52 Facts About Gethin Jones

1.

Gethin Clifford Jones was born on 12 February 1978 and is a Welsh television presenter.

2.

Gethin Jones was an active rugby union player while at Manchester Metropolitan University and, after graduation, he began his television career on Welsh language channel S4C as a presenter of children's programmes such as Popty, Mas Draw and the flagship children's entertainment show Uned 5.

3.

In 2005, Jones became the 31st presenter of BBC children's programme Blue Peter.

4.

Gethin Jones was born on 12 February 1978 in Cardiff, the son of Sylvia, a violin teacher, and Goronwy Gethin Jones, headteacher of Baden Powell Primary School.

5.

Gethin Jones has Grade 8 violin and Grade 6 piano qualifications, and took part in school musicals and school and county orchestras.

6.

Gethin Jones's mother wanted him to develop his musical talents, while he enjoyed rugby union.

7.

At the age of 21 in his final year, Gethin Jones was offered trials by Sale RFC.

8.

Gethin Jones subsequently joined Welsh channel S4C as a presenter of children's programmes such as Popty, Mas Draw, and the flagship children's entertainment show Uned 5.

9.

In 2003, Gethin Jones was voted Bachelor of the Year by the readers of Company magazine.

10.

On 26 April 2005, Gethin Jones became a presenter of the children's television series, Blue Peter.

11.

Gethin Jones auditioned on the same day as co-presenter Zoe Salmon.

12.

Gethin Jones played the violin at the Proms with the BBC Philharmonic.

13.

Gethin Jones announced on 8 April 2008 on Blue Peter that after three and half years with the show, he would be leaving at the end of the current series in June.

14.

Gethin Jones's spokeswoman said he had always planned to leave when he turned 30.

15.

Gethin Jones co-presented the 2006,2007 and 2008 New Year's Eve programme New Year Live on BBC One with various other presenters.

16.

On 16 February 2008, Gethin Jones began presenting a new 15-minute programme entitled E24 on BBC News with James Dagwell.

17.

Between 4 and 11 May 2008, Gethin Jones was the narrator and presenter of the 2008 BBC Young Musician of the Year.

18.

Gethin Jones made his radio debut on BBC Radio 5 Live on 5 July 2008, presenting a three-hour Saturday morning show focusing on sport and entertainment.

19.

Gethin Jones appeared in The National Lottery: Big 7, a live programme broadcast on BBC One on 30 August 2008 where the winners of the National Lottery Awards 2008 were announced.

20.

Gethin Jones was one of the players for the Rest of the World for Soccer Aid on 7 September 2008 on ITV.

21.

Gethin Jones was again chosen to play for the Rest of the World in the Soccer Aid match on 7 June 2010.

22.

On 13 September 2008, Gethin Jones presented the Proms in the Park from Singleton Park in Swansea on the BBC as part of the Last Night of the Proms programme and was one of the concerts available for viewers with interactive television.

23.

Between 5 January and 15 April 2009, Gethin Jones hosted his first quiz show, a Welsh language rugby-themed general knowledge competition, on S4C entitled Cwis Meddiant.

24.

Gethin Jones followed this up with another quiz show on Sky1 called Sell Me the Answer.

25.

From 17 to 21 August 2009, Gethin Jones presented BBC One's The One Show with Gloria Hunniford filling in for Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley.

26.

In 2010, Gethin Jones presented the Golden Globes programme from the red carpet in Los Angeles on Sunday 17 January 2010 with Angela Griffin and a studio show in the UK was hosted by Claudia Winkelman.

27.

On 12 February 2010, Gethin Jones was a guest on the Welsh S4C chat show Jonathan presented by Jonathan Davies.

28.

In 2010, Gethin Jones co-hosted ITV's 71 Degrees North with Kate Thornton, which saw celebrities performing various tasks in the extreme weather conditions of Norway.

29.

In February 2011, Gethin Jones was a guest presenter on This Morning with Gloria Hunniford.

30.

On 21 May 2012, Gethin Jones joined ITV's Daybreak full-time as a reporter.

31.

Gethin Jones left with the end of the show in late April 2014.

32.

On 8 May 2016, Gethin Jones began co-presenting Sunday Morning Breakfast from 9am to 12noon over the summer with Caroline Flack across the Heart Network.

33.

Gethin Jones has been a reporter for Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two since 2016, and guest presented two episodes on 15 and 16 November 2017, standing in for Zoe Ball.

34.

Gethin Jones took part in the 2016 Christmas special of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One, partnered with Chloe Hewitt.

35.

Gethin Jones presented the Hits Radio breakfast show alongside Gemma Atkinson and Comedy Dave until 2019.

36.

Gethin Jones appeared as a Cyberman in a 2006 episode of Doctor Who and as a Dalek operator in the final episode in 2008.

37.

Gethin Jones guest-starred as himself in The Sarah Jane Adventures pilot "Invasion of the Bane".

38.

In 2007, Gethin Jones participated in Series 5 of Strictly Come Dancing, partnering Camilla Dallerup.

39.

Gethin Jones came third after being voted out in a "dance-off" in the semi-final.

40.

Gethin Jones appeared in the programme's Christmas Special, finishing second behind Darren Gough after each couple received a perfect score.

41.

In December 2009, Gethin Jones appeared in the 2009 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special along with Rachel Stevens, Ali Bastian, Ricky Whittle, Chris Hollins and Austin Healey.

42.

From 4 December 2009 until 10 January 2010, Gethin Jones appeared as Prince Charming in the pantomime Cinderella at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford.

43.

In September 2010, Gethin Jones appeared as the Narrator in The Rocky Horror Show at Venue Cymru, Llandudno.

44.

In 2012 Gethin Jones made a cameo appearance as himself in an episode of comedy drama Stella.

45.

In May 2012, Gethin Jones was an Olympic Torchbearer in the torch relay before the 2012 Summer Olympics.

46.

Since August 2012, Gethin Jones has been an Ambassador for the Wandsworth series of London Sky Rides.

47.

In 2020, Gethin Jones appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Masterchef.

48.

On 5 November 2008, Gethin Jones won the title of "Ultimate Hottie" by Cosmopolitan magazine.

49.

Gethin Jones has been in contention with other similar competitions.

50.

In December 2007, Gethin Jones became romantically involved with mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins.

51.

Gethin Jones is a keen footballer, tennis player and golfer.

52.

Gethin Jones is short-sighted and wore contact lenses or glasses until he underwent a laser procedure to correct his shortsightedness on 17 June 2009.