Alex Zane

Alex Zane (born 3 March 1979 in Leeds) is an English television presenter, stand-up comedian and DJ.

Background

He attended Boston Spa Comprehensive School before going on to study Medicine at University College London,cite web|title=Alex Zane|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060529/ai_n16433358|publisher=The Independent|date=2006-05-29|accessdate=2007-12-23] a course which he left after a year, and then Media and Communications at Goldsmiths College.cite web|title=Alex Zane|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060529/ai_n16433358|publisher=The Independent|date=2006-05-29|accessdate=2007-12-23] He left Goldsmiths also without graduating.His father currently resides in Trinidad, and has done for some time. His mother lives in his native Leeds, apparently with an array of cats which take up much of the room in the two-storey house. Zane has mentioned on many occasions that while he was growing up, himself, his mother and his brother lived in the upstairs of the house while the cats lived downstairs.

tand-up comedy and radio

Zane began his stand-up comedy career at the age of 18 when he became a finalist on an open-mic competition called "So You Think You're Funny". He moved to London to concentrate on his career, and before leaving medical school, he presented "The Alex Zane Show" on UCL's student radio station Rare FM. He also presented on Wired FM, which led to his own show on London alternative station Xfm. His radio show was heard by MTV producers, who subsequently signed him up to present shows such as "Screenplay" and "TRL". He now presents the weekday breakfast show on Xfm.cite web|title=Zane steps into Laverne's shoes|publisher=Guardian Unlimited|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/apr/20/radio|date=2006-12-26|accessdate=2007-12-23] Zane and his team (Marc Haynes and Sunta Templeton) were suspended from the show in August 2008 after he broadcast a self-created song deemed to be offensive by the station. [cite web|title=DJ Alex Zane suspended after playing 'joke' song about rape|publisher=Daily Mail|url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1048526/DJ-Alex-Zane-suspended-playing-joke-song-rape.html|date=2008-08-23|accessdate=2008-08-23] All three returned a week later, with Zane accusing Xfm of "over-reacting in the extreme" and claiming that his song had been misinterpreted. [cite web|url=http://www.gigwise.com/news/45686/axed-alex-zane-accuses-xfm-of-overreacting|title='Axed' Alex Zane Accuses XFM Of Over-Reacting|publisher=Gigwise.com|accessdate=2008-09-25] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7586406.stm|title=DJ Zane's anger at XFM suspension|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=2008-09-25]

Television presenting

In 2006 Zane was signed by Channel 4 under an exclusive contract. He co-presented "Popworld" and the accompanying Popworld Radio podcast with Alexa Chung until the programme ended in July 2007. He has narrated an E4 television show, "Princess Nikki", and made appearances on Channel 4 entertainment programmes such as "The Law of the Playground", "8 out of 10 cats" and "Balls of Steel". He presented E4's coverage of Channel 4's hoax reality show "Space Cadets",cite web|title=Zane steps into Laverne's shoes|publisher=Guardian Unlimited|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/apr/20/radio|date=2006-12-26|accessdate=2007-12-23] as well as Death Wish Live, the Digital Music Awards 2005 and Carling Live 24. He has also presented television coverage of several large scale music events, including the V Festival, and the Wireless Festival in London's Hyde Park. He presented "Celebrity Scissorhands" first on BBC Three, then on BBC One, as part of the BBC's Children in Need charity campaign in November 2006.cite web|title=Zane steps into Laverne's shoes|publisher=Guardian Unlimited|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/apr/20/radio|date=2007-04-20|accessdate=2007-12-23] He has most recently presented Channel 4's "Rude Tube". (February 2008)

He had a small part in in 2005.

Comedy writing

Zane has written comedy material for "The Eleven O'Clock Show" (Channel 4), "Smack the Pony" (Channel 4), "Brain Candy" (BBC Three), and "The Sketch Show" (ITV1).

References

External links

* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1577445/ Alex Zane on IMDB]
* [http://www.myspace.com/alexzaneofficial Alex Zane's Myspace page]
* [http://www.popworld.com/ Popworld official site]