Chris Tarrant Biography
Chris Tarrant is a distinguished English broadcaster, television personality, and former radio DJ, honored with an OBE. Since 2012, he has been a presenter on Channel 5’s “Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways.” Tarrant is widely known for his work on the ITV children’s television program Tiswas from 1974 to 1981 and as the host of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” from 1998 to 2014.
Chris Tarrant Age
Tarrant was born on October 19, 1946, in Reading, Berkshire, England. Chris is 78 years old as of 2024.
Chris Tarrant Height
Tarrant stands at an approximate height of 6 feet and 2 inches.
Chris Tarrant Family
Tarrant was born in Reading, Berkshire, England, to diligent parents. Chris is a British citizen, the offspring of Basil Tarrant and Joan Tarrant. His father enlisted in a territorial division of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps back in 1936. He was part of the Dunkirk evacuation in May 1940 and also participated in the Normandy landings. Basil passed away in 2005, while Joan followed in 2012.
Chris Tarrant Wife
Tarrant has been in a committed relationship with legal assistant Jane Bird since 2008. Previously, he was married to his second spouse, Ingrid Dupre-Walsh, in 1991, but they divorced in 2007. They initially met while working at TV-am. Ingrid, a 67-year-old television personality, and he had two children together, Sammy and Toby. Before that, he was married to Sheila Roberton in Southend-on-Sea in 1976, but they separated in 1982. They share two daughters, Helen, born in 1977, and Jennifer, born in 1980.
Additionally, it was reported that Tarrant experienced a minor stroke during a return flight from Bangkok to London Heathrow in March 2014. Upon landing, he was promptly taken to Charing Cross Hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his right leg. Chris is an enthusiast of the rock band Status Quo and a staunch supporter of Reading F.C.
Chris Tarrant Children
Tarrant has four children: Helen and Jennifer from his marriage to his first wife, Sheila, and Sammy and Toby from his second wife, Ingrid Dupre-Walsh. Toby, born on October 29, 1991, is Chris’s son with Ingrid. At 30 years old, Toby works as an English radio broadcaster on Radio X. He tied the knot with his wife, Pippa Taylor, on September 16, 2022. Additionally, Ingrid was previously married and has two children, Dexter and Fia.
Chris Tarrant’s Net Worth
Tarrant has an estimated net worth of between $15 Million which he has earned through his successful career as a broadcaster, television personality, and former radio DJ.
Chris Tarrant Education
Tarrant went to the King’s School, Worcester, from 1960 to 1964, residing as a boarder in Choir House. He participated in hockey and cricket throughout his schooling, representing the school. He achieved A, B, and D grades at A-level in English, history, and ancient history. Following this, Chris proceeded to the University of Birmingham, where he majored in English and graduated in 1967.
Chris Tarrant Career/Broadcaster
Tarrant worked as a schoolteacher and for a short period as a film director for the Central Office of Information, Chris embarked on his broadcasting career at ATV, initially as a newsreader on ATV Today. However, his role as a co-host on Tiswas from January 1974 to 1981 brought him widespread recognition.
Subsequently, he hosted the short-lived Saturday late-night show O.T.T. and later worked at the breakfast television station TV-am. Transitioning to radio, Chris joined Capital Radio in 1984, initially presenting the station’s Sunday lunchtime show before moving to a late-morning weekday slot. He went on to host Capital Breakfast until April 2004.
In 1998, he took on the hosting duties for the immensely popular television quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, which aired for 15 years on ITV until its conclusion in October 2013. Following this, ITV commissioned a new series of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? with Jeremy Clarkson as the new host in 2018.
Chris also served as a Hospital radio presenter at Salford Royal Foundation Trust and hosted various television shows such as Everybody’s Equal (1989-1990), the UK edition of Man O Man (1996-1999), Pop Quiz (1994), and Tarrant on TV (1996-2006). He lent his voice to the film Johnny English in 2003 and presented a show for Watch titled Tarrant Lets the Kids Loose in 2009.
Additionally, he made guest appearances on BBC Radio 2, sitting in for Steve Wright on his show on ten occasions between 2010 and 2013. Furthermore, since 2014, he has been a brand ambassador and appeared in commercials for Lottoland. In 2017, he took on the role of a continuity announcer for the TV channel Challenge.
Chris Tarrant OTT
Tarrant introduced a late-night program called O.T.T., which was conceived as a more mature rendition of Tiswas, but it failed to garner much popularity. Airing at 11:00 pm on Saturday nights, the show ran for just one series from January 2 to April 3, 1982.
Chris Tarrant Extreme Railway
Since 2012, he has been hosting the show Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways on Channel 5. In this series, Chris embarks on global journeys to explore railways going through some of the most challenging landscapes. Along the way, he delves into the history of these railways, many of which are among the world’s oldest and most picturesque. The series comprises 28 episodes across six seasons.
Chris Tarrant, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
In 1998, he took on the hosting duties for the widely acclaimed television quiz program Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The show enjoyed a successful run of 15 years on ITV before it was announced that it concluded in October 2013. Over its tenure, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? aired a total of 592 episodes spanning 30 series. Additionally, ITV commissioned a new iteration of the series, with Jeremy Clarkson as the new host, which premiered in 2018.
Chris Tarrant Social Media Platforms
He is active on his social media accounts and often posts on his Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.