| Jay Curtis | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 March 1984, Neath, Wales |
| Occupation | Radio Presenter |
| Known for | Bay Radio, Bridge FM & Swansea Life |
| Website | |
| [1] | |
Jay Curtis (born 28 March 1984) is a Welsh broadcaster, columnist and actor.
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Jay's first taste for acting began at a very young age when he performed Oliver on stage with Theatre Cwm Glo in Ystradgynlais. The cast included some now famous Welsh actors such as Eve Myles who played Gwen in Torchwood, Steve Meo from Belonging and High Hopes and Craig Russell who played Mark Gascoyne in Hollyoaks.
Curtis started work as a freelance reporter with Newsquest Media Group (A Gannet Company) writing for a local newspaper called the South Wales Guardian.
His other work includes a position at the BBC where he was spotted by the late Ray Gravell during the wyt ti n siarad grav roadshow. It was this move from journalism to radio that Curtis believes launched his presenting career and has always believed this was down to Ray. After the initial road show Curtis continued to work for BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru supporting music events on tour across Wales such as the Big Buzz and Pop Into the Park.
After working at various stations he became a presenter on his local community radio station Afan FM 107.9. It was during this time he was given a chance to present at various Restricted Service Licence shows (often called an RSL) such as Pontardawe Festival, before the station finally was granted its licence.
His success at the station led to his very own show which he later branded the Wide Awake Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, making him a permanent presenter on local radio.
In January 2007, he moved into commercial radio and after a successful interview with the group managing director, he joined Town & Country Broadcasting at their headquarters in Neath Abbey. He was initially given the Drive Time Show on 102.1 Swansea Bay Radio and 106.3 Bridge FM broadcasting a dual live Drivetime show, however within 6 months he was given the Breakfast Show.
Jay has also featured on a number of commercials for radio and television, and continues to be the official voice of Llanelli AFC at Stebonheath Park. He's also compared major public events such as music concerts, firework displays, Christmas lights switch-ons, and fashion shows. He is also a regular critic of film for ODEON cinemas and reviews books for Apex Publishing Ltd with subjects including TV and film.
Earlier in the year he was featured in the Sun, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, the South Wales Evening Post, and the Metro after giving the Britain’s Got Talent star Shaheen Jafargholi his own Radio Show with 102.1 Bay Radio. Jay was quick to use the station and its audience from Jafargholi's home city of Swansea to support him through the competition, and quickly developed a bond with him and his agent Mark Jermin.
More recently in March 2010, Jay replaced Edward Gleave as the Celebrity Columnist for Swansea Life Magazine and in April became one of the familiar faces of Sky Sports when he was selected to front their new SKY 3D launch for the World Cup on buses, lorries, the Tube, billboards and OB Trucks.
Jay Curtis has also had a successful career on both television and international films. Last year he appeared on a Christmas Day special for Tidy Productions of ITV's Ar Y Tracs. The programme produced by Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones was set on the railway and stars other Welsh actors such as Mali Harries, Rebecca Harries and Iwan John. His other recent work includes a number of appearances in Pobol Y Cwm and the brand new BBC drama Sherlock with Hartswood Films. The drama was filmed on location in Swansea and Cardiff starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular super-sleuth, Phil Davis and Martin Freeman. The pilot is a modern take on the life of Sherlock Holmes, and writers include Steven Moffat from Doctor Who and the League of Gentleman's Mark Gatiss.
He has also appeared alongside Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Matthew Rhys and Cillian Murphy in the "Edge Of Love" which was shown at cinemas in late 2008. And his other TV appearances and his credits include Torchwood, Doctor Who, Casualty, Mistresses and ITV2's Xtra Factor.
Over the past 3 years he has also worked with the Glantawe Theatre Company appearing in a number of family favourate pantomimes such as Jack And The Beanstalk. He has since continued to work with the company on a number of other productions including a comedy farce called "The Cats Away" by Ian Hornby, and a farce written by English playwright Ray Cooney called "Out Of Order" which was a Laurence Olivier Award Winner for Best New Comedy.
At the end of last year he completed a pilot game show with former You Bet and Stars in Their Eyes presenter Matthew Kelly called Shark Vs Bear, which is currently being sold to Channel 4 and should be on screen in spring 2010.
More recently Curtis has just finished playing the role of barrister Mr Brogan-More in the highly acclaimed series, Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie at the New Theatre, Cardiff. The cast includes Honeysuckle Weeks (Foyle's War), Denis Lill (The Royal), Ben Nealon (Soldier, Soldier), Robert Duncan (Drop the Dead Donkey), Peter Byrne, Jennifer Wilson and Mark Wynter.
Curtis still lives in South West Wales and is a keen supporter of local good causes. He has volunteered his time to raise funds for charities including Maggie's Cancer Centre, Ice Cool Kids, Marie Curie Cancer Care and has previously been a Volunteer First Responder for the NHS in Wales.
His skills were also used to spearhead the first ever Sport Relief event in Swansea, which later became a national campaign. He has also served as Lord Lieutenants Caded under Lord Morris QC of Aberavon, for the county of Dyfed, South Wales on behalf the Queen. His charity work also gained him the title of ‘Real Principality Hero' in 2006, when he was presented an award by Real Radio (Wales), Angela J and Chief Executive of the Principality Building Society Tracy Morshead.