32 Facts About Richard Madeley

Richard Holt Madeley is an English television presenter and writer.

Richard Madeley was the main relief presenter of Channel 5's The Wright Stuff, and since 2017, he has been one of three main relief presenters of ITV breakfast show Good Morning Britain.

Richard Madeley was born in Romford, Essex on 13 May 1956, the son of journalist Christopher Holt Richard Madeley, from a family of tenant farmers at Kiln Farm, Shawbury, Shropshire, and Mary Claire.

In 2008, Richard Madeley told The Guardian that his father was physically abusive, with little provocation.

Richard Madeley estimated that during a period of two years his father beat him with a stick about 25 times.

The final and most vicious beating occurred when Richard Madeley was aged 10.

Richard Madeley's father ordered him to remove his shirt and then hit Richard "repeatedly, dementedly, with a stick".

In 2014, Richard Madeley said he was surprised by the level of media interest the beatings generated, "because to me, it was abnormal not to be hit back then", and said he almost regretted writing about it in his 2008 book Fathers and Sons, noting to the general public the beatings are not the defining thing about his father, and calling his father "fun, bright, warm and tactile".

Christopher Richard Madeley had himself been subject to physical abuse by his father, Geoffrey.

Richard Madeley joined BBC Radio Carlisle at the age of 19.

Richard Madeley moved to Granada Reports in the early 1980s where he met his future wife Judy Finnigan.

Richard Madeley hosted the ITV1 show Fortune: Million Pound Giveaway in 2007, and was the presenter for the unaired pilot of the home video show You've Been Framed in 1990.

Richard Madeley hosted the news quiz Have I Got News for You on 14 December 2007, and then featured as a guest panellist in May 2011.

Richard Madeley sat in for Richard Bacon on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Richard Madeley appeared on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in April 2009 and was a guest on BBC Question Time in January 2010.

Richard Madeley presented his own show on Radio 2, Richard Madeley on Sunday, covering for Terry Wogan's Weekend Wogan over Wogan's holidays.

Wogan died in January 2016, and Richard Madeley's show became a semi-permanent replacement.

Richard Madeley is the author of three novels: Some Day I'll Find You, The Way You Look Tonight and The Night Book.

Since August 2017, Richard Madeley has been a relief presenter on ITV's breakfast programme Good Morning Britain.

Richard Madeley has been compared by viewers to the fictional talk show and radio host Alan Partridge for his perceived parallels to Steve Coogan's bumbling, tone-deaf comedy character.

Richard Madeley himself has remarked that he believes this comparison is "a bit unfair".

In January 2021, Richard Madeley covered for Steph McGovern on her Channel 4 programme Steph's Packed Lunch while she had to self-isolate due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In November 2021, Richard Madeley was a contestant on the twenty-first series of I'm a Celebrity.

Richard Madeley has said that he believes the marriage was a mistake, and he had ten affairs during that time.

Richard Madeley met Judy Finnigan in 1982 when they worked on separate programmes for Granada Television.

Richard Madeley is stepfather to twin sons from Finnigan's first marriage to journalist David Henshaw.

In October 2011, Richard Madeley was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters from Anglia Ruskin University for his contribution to television, reading, entertainment and media.

In 1994, while the co-host of This Morning, Richard Madeley faced legal issues when he was arrested at a Tesco supermarket in Manchester for allegedly failing to pay for certain items, including champagne.

Richard Madeley attributed the incident to a lapse in memory, stating that he had simply forgotten to pay for the champagne while going through the checkout.

Richard Madeley has expressed strong support for former Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Richard Madeley supported the Iraq War, saying international law on the issue was "incredibly complicated".

Richard Madeley was critical of the UK government's response to the COVID-19 virus, especially the lockdown response after 24 March 2020, saying there was "no point in running away and hiding from the virus".