edinburgh on 18 December 2009. [13]
Day's record of marriage proposals makes him a target for the tabloids. Here is a list of his known female acquaintances and engagements:[14]
Singles
Albums
|
|||||
| Preceded by Matthew Kelly |
Host of You Bet 1996-97 |
Succeeded by Series Ended |
   | Darren's MySpace - MySpace.com - Darren Day - 40 - Male - UK - myspace.com/darren_day |
| | Fan site - Hazardd! - Darren Day on the web |
| | Darren's Management - .: HANDSHAKE WEBSITE :. |
|
|
Wikis
Quiz
Map
Search