Darren Day
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Darren Day (born 17 July 1968) (age 39) is an English actor, singer, and television presenter known for his colourful personal life.
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[edit] Biography
Day was born in Colchester, Essex. His grandfather on his father's side was a support and warm up act for George Formby. Day attended Sir Charles Lucas Art College, 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.[2]
[edit] Career
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.[3]
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 Philip Schofield.[4] He then developed his career as a television presenter and has presented programmes such as 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!.
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,[5] 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 [6]
[edit] Private life
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 Shaw child maintenance cost, leaving her £200,000 in arrears[10]. In November 2007 he was discharged.
[edit] Relationships
Day's record of marriage proposals makes him a target for the tabloids, and they often brand him a "love cheat". Here is a list of his known female acquaintances and engagements:[11] Darren Day married long term partner Stephanie Dooley on Monday 21st May 2007, who is the mother of his daughter Madison. [12]
- Andrea Boardman - lived with the children's TV presenter daughter of comedian Stan Boardman for three years, until they split up in January 1994
- Debbie Gibson - American singer/actress
- Malandra Burrows - actress
- Anna Friel - actress when she was 18 in 1994. Day ended the engagement in 1997, saying he was too old for her
- Tracy Shaw - actress. Day started the relationship before ending his relationship with Friel, and supposedly used the same engagement ring for both announcements. Shaw fell into a deep and depressive state, including a high level of cocaine consumption, as a result of her relationship with Day
- Isla Fisher - actress. Met while both were starring in a production of "Summer Holiday."
- Tara Newley - actress, Joan Collins daughter[13]
- Sophia Thierens - musical theatre actress[14]
- Adele Vellacott - dancer who he met while both were performing in a pantomime
- Suzanne Shaw - singer, formerly of pop band Hear'Say. They met while both were appearing in Summer Holiday (play), eight months after Day got engaged to Vellacott. Day allegedly cheated on a then eight months pregnant Shaw with dancer Cecilia Carneby.[15] The couple vowed to struggle on and son Corey Mackenzie Day was born in the December 2004. Day however walked out in March 2005, uttering the now immortal words "I don't do family"
- Stephanie Dooley - actress, she has one son, Jordan aged 7 and they have a daughter Madison, aged 1. Like his two previous fiancees, he too met her while appearing on stage. They married in May 2007 at a castle in Scotland.
[edit] Discography
Singles
- Young Girl - (1994), #42 UK
- Summer Holiday Medley - (1996), #17 UK
- How Can I Be Sure? - (1998), #71 UK
Albums
- Summer Holiday - (1996), #103 UK
- Darren Day - (1998), #62 UK
[edit] References
- ^ BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - Entertainment - Darren will let Alfie do the talking
- ^ BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - Entertainment - Darren will let Alfie do the talking
- ^ BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - Entertainment - Darren will let Alfie do the talking
- ^ BBC - Beds Herts and Bucks - Entertainment - Darren will let Alfie do the talking
- ^ People.Co.Uk - Exclusive: Homeless Darren Day Kips In Car
- ^ It's take Rat for Darren - Theatre and dance - Entertainment - Manchester Evening News
- ^ Showbiz - News - Darren Day thanks Cliff Richard for advice - Digital Spy
- ^ Sky Showbiz - Darren Day: 'I'm So Ashamed'
- ^ Darren Day left bankrupt by cocaine addiction | the Daily Mail
- ^ Daily Mirror, 26 March 2008
- ^ The Sun Online | The Best for News, Sport and Showbiz | The Sun
- ^ MAGAZINE - COVER 972
- ^ Darren Day left bankrupt by cocaine addiction | the Daily Mail
- ^ Darren Day left bankrupt by cocaine addiction | the Daily Mail
- ^ Darren Day left bankrupt by cocaine addiction | the Daily Mail
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Matthew Kelly |
Host of You Bet 1996-97 |
Succeeded by Series Ended |
