Jonathan Wilkes

Jonathan Wilkes (born 1 August 1978 in Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent) ^[1] is TV presenter and singer.

Personal life

Wilkes attended Holden Lane High School in Stoke-on-Trent.

Wilkes met his wife Nikki Wheeler in 1999, while working for BBC Choice (now BBC three). He presented an interview show featuring his to be wife (part of the girlband 'Toutes les Filles') and thus started a relationship. They married in 2004, in Los Angeles. They have one child, a son called Mickey Wilkes.

Association with Football

Wilkes had ambitions to become a footballer, and was a part of Everton F.C.'s youth set-up in 1993. He went on to trials at Crewe and Chester as well as playing for Silverstone FC. Wilkes gave up his ambitions in Football, so pursued a career in entertainment.

In 2004 Wilkes appeared in Sky One's The Match where he captained a football match at St James' Park for a team of celebrities against a team of 'legends'.

Robbie Williams, along with various celebrities including Wilkes, fronted Soccer Aid, a series of celebrity football matches held every two years in support of UNICEF. He scored in the 2006, 2008 and 2012 matches as well as scoring a penalty in 2010. He is the only person to have scored in every Soccer Aid match, even though he only scored in a penalty shoot-out in 2010.

Television

Wilkes won the Cameron Mackintosh Young Entertainer of the Year award in 1996. He was the youngest person to star in the Blackpool Pleasure Beach end-of-pier-style show, which led to television work on BBC Choice (now BBC Three) programme Hype. He signed a three-year contract with ITV, fronting You've Been Framed, Love on a Saturday Night, and SMTV. Love on a Saturday Night was axed after just a series and a half after poor reception, and Wilkes' involvement with SMTV coincided with it being ended. Other TV credits include The Match, Soccer Aid, and All Star Cup. He also made weekly guest appearances on the ITV show Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway from February 2009.

Music and theatre career

In 2000, Wilkes signed a deal with Virgin and began to write and record material for an album, along with songwriters Guy Chambers, Bryan Adams and Elliot Kennedy. His debut single "Just Another Day" went to #24 in the UK Singles Chart.^[2]

In 2006, he joined Robbie Williams on his Close Encounters Tour, singing "Me and My Shadow" and "Strong", as well as playing football with Williams on stage. The duet with Williams for "Me and My Shadow" was recorded live and featured on Williams's DVD and video Swing When You're Winning.

In February 2002, Wilkes took the lead role in the musical Godspell, which premiered in Liverpool, where Wilkes and Daniel McPherson alternated the roles of Jesus and Judas each night.

Wilkes took the lead role of Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show for the 30th anniversary national tour, from October 2002 to November 2003. In 2003, Wilkes also played the lead role of Danny in a Christmas and New Year production of Grease.

In 2007, Wilkes toured with the Donmar Warehouse performance of Guys and Dolls, playing the role of Sky Masterson.

In 2008 Wilkes toured in the debut UK theatre production of The Wedding Singer.

He took up the role of Khassoggi in Queen's We Will Rock You UK tour.

He was in the production of Dick Whittington at Stoke-on-trent's Regent Theatre playing the role of Dick.

Wilkes played Billy Flynn in Chicago at The Cambridge Theatre, London.

Most recently Wilkes has turned his attention to his American Football career, playing for Newcastle Raiders. He suffered an injury (November 2013) and it still remains unclear if he will return to his role.

References

External links

• Jonathan Wilkes at the Internet Movie Database