Hardeep Singh Kohli

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Hardeep Singh Kohli

Born 1969
Scotland
Occupation Television Presenter,Writer, Broadcaster, Reporter
Relatives Sanjeev Kohli


Hardeep Singh Kohli (born 1969) is a Sikh writer, presenter, broadcaster and reporter of Indian descent from Scotland and working in the United Kingdom. He recently came third in elections for Rector of the University of Glasgow[1]

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[edit] Biography

Kohli's parents came to the UK from in India in the 1960s. His mother was a social worker, and his father a teacher. [2] He was born into a tenement-living family and was initially schooled at Hillhead Primary School in the West End of Glasgow. The family then moved to their own house in Bishopbriggs, and Kohli then moved to Meadowburn Primary. Aged eight, his parents could afford to move their children out of state schooling to be educated by the Jesuits at feepaying St. Aloysius College, a Roman Catholic school in central Glasgow. To finance their family through private school, Kohli's parents ran a corner shop.[2] Kohli gained eight As in his O-grades, and four As and a B in his Highers.[3]

While studying, Kohli managed a few restaurants and began working as an Usher at the Citizens Theatre - where his love of playwright Arthur Miller began.[4]

[edit] Career

After graduating, he was hand-picked for the prestigious BBC Scotland graduate production trainee scheme, which involved two years of training.[5] He moved to BBC Television Centre, London to direct Children's TV, and then series direct from Manchester on Janet Street Porter's series Reportage. He returned to London to direct RTS and BAFTA winning show It'll Never Work.

Kohli left the corporation in 2000 to begin working independently.[6] He is known for writing, directing and starring in Channel 4's Meet the Magoons in 2004,[7] which was cancelled after one series after average ratings. The show was nominated for a Golden Rose at the Montreux Comedy Festival. It had received mixed reviews, being slated as "mediocre", "woefully unfunny" "once was enough", "your sides will be safe from harm" and with "a ready meal approach to comedy insult". Although notoriously difficult to please TV critic, A. A. Gill praised it by stating it "might well evolve into something classic"; Nancy Banks-Smith of The Guardian thought it was "modern to the point of surreal" [[2]] Kohli wrote, produced and presented the RTS nominated documentary In Search of the Tartan Turban for Channel 4, which explored cultural identity as a Briton and a Scot belonging to an ethnic minority. It won a children's BAFTA and spun off into a daytime Channel 4 series, Hardeep Does... that covered a variety of different topical issues: sex, religion and pets. He went on to write and presented A Beginner's Guide to Scientology.[8]

In January 2007, Kohli had a three-part series on Channel 4, £50 Says You'll Watch This, exploring gambling. The show involved Kohli taking part in a celebrity card game, visiting casinos in Las Vegas and losing a substantial chunk of his fee through his inability to gamble successfully. In October 2006 and February 2007 he appeared on the BBC political panel programme Question Time. An occasional presenter on Newsnight Review, Saturday Live on BBC Radio 4 and guest presents on Loose Ends.

Kohli writes a column entitled Hardeep is your love for Scotland on Sunday, and has since March 2007, covering topics as diverse as suspicions that he is a terrorist[9] and being ashamed of enjoying Harry Potter[10]. He also occasionally writes for The Guardian and The Independent. Kohli is currently writing a book about food and travel in India and appearing as a regular reporter on BBC1's The One Show.

Kohli is Man Booker Prize judge for 2008.

[edit] Personal life

Kohli is an avid cook and in September 2006 took part in BBC One's Celebrity Masterchef programme, reaching the final along with Roger Black and Matt Dawson. He was runner-up.

He has stated that while he was born in a Sikh family, he does not practise the Sikh religion.[citation needed].

Relative Values: Hardeep Singh Kohli and his brother Sanjeev - Times Online</ref> His younger brother is the film and TV actor and writer Sanjeev Kohli. His elder brother, Randeep, is a policeman.[2]

[edit] Charitable activity

Kohli participated in a celebrity edition of The Apprentice in order to raise money for charity. [11] Sport Relief Does The Apprentice was part of the BBC's annual charity initiative Sport Relief and aired on March 12 and 14 2008. He was the Celebrity Apprentice to be "fired".

[edit] References

  1. ^ University of Glasgow [1]
  2. ^ a b c Relative Values: Hardeep Singh Kohli and his brother Sanjeev - Times Online
  3. ^ Sale, Jonathan - "The Independent: Passed/Failed - Hardeep Singh Kohli" 8th September 2005
  4. ^ Sale, Jonathan - "The Independent: My First Job: Hardeep Singh Kohli, comedy writer, was a theatre usher" 28 June 2007
  5. ^ BBC NEWS | Programmes | Newsnight Home | Newsnight Review | Hardeep Singh Kohli
  6. ^ Hardeep Singh Kohli on his favourite Soho stroll | Lifeandhealth | Life and Health
  7. ^ http://www.channel4.com/more4/microsites/L/lastword/hosts/host4.html
  8. ^ Channel 4 - Faith and belief - The Beginner's Guides
  9. ^ Don't lose your heads over my turban - Scotland on Sunday
  10. ^ 'I read Harry Potter secretly on trains, half embarrassed, half ashamed. I loved it' - Scotland on Sunday
  11. ^ "Hardeep Singh Kohli appeared in Sport Relief Does The Apprentice for charity", Charities Aid Foundation, 2008-02-28. Retrieved on 2008-02-29.

[edit] External links