Mel Giedroyc

Mel Giedroyc
Giedroyc in 2009
Born Melanie Clare Sophie Giedroyc
(1968-06-05) 5 June 1968
Epsom, Surrey, England
Residence London, England
Nationality British
Television Light Lunch
The Great British Bake Off
Draw It!
Now You See It
Mel and Sue
Let It Shine
Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief
Eurovision: You Decide
Pitch Battle
Letterbox
The Generation Game
Spouse(s) Ben Morris
Relatives Coky Giedroyc (sister)
Philip Parham (brother-in-law)

Melanie Clare Sophie Giedroyc (/ˈɡɛdrɔɪtʃ/, born 5 June 1968) is an English television presenter and actress. With Sue Perkins, she has co-hosted series including Light Lunch for Channel 4, The Great British Bake Off for the BBC and chat show Mel and Sue for ITV. In early 2017, Giedroyc began co-presenting the BBC show Let It Shine.

Early life

Giedroyc was born in Epsom, Surrey, and grew up in Leatherhead. Her father, Michal,[1] an aircraft designer and historian of Polish-Lithuanian descent from the Giedroyć family, came to Britain in 1947; he died in December 2017.[2] Rosemary, or Rosy, her mother, is of English origin.[1][3] Mel Giedroyc attended the independent Oxford High School, and later attended Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with a lower second degree in French and Italian.[4]

Career

Television

Giedroyc appeared in one episode of Gimme Gimme Gimme, playing a receptionist at a hotel. She was also a presenter on Channel 4's RI:SE. She narrated Celebrity Driving School in 2003. Some other ventures include being a contestant on the 2005 series of The Games, co-starring in the 2005 BBC One sitcom Blessed and co-presenting Richard Hammond's 5 O'Clock Show on ITV. Giedroyc was in one episode of The Vicar of Dibley.

Giedroyc is best known for comedy and presenting work with Sue Perkins. The two women met while students at the University of Cambridge and were members of the Footlights comedy club. Mel and Sue, the duo were short-listed for the Daily Express Best Newcomers Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1993. Their first presenting roles saw them host a lunchtime show on Channel 4 called Light Lunch (and the early evening version, Late Lunch).

Giedroyc was the sixth student to be voted out of Comic Relief Does Fame Academy and was a celebrity judge on the 2007 edition of Making Your Mind Up along with John Barrowman. She starred as one of the presenters in the show Eurobeat: Almost Eurovision! at the Edinburgh Fringe and subsequently in the West End at the Novello Theatre. Giedroyc played the Fairy Liquid in a production of Jack and the Beanstalk at London's Barbican theatre in December 2007. She appeared in a children's sketch show for the BBC Sorry, I've Got No Head. In 2010, Giedroyc was a celebrity guest team captain on What Do Kids Know? with Rufus Hound, Joe Swash and Sara Cox on Watch and also appeared in the first episode of series two of Miranda Hart's self-titled sitcom Miranda as a life coach.

Giedroyc was a panellist on the Channel 5 programme The Wright Stuff in 2007, 2008 and in February 2010. She plays Mrs V, the owner of the Y café, in CBBC programme Sadie J and is also the voice of Mist in Mist: Sheepdog Tales,[5] shown on Channel 5's morning show Milkshake!.

Giedroyc was reunited with Sue Perkins in 2010 to host the cookery competition The Great British Bake Off, on BBC Two from 16 August 2010. Later, in an apparently syndicated newspaper interview, Giedroyc admitted that she did the show just for the money, informing readers that she had nearly gone bankrupt.[6] The show moved to BBC One for its fifth series and has won numerous awards.[7]

In September 2016, Love Productions announced that a three-year deal had been agreed to broadcast The Great British Bake Off on Channel 4, instead of the BBC, from 2017.[8][9] Giedroyc and Perkins announced that they would not be continuing with the show on its new network.[10] Mary Berry later announced she was also leaving the Bake Off[11] on the same day that fellow-judge Paul Hollywood separately announced he would be staying with the show.[12]

In 2012 and 2013, Giedroyc hosted two special charity series for Sport Relief and Comic Relief featuring celebrities who took part for charity. In 2014, she guest hosted an episode of The Great Sport Relief Bake Off and in 2015, one episode of The Great Comic Relief Bake Off. In 2016, she presented the first episode of The Great Sport Relief Bake Off.

In March 2014, Giedroyc presented Collectaholics, a factual mini-series for BBC Two.

From May 2014, Giedroyc presented one series of the Channel 4 programme Draw It!, based upon and developed by the makers of the mobile app Draw Something.[13]

In May 2014, Giedroyc and clinical psychologist Dr Jennifer Wild presented a one-off show for BBC One called Vertigo Road Trip about people who have a fear of heights. Reviewing the programme, in The Psychologist, Petrina Cox described it as "an engaging and valuable education for the general public about the nature of anxiety disorders such as specific phobias. It is sure to reduce stigma, inspire hope and encourage people to seek evidence-based treatments... "[14]

On 12 November 2014, Giedroyc guest hosted an episode of The One Show with Alex Jones.[15]

In 2015, Giedroyc narrated eight-part BBC One series Now You See It. A second series aired in 2016.[16]

In January 2015, Giedroyc and Perkins were given their own daytime chat show on ITV. The show, called Mel and Sue aired for 30 episodes, every weekday afternoon at 4pm.[17][18] In August 2015, it was announced that the show had not been re-commissioned.[19]

Giedroyc and Matt Baker began co-hosting four-part BBC One series The Gift in February 2015. It will return for a second series in 2017.[20] Giedroyc hosted the Sky1 primetime game show Relatively Clever, which began on 3 April 2015.[21]

In May 2015, Giedroyc joined Scott Mills in commentating the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 for the United Kingdom. It was broadcast on BBC Three.[22] Since 2016, Giedroyc has presented the Eurovision You Decide programme.[23]

In 2017, Giedroyc co-presented the Saturday night BBC show Let It Shine – including three live shows – alongside Graham Norton. The judges are Gary Barlow, Martin Kemp and Dannii Minogue.

She narrated The Secret Chef for ITV and co-presented Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief alongside Sue Perkins on BBC One.

Also in 2017, Giedroyc competed in the fourth series of Taskmaster against Lolly Adefope, Hugh Dennis, Noel Fielding and Joe Lycett. Since June 2017, Giedroyc has presented Saturday night entertainment series Pitch Battle for BBC One. She also presented daily BBC Two game show Letterbox for 15 episodes. On 23 July 2017, it was confirmed that Giedroyc and Perkins would host a new version of The Generation Game for BBC One.[24]

In November 2017, she co-presented Children in Need for the first time.[25] In December 2017 she hosted an episode of “Have I Got News for You”.

In May 2018, Giedroyc was the spokesperson for the United Kingdom as part of the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.

Radio

In July 2000, Giedroyc appeared as a contestant on The 99p Challenge, a show hosted by Sue Perkins. In August 2010, Giedroyc appeared on the Dave Gorman show on Absolute Radio as one of his co-hosts, standing in for Danielle Ward and has also appeared on series 4 to 7 of Count Arthur Strong's Radio Show! on BBC Radio 4.[26] From 2 April 2011, with the rebranding of Radio 7 as Radio 4 extra, Giedroyc has presented The 4 O'Clock Show, a chat show including items related to children's entertainment.

From 16 April 2016, she has presented a Saturday lunch time show on Magic 105.4fm from 1 pm until 3 pm.

On 6 September 2014, Giedroyc co-hosted with Lee Mack on his BBC Radio 2 Saturday morning show.[27]

Other work

In November 2014 Giedroyc was a part of Gareth Malone's All Star Choir,[28] singing the opening solo in the choir's cover version of "Wake Me Up" to raise money for the BBC's Children in Need.[29] On 3 and 10 November 2014, a two-part documentary about the choir was broadcast by BBC One. On 16 November, the single entered the UK Singles Chart at Number One.

Giedroyc presented the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour from 22 January until 14 February 2016.

Giedroyc appeared in The Rocky Horror Show Live which was simulcast live to cinemas across the United Kingdom and Europe from London's Playhouse Theatre on 17 September 2015 in the role of Third Narrator.

Giedroyc is set to appear in the 2018 West End Revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical Company, playing the role of Sarah.

Personal life

Giedroyc is the youngest of four children.[3] Her sister Coky Giedroyc, is a film and TV director; while her other sister, children's writer Kasia, is the wife of Philip Parham, a British diplomat.[3]

Giedroyc is married to Ben Morris, a television director and teacher at LAMDA.[30]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Channel Notes
1996 French and Saunders Various characters BBC One 4 episodes
1996 The Vicar of Dibley Mary Tinker BBC One
1997–98 Light Lunch Co-presenter Channel 4 With Sue Perkins
1998 Late Lunch Co-presenter
2006 Mist: The Tale of a Sheepdog Puppy Voice of Mist Channel 5 One-off TV film
Richard Hammond's 5 O'Clock Show Co-presenter ITV 1 series; with Richard Hammond
2008–2011 Sorry, I've Got No Head Various characters CBBC
2010 Miranda Life coach BBC Two 1 episode
2010–16 The Great British Bake Off Co-presenter BBC Two (2010–13)
BBC One (2014–16)		 7 series; with Sue Perkins
2011–14 Sadie J Ms. V CBBC
2013, 2016, 2017 Have I Got News for You Guest presenter BBC One 3 episodes
2014 Draw It! Presenter Channel 4 1 series
Collectaholics Presenter BBC Two 1 series
Vertigo Road Trip Presenter BBC One One-off show
2015–2016 Now You See It Narrator BBC One[31] 2 series
2015 The Gift Co-presenter BBC One 1 series; with Matt Baker
2015 Mel and Sue Co-presenter ITV 1 series; with Sue Perkins
Relatively Clever Presenter Sky1 1 series
Eurovision Song Contest 2015 Co-commentator[32] BBC Three With Scott Mills
The Sound of Music Live Frau Schmidt ITV One-off special
2016— Eurovision: You Decide Presenter BBC Four (2016)
BBC Two (2017—)		 With Måns Zelmerlöw (2018)
2016 Eurovision Song Contest 2016 Co-commentator BBC Four With Scott Mills
Horrible Histories Various CBBC 2 episodes
2017 Let It Shine Co-presenter BBC One 1 series; with Graham Norton
The Secret Chef Narrator ITV 1 series
Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief[33] Co-presenter BBC One 1 series; with Sue Perkins
Taskmaster[34] Herself Dave Series 4
Eurovision Song Contest 2017 Co-commentator BBC Four With Scott Mills
Pitch Battle Presenter BBC One 1 series
Children in Need Co-presenter BBC One
Mary, Mel and Sue's Big Christmas Thank You Co-presenter One-off special
2017— Letterbox Presenter BBC Two 1 series
2018— The Generation Game Co-presenter BBC One 1 series; with Sue Perkins
2018 Eurovision Song Contest 2018 UK spokesperson BBC One, EBU
Guest appearances

Books

  • 2005, From Here to Maternity: One Mother of a Journey, Ebury Press, ISBN 978-0091897505 – diary based on her first pregnancy.
  • 2007, Going Ga-Ga: Is there life after birth?, Ebury Press, ISBN 978-0-09-190592-7 – similar theme.

References

  1. 1 2 Stanford, Peter (25 March 2010). "My father's Siberian prison hell". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "Michal Giedroyc". The Times. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018. (subscription required)
  3. 1 2 3 Giedroyc, Mel; Barber, Richard (11 March 2016). "Mel Giedroyc: my family values". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  4. ↑ Giedroyc, Mel; Sale, Jonathan (8 October 2009). "Passed/Failed: An education in the life of comedian Mel Giedroyc". The Independent. London. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  5. ↑ Mist: Sheepdog Tales on IMDb
  6. ↑ Rick Fulton (7 February 2015). "Mel Giedroyc reveals how she went from near bankruptcy to Bake Off stardom". dailyrecord.
  7. ↑ "Mel and Sue to reunite for The Great British Bake-Off". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  8. ↑ Halls, Andy (12 September 2016). "Great British Bake Off to move from BBC to Channel 4 after 'exhaustive' talks break down". The Sun. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  9. ↑ Foster, Patrick (12 September 2016). "BBC loses Great British Bake Off, as Channel 4 swoops for corporation's biggest show". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  10. ↑ "Great British Bake Off: Mel and Sue to quit as hosts". BBC News. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  11. ↑ "Mary Berry to leave Bake Off ahead of Channel 4 move". BBC News. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  12. ↑ Martinson, Jane (22 September 2016). "Mary Berry to leave Bake Off – but Paul Hollywood agrees to stay". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
  13. ↑ Mel Giedroyc to host Channel 4's new 'Draw Something' game show Digital Spy, 25 April 2013
  14. ↑ Cox, P. (2014), "The dizzy heights of psychology in the media", The Psychologist, Vo. 27, No. 6, June 2014, p462
  15. ↑ "BBC One – The One Show, 12/11/2014". BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Now You See It". digiguide.tv.
  17. ↑ "Great British Bake Off stars clinch ITV chat show". the Guardian. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  18. ↑ Archived 4 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine.
  19. ↑ "Mel & Sue's daytime chatshow has been dropped by ITV". Digital Spy.
  20. ↑ "BBC – The Gift – Media Centre". bbc.co.uk.
  21. ↑ l
  22. ↑ "Eurovision 2015: 'Great British Bake Off' Presenter Mel Giedroyc To Join Scott Mills For Semi-Finals Coverage, 27/04/2015". Huffington Post UK. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  23. ↑ "BBC – Programmes – Page not found". BBC.
  24. ↑ "Mel and Sue are bringing The Generation Game back to BBC One". BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  25. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/children-in-need-presenter-lineup
  26. ↑ "Dave Gorman – Show Blog". Absolute Radio. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  27. ↑ "BBC Radio 2 – Lee Mack, Michael Palin and Sofia Helin". BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  28. ↑ "BBC – BBC Children in Need – Gareth Malone forms an all-star choir for the Official BBC Children in Need single". BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  29. ↑ "BBC – Gareth Malone to form All-Star Choir for official BBC Children in Need single 2014 – Media centre". Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  30. ↑ Hardy, Rebecca. ".....TV comedienne Mel Giedroyc was forced to sell her family home when the work suddenly dried up. But then Mary Berry rode to the rescue". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  31. ↑ "Now You See It – Styling it out".
  32. ↑ BBC Three Entertainment (27 April 2015). "Mel Giedroyc to join Scott Mills as co-host of BBC Three's Eurovision Song Contest Semi Finals coverage". bbc.co.uk. BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  33. ↑ "BBC – Mel and Sue to present Let's Sing and Dance for Comic Relief – Media Centre". www.bbc.co.uk.
  34. ↑ Guide, British Comedy (1 November 2016). "Taskmaster Series 4 line-up revealed".
  35. ↑ "The Magicians". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  36. ↑ "Catchphrase". RadioTimes. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  37. ↑ "The Jonathan Ross Show". "ITV Press Centre".
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