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Jonathan Wilkes (born 1 August 1978 in Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent) is an English television presenter, actor and musician. Wilkes is also as an entertainer and presenter, and best friend of singer Robbie Williams. He was a former student of midlands based Holden Lane High School.

Personal life

Jonathan met his wife Nikki in 1998. They married in 2004 and their son Mickey was born in April 2006.

Football career

Wilkes had ambitions to become a footballer in his teenage years, and was a part of Everton C.C.C's youth set-up in 1993. He went on to trials at Crewe and Chester as well as playing for Silverstone FC. He then gave up football to pursue a career in show business.

Wilkes appeared in Sky One's The Match where he played a football match against a team of legends, including Paul Gascoigne. Jonathan was made captain by the old England manager Graham Taylor. With Robbie Williams, Wilkes also fronted Soccer Aid, a celebrity football match in the run up to the 2006 World Cup, with the proceeds going to UNICEF.

Television

After winning the Cameron Mackintosh Young Entertainer of the Year award in 1996, Wilkes headed to Blackpool Pleasure Beach to become the youngest person to star in their own end-of-pier-style show. This led to television work on the BBC Choice (now BBC Three) programme Hype. He soon signed a three-year contract with ITV, fronting You've Been Framed, Love on a Saturday Night, and SMTV. His television work was short-lived though; Love on a Saturday Night was axed after just a series and a half after poor reception, and Wilkes' involvement with SMTV coincided with it being ended. Other TV credits include The Match, Soccer Aid, and All Star Cup. He also made weekly guest appearances on the ITV show Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway from February 2009 in Ant's team for Ant vs Dec.

Music career

In 2000, Wilkes signed a deal with Virgin and begun to write and record material for his album, along with songwriters such as Guy Chambers, Bryan Adams and Elliot Kennedy. His debut single "Just Another Day" went to #24 in the UK charts.

In 2006, he joined Robbie Williams on his 2006 Close Encounters Tour, singing the songs "Me and My Shadow" and "Strong", as well as playing a games of football with Williams on stage. The duet with Williams for "Me and My Shadow" was recorded live and featured on Williams's Number 1 selling album, DVD and video Swing When You're Winning.

In February 2002 Wilkes took the lead role in the musical Godspell, which premiered in Liverpool, where Wilkes and Daniel McPherson alternated the roles of Jesus and Judas each night. Following the success of this, Wilkes accepted the lead role of Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show for the 30th-anniversay national tour. The tour began in October 2002, and was extended to November 2003 due to its enormous success.

Towards the end of 2003, Wilkes played the lead role of Danny in a special five-week sell-out Christmas and New Year production of Grease.

In 2007, he toured with the Donmar Warehouse performance of Guys and Dolls, playing the role of Sky Masterson. Then, in 2008, Wilkes toured in the debut UK theatre production of The Wedding Singer.

Currently, in 2009, he is touring with the production of We Will Rock You, playing the role of Khashoggi. And he's been in te production of Dick Whittington at Stoke-on-trent's Regent Theatre playing the role of Dick.

References

External links

• Jonathan Wilkes at the Internet Movie Database