Bradley Walsh has been a TV favourite since the late 1990s, known for presenting shows such as The Chase, acting in Doctor Who and Coronation Street, and for his singing career. And now, the presenter is fronting a brand new spin-off version of the ITV quiz show, Beat the Chasers. Although the father-of-two has been on our screens for over 20 years, there might be some things you may not know about the actor and presenter. From his early life to his former career, here's all you need to know about Bradley...
WATCH: Moment Bradley and Barney Walsh prank Holly Willoughby on This Morning
Bradley Walsh's bio
Bradley was born in June 1960 in Hertfordshire and grew up near Watford. The 59-year-old, who is 5'9" in height, left school at 16 and got a job as an apprentice for luxury motor brand Rolls Royce before going on to start his career in professional football and then entertainment.
Bradley Walsh's career
In the beginning of his career, rather than diving straight into showbiz, Bradley was a professional footballer. At the age of 18, Bradley started playing for Brentford as a sub. He's also played for Boreham Wood and Barnet football teams, appearing in the Southern Football League many times.
MORE: Bradley Walsh pays emotional tribute to son Barney – see adorable pic
Bradley is currently presenting The Chase spin-off show Beat The Chasers
After his stint in football, Bradley then started working at holiday entertainment companies like Pontins, and in 1997, he was approached by ITV to front popular game show Wheel of Fortune. Bradley was the show's presenter for over a year and then decided to turn to acting. The father-of-two's first acting role was in the TV show Lock, Stock which was an adaption of popular Guy Ritchie film Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Bradley then went on to star in popular ITV soap Coronation Street as Danny Baldwin, a role he played for two years.
The actor has also starred in many other popular TV programmes over the years such as Law & Order and, more recently, Doctor Who. He's also tried his hand at singing. In 2016 Bradley released his first album Chasing Dreams and one year later, due to the success of the first, released his second album When You're Smiling.
MORE: Inside Bradley and Barney Walsh's father and son friendship
He hosted the game show since 2009
Bradley Walsh's net worth
Given his impressive career in showbiz and music, it's unsurprising that Bradley has plenty of pennies in the bank. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bradley is worth more than £6 million. In 2018, The Sun reported that the TV star took home more than £9.2 million in two years, making him a higher earner than Ant and Dec that year.
Bradley Walsh's wife and children
Bradley has been married to his wife Donna Derby for more than 20 years. The couple tied the knot in 1997, and Donna was once a former professional dancer and is now a choreographer. She has also worked as a choreographer on Miss World, which also happens to be presented by her son, Barney.
Bradley and Donna have been married for over 20 years
Donna also appeared in six episodes of The Kenny Everett Television Show from 1987 to 1988. Bradley has two children and the family live in Essex. He and Donna share actor Barney, who starred alongside his dad in their very own show Breaking Dad, and Bradley has a daughter called Hayley from a previous relationship.
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