Johnny Ball
Johnny Ball (born 23 May 1938) is a British television personality, a great populariser of mathematics and the father of BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoë Ball.
Early life
Originally from Bristol, he spent his primary years there and later in his childhood moved to Bolton, Lancashire where he attended Bolton School. He left formal education with two 'O' Levels, one in Mathematics.[1] He then signed on for three years in the Royal Air Force, worked as a Butlin's Redcoat and was an entertainer in northern clubs and cabaret.
Television and radio career
He was a regular fixture on children's television in the 1970s and 1980s, presenting several series of popular science and technology programmes intended for children (including Think of a Number; Think Again; Think Backwards; Think...This Way and Johnny Ball Reveals All). He was also one of the hosts of infant education programme Play School at the start of BBC2 in 1964.. All of these shows (except the ITV programme ...Reveals All) appeared on the BBC. Ball's shows were renowned for presenting scientific and technological principles in an entertaining and accessible way for young people.
In 2003, he appeared on The Terry and Gaby Show in which he answered viewers' questions. In July 2004, he was named in the Radio Times list of the top 40 most eccentric TV presenters of all time.[2]
Series guide
Think of a Number
- Pilot: 2 April 1977
- Series 1: 6 editions – 12 April 1977–17 May 1977
- Series 2: 6 editions – 12 September 1979–17 October 1979
- Series 3: 6 editions – 10 September 1980–15 October 1980
- Series 4: 6 editions – 15 September 1982–20 October 1982
- Series 5: 6 editions – 4 January 1984–8 February 1984
- Series 6: 6 editions – 26 September 1984–31 October 1984
Think Again
- Series 1: 5 editions – 9 January 1981–22 April 1981
- Series 2: 6 editions – 8 January 1982–12 February 1982
- Series 3: 6 editions – 7 January 1983–11 February 1983
- Series 4: 6 editions – 13 September 1983–18 October 1983
- Series 5: 6 editions – 10 September 1985–15 October1985
Think!Backwards
- Five editions shown over one week – 28 September 1981–2 October 1981
Think! This Way
- Five editions shown over one week – 28 March 1983–1 April 1983
Knowhow
- Series 1: 6 editions – 8 March 1988–12 April 1988
- Series 2: 6 editions – 25 October 1988–29 November 1988
- Series 3: 6 editions – 2 January 1990–6 February 1990 (does not feature in series 3)
Johnny Ball Reveals All
- Series 1: 7 editions – 14 June 1989–26 July 1989
- Series 2: 6 editions – 3 August 1990–7 September 1990
- Series 3: 7 editions – 18 March 1992–29 April 1992
- Series 4: 7 editions – 7 May 1993–16 August 1993
- Series 5: 5 editions – 8 August 1994–1 September 1994
(source: BBC)
Other activities
- Ball is in favour of nuclear power and has given many talks and speeches arguing for the development of nuclear power.[3][4]
- He rejects the notion of man-made climate change, arguing that carbon dioxide has been unfairly victimised in the debate. On 15 December 2009, Ball was booed off stage at a show "in celebration of ... science" in London for suggesting that climate change is not anthropogenic.[5]
- In November 2006, he voiced his opposition to the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act, which would require any adult working with children to be vetted by the Criminal Records Bureau. In an interview with The Sunday Times, he said: "It is like George Orwell's 1984... a quarter of adults will have to be checked... The fear we are instilling in [children] is abhorrent."[6]
Bibliography
- Ball, Johnny (2005). Think of a number. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 1-4053-1031-6.
- Ball, Johnny (2005). Go Figure!. Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0-7566-1374-4. (American edition of "Think of a Number")
- Ball, Johnny (1982). Johnny Ball's Think Box. Puffin. ISBN 0-14-031545-4.
- Ball, Johnny (1987). Johnny Ball's Second Thinks. Puffin. ISBN 0-14-031819-4.
- Ball, Johnny (1983). Plays for Laughs. Puffin. ISBN 0-14-031548-9.
- Ball, Johnny (1979). Think of a number. BBC. ISBN 0-563-17755-1. (different from the 2005 book of the same name)
References
External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Ball, Johnny |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
23 May 1938 |
| Place of birth |
Bristol, England |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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