Alex Brooker
| Alex Brooker | |
|---|---|
| Born |
15 May 1984 Croydon, England, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | English |
| Ethnicity | White British |
| Education |
Liverpool John Moores University The Norton Knatchbull School |
| Occupation | Journalist, television presenter |
| Employer | Press Association, Channel 4 |
| Notable credit(s) |
The Last Leg (2012—) The Jump (2014) |
Alexander James "Alex" Brooker (born 15 May 1984) is an English journalist and presenter, best known for his television work with Channel 4.
Brooker has co-hosted The Last Leg, a Channel 4 panel show with Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe since 2012, as well as co-presenting Channel 4 ski jumping show The Jump with Davina McCall in 2014.
Career
Brooker went to the Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford, Kent, before graduating from Liverpool John Moores University in 2006[1] and worked as a sports reporter on the Liverpool Echo.[2] He now works for the Press Association.[2]
Brooker entered Channel 4's Half a Million Quid Talent Search in 2012,[1][3] which aimed to find disabled talent for coverage of the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games and beyond. He first appeared as a trackside reporter on Channel 4's coverage of the 2011 BT Paralympic World Cup.[1] Brooker interviewed the likes of Boris Johnson and David Cameron during the 2012 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony and was a co-host on The Last Leg with Adam Hills, a nightly alternative look at the Games.[4] Brooker was also on The Last Leg of the Year, an end of year special with Adam Hills and Josh Widdicombe.
Since 25 January 2013, Brooker has been a co-host on The Last Leg on Channel 4.[5]
On 1 August 2013, Brooker hosted a one-off documentary about body image on Channel 4, titled Alex Brooker: My Perfect Body.[6]
In January and February 2014, Brooker co-presented the first series of celebrity reality show The Jump on Channel 4 opposite Davina McCall. The series was broadcast live over ten nights from a mountainside in Austria.[7] However, Brooker did not return for the second series in 2015.
Guest appearances
- The Million Pound Drop Live (September 2012) – Contestant with Josh Widdicombe
- Alan Carr's Grand National Specstacular (19 March 2013) – Guest
- Sunday Brunch (28 July 2013) – Guest
- Celebrity Fifteen to One (20 September 2013, 13 June 2014) – Contestant
- 8 Out of 10 Cats (18 October 2013, 8 November 2013, 14 April 2014 and 4 November 2014) – Panellist
- Never Mind the Buzzcocks (18 November 2013, 14 October 2014) – Guest
- Fake Reaction (23 January 2014) – Panellist
- Virtually Famous (4 August 2014) – Panellist
- The Chase: Celebrity Special (20 September 2014) – Contestant
- Celebrity Squares (15 October 2014) – Guest
- The Apprentice: You're Fired! (5 November 2014) – Panellist
- Britain's Got More Talent (28 May 2015) – Panellist
- 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown (28 August 2015) – Mascot
- Celebrity Benchmark (23 October 2015) – Contestant, won £6,000 for charity
- All Star Mr & Mrs (25 November 2015) – Contestant
- Would I Lie to You? (13 January 2016) – Contestant
Personal life
Brooker is from Ashford, Kent but lives in Leeds.[3] He was born with hand and arm deformities and a twisted right leg which had to be amputated when he was a baby. He now wears a prosthetic leg. [8] He is a fanatical supporter of Arsenal FC, regularly appearing on 'Footballistically Arsenal' podcast.[9]
Charity
In May, Brooker fronted a campaign called 'End The Awkward' by disability charity Scope, which used comedy to shine a light on the awkwardness that many people feel about disability. Brooker appeared in three advertisements guiding viewers through awkward situations that they may encounter with a disabled person.[10]
In September 2012, Brooker won The Million Pound Drop Live with Josh Widdicombe playing for Echoes Foundation, Scope Joseph's Goal.[11][12]
References
- 1 2 3 "Graduate lands top TV sports presenting job". JMU Journalism. 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- 1 2 Chris Bradley. "C4 Presenters – Alex Brooker". Channel 4. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- 1 2 "Alex Brooker – Half-Million quid talent search video". Youtube. 9 September 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- ↑ Ned Boulting (2 September 2012). "Ned Boulting: Alex Brooker deserves a medal for his Paralympic performance". Metro (London: Metro). Retrieved 19 September 2012.
- ↑ Paul Kalina. "Risking laugh and limb pays off". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
- ↑ "Alex Brooker: My Perfect Body". Channel 4. Retrieved 31 December 2013.
- ↑ "Channel 4 reveals the famous faces preparing to take The Jump". Channel 4 Press. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
- ↑ "Meet the C4Paralympics Team: Reporter Alex Brooker". Youtube. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- ↑ http://podcast.playbackmedia.co.uk/footballistically.xml
- ↑ Parry, Lizzie (8 May 2014). "Two-thirds of us are uncomfortable talking to disabled people – because we fear we'll appear patronising". Daily Mail. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
- ↑ "Million Pound Charity Drop Benefits Disability Charities". Posability magazine. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
- ↑ Lucy Lyon (14 September 2012). "Million Pound Drop TV win 'saves' Hull's Echoes Foundation". This Is Hull and East Riding. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
External links
- Alex Brooker at Independent Talent Group
- Alex Brooker on Twitter
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