Jeremy Beadle

Infobox Celebrity
name = Jeremy Beadle MBE


caption =
birth_date = Birth date|1948|4|12|df=yes
birth_place = Hackney, London, England
death_date = death date and age|2008|01|30|1948|4|12|df=yes
death_place = North London, England
occupation = TV presenter, writer and producer.
salary =
networth =
spouse = Susan Beadle
children = Cassie and Bonnie
and stepchildren Leo and Clare
website =
footnotes =

Jeremy James Anthony Gibson Beadle MBE (12 April 1948 – 30 January 2008) was an English television presenter, writer and producer.

Early life

Beadle was born in Hackney, East London, on 12 April 1948. His father abandoned his mother when he learned that she was pregnant. Before he reached the age of two, he was frequently hospitalised and had undergone surgery for Poland syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which stunted growth in his right hand.James Macintyre, [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/jeremy-beadle-king-of-the-tv-practical-jokers-dies-aged-59-776160.html "Jeremy Beadle, king of the TV practical jokers, dies aged 59"] , "The Independent", 31 January 2008]

His mother worked as a secretary to help pay to raise him. Beadle did not enjoy school, and was frequently in trouble. He was eventually expelled from his secondary school, Orpington County Secondary Boys' School.cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,2249518,00.html|title=Obituary: Jeremy Beadle|first=Dennis|last=Barker|date=31 January 2008|work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian Media Group|acceessdate=2008-01-31]

After his expulsion, he traveled and worked throughout Europe. He had a number of jobs, at one point taking photographs of topless models, as a tour guide.

In 1973, as an early member of the Campaign for Real Ale, he was elected to their National Executive and secured the Campaign's first TV or radio coverage in a one hour programme on BBC Radio London, which he hosted ["What's Brewing", March 2008 edition.] In 1972 he was employed as one of the management of the Bickershaw Festival. and he worked on further musical events over the next couple of years It was during this period that his talent for practical jokes became evident, although occasionally this rebounded on him, such as when colleagues left him naked in front of 400 women arriving for their shift. He then started writing for radio and television, going on to provide material for stars such as Terry Wogan, Noel Edmonds and Kenny Everett, and was co-editor of "Time Out" in London and editor of "Time Out" North West although that only lasted six issues in the north west and that was when he got involved in Bickershaw Festival at the suggestion of North West Arts.

Later public life

Radio and television

He began supplying odd facts and questions to radio and television game shows, such as "Celebrity Squares". As a radio presenter he began on BBC Radio 3 and later on BBC Radio 4 became chairman of "Animal, Vegetable, Mineral?" and also had his own late night BBC Radio 2 show titled "Nightline". On another late-evening phone-in show on LBC in London during the late 1970s (where he used to announce himself as Jeremy James Anthony Gibson-Beadlebum and his Producer as 'Butch' Bavin Cook) he developed a cult following. On Capital Radio he presented "Beadle's Odditarium", a music show concentrating on strange, bizarre and rare recordings all taken from the archives of producer Phil Swern. He also became renowned for his off-air pranks and intellectually challenging quizzes. He wrote, devised and presented many television pilots for the highly successful game show company Action Time. He wrote and became accidental presenter of "The Deceivers", a BBC2 television series recounting the history of swindlers and hoaxers. [cite news |first=Martin |last=Hodgson |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jan/31/itv.television |title=Veteran TV joker Jeremy Beadle dies of pneumonia, aged 59 |date=2008-01-31 |format=registration required|work=Guardian media section|publisher=Guardian Media Group|accessdate=2008-01-31] The success of this led to using the same format for "Eureka", which told the background behind everyday inventions. He then went on to become nationally famous as one of the presenters of LWT's "Game for a Laugh" (along with Matthew Kelly, Henry Kelly and Sarah Kennedy),a pivotal show in the history of British television since it was the first time ITV 'won' the Saturday night ratings battle. This was followed by a hidden-camera style practical joke show, "Beadle's About" (1986-1996) which became the world's longest continuously running hidden camera show. From 1990 he wrote and presented "You've Been Framed!", a family show featuring humorous clips from viewers' home video recordings. An off-shoot of this was "Beadle's Hotshots" featuring viewers' intentionally funny parodies and sketches (some of which were re-edited and even re-shot by a young Edgar Wright in his first industry job). In total, Beadle hit the UK Number One ratings slot four times. In 1995, reflecting his days on LBC, he presented a relatively short-lived but hugely popular Sunday late-evening show on the newly launched Talk Radio UK. As well as his considerable television output as writer, presenter and producer he appeared in numerous pantomimes and acted as ring master for many circuses notably for Gerry Cottle. He also worked as a consultant for many television companies, wrote books and presented quizzes both commercially and for charity.

Writing

Beadle wanted to be the British Robert L. Ripley. A love of trivia led him to write "Today's the Day", (published in UK by WH Allen in 1979 and by Signet in the United States two years later), researched in his own library of more than 25,000 volumes. This book recounts — for any given day of the year — notable births, deaths and other events which occurred on this date in previous years. Beadle briefly performed a similar duty on television's "TV-am", informing each morning's viewers of prominent events on this date in past years.

For more than two years, he scripted a daily cartoon series of "Today's the Day" for the "Daily Express". He worked alongside Irving Wallace and son David Wallechinsky and daughter Amy Wallace as the biggest contributor to the sex and death chapters of the sensationally successful "Book of Lists" and was the London editor of "The People's Almanac 2". The Wallaces' book "The Intimate Sex Lives of the Famous" (Hutchinson, 1981) was researched in part in Beadle's library, which contained an extensive canon of erotic literature. In autumn 2007 three new Beadle titles were published; "Firsts, Lasts & Onlys Crime", "Firsts, Lasts & Onlys Military" (both co-authored by Ian Harrison) and "Beadle's Miscellany" a thousand incredibly tough questions from his weekly quizzes in "The Independent".

General knowledge

Famous for his general knowledge, he was host of "Win Beadle's Money" (based on the US format "Win Ben Stein's Money"). Beadle lost his money only eight times in 52 shows. He wrote and presented a notoriously difficult quiz at London's The Atlantic Grill restaurant, often attended by celebrities and members of the press. He also wrote a quiz for "The Independent" every Saturday. He occasionally appeared as a panellist on BBC Radio Four's "Quote... Unquote" and in dictionary corner for Channel 4's "Countdown".

Charity work

In the 2001 New Year Honours, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to charity.LondonGazette |issue=56070|supp=yes |notarchive=yes|startpage=14 |linkeddate=2000-12-30 |accessdate=2007-12-12] Beadle was a keen supporter of the charity Children With Leukaemia, a disease he suffered from himself in 2005. He spent much time raising money for many different charities with Plastermind his 'outrageous quiz for those who don't like quizzes.'

Beadle was a Trust Patron of The Philip Green Memorial Trust, and he annually hosted a quiz party to raise money for disadvantaged children.

Beadle was Patron of Reach, an organisation providing support and advice for children in the UK with hand or arm deficiencies, and their parents. [cite web | title = Who's Who in Reach |url=http://www.reach.org.uk/content/about/whoswho/jeremybeadle.htm |accessdate = 2007-02-11 ]

He was also a well respected and active Freemason, being a member of Westminster City Council Lodge No. 2882. Although he did not join this organisation until after his television heyday was over, he quickly became involved with all aspects of English Freemasonry, and particularly its charitable work, often using his celebrity status to assist in raising funds for masonic charities. [ [http://www.cumbwestmasons.co.uk/main/famous_british_masons.shtml See this website] for citation.] Beadle also helped to raise money, around £35,000, for the Air Training Corps in late 2007.Fact|date=February 2008

It is estimated that his total charitable fund raising was of the order of £100 million.cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7217342.stm |title=TV presenter Beadle dies aged 59 |work=BBC News |date=2008-01-30 |accessdate=2008-01-30]

Health and disability

Beadle had Poland syndrome [cite news |last=Burt |first=Jennifer |title=Jeremy was a role model for children |publisher=Leicester (UK) Mercury |date=1997-10-20] and was one of the first TV presenters with a visible disability, manifested as a disproportionately small right hand.cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7217383.stm |title=Obituary: Jeremy Beadle |work=BBC News |date=2008-01-30 |accessdate=2008-01-30]

In 2004, Beadle discovered he had developed cancer of the kidney and underwent a successful operation to remove it. However, in April 2005, a blood test during a routine post-op medical checkup led to him being diagnosed with leukaemia. As the condition was caught in its early stages, Beadle was successfully treated for this too, though two serious illnesses in such a short space of time were detrimental to his general state of health.

Death

On 25 January 2008, it was reported that Beadle had been admitted to hospital and subsequently entered an Intensive Care Unit due to severe pneumonia. [cite news |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=510265&in_page_id=1773 |title=You've Been Framed host Jeremy Beadle seriously ill in hospital with pneumonia |work=Daily Mail |date=2008-01-25 |accessdate=2008-01-30] [cite news |first=Mark |last=Reynolds |url=http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/32669/TV-s-Jeremy-Beadle-seriously-ill-as-he-fights-pneumonia/ |title=Tv’s Jeremy Beadle seriously ill as he fights pneumonia |work=Daily Express |date=2008-01-25 |accessdate=2008-01-30] [cite news |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/2008/01/25/jeremy-beadle-has-pneumonia-89520-20297026/ |title=Jeremy Beadle has pneumonia |work=Daily Mirror |date=2008-01-25 |accessdate=2008-01-30] He died on 30 January 2008, aged 59.. On 2 February, 2008, ITV1 dedicated that day's episode of "You've Been Framed" to Jeremy, and promoted their tribute webpage to him over the show's credits. ITV1's official tribute to Jeremy Beadle was broadcast on 4 February, 2008 where various celebrity friends including Sir Alan Sugar paid tribute. [cite news |url= http://www.itv.com/Entertainment/celebrity/JeremyBeadledies/default.html |title=Jeremy Beadle dies |work=ITV plc |date=2008-01-30 |accessdate=2008-02-09] He was cremated at Marylebone Crematorium on 14 February 2008. [cite web
url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2008/02/15/jeremy-beadle-has-last-laugh-at-his-funeral-86908-20319989/
title=Jeremy Beadle Has Last Laugh At His Funeral - The Daily Record |publisher=www.dailyrecord.co.uk |accessdate=2008-07-27] A further tribute was aired on Friday 16 May, "An Audience Without Jeremy Beadle", hosted by Chris Tarrant and with contributions from friends. [cite web
url=http://www.itv.com/Entertainment/comedy/AnAudienceWithoutJeremyBeadle/default.html
title=Comedy - An Audience Without Jeremy Beadle - ITV Entertainment |publisher=itv.com | accessdate=2008-07-27]

TV appearances

*" April Fool" (1980) (writer, with Clive Doig)
*"The Deceivers"
*"Fun Factory" (1980)
*"Eureka" (1981)
*"Game for a Laugh" (1981)
*"Definition" (1984-1986)
*"The Saturday Show" (1983)
*"People Do the Funniest Things
*"Beadle's About" (1986-1996)
*"Chain Letters (1987)
*"Beadle's Box of Tricks
*"Born Lucky
*"It's Beadle! (1990)
*"You've Been Framed" (1990-1997)
*"Beadle's Daredevils" (1993)
*"GMTV" (1993)
*"A Fistful of Fingers" (1994)
*"Beadle's Hotshots" (1996)
*"This Morning with Richard and Judy" (1996)
*"Win Beadle's Money" (1999)
*"Celebrity Sleepover" (2001)
*"Ant & Dec's Banged Up With Beadle" (2002 - part of "Saturday Night Takeaway")
*Comic Relief 2003: The Big Hair Do: "University Challenge"
*"Celebrity Mastermind" (2005, Winner. Specialist subject London Capital Murders 1900-1940)
*"Celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" (2005) Partner Sir Alan Sugar
*"The Trial of Jack the Ripper" (2005) Winner
*"Countdown" (2006)
*"The All Star Talent Show" (2006)
*"Get Me The Producer" (2007) (He appeared in Episode 3 only)

Publications

*"Today's the Day - A Chronicle of the Curious
*"The Book of Outlawed Inventions (with Chris Winn)
*"Beadle's About (with Robert Randell)
*"How to Make Your Own Video Blockbuster (with Mark Leigh and Mike Lepine)
*"Watch Out! (with Alec Lom)
*"The Gossip's Guide to Madam Tussaud
*"The Best of Beadle's About (Video)
*"You've Been Framed (Video)
*"You've Been Framed Again (Video)
*"Jeremy Beadle's Beginners Guide to Practical Joking (Video)
*"The Story of Crime (Video)
*"Firsts, Lasts & Onlys Crime (with Ian Harrison) (2007)
*"Firsts, Lasts & Onlys Military (with Ian Harrison) (2007)
*"Beadle's Miscellany (2007)
*"True Detective January 2008 (Guest Editor. First in 57 years)

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0063543
* [http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/famousperson/beadle/2724387 Jeremy Beadle—Obituary and Tribute]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3279652.ece "The Times" obituary]
* [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jeremy-beadle-loved-and-loathed-tv-prankster-776730.html Jeremy Beadle: Loved and loathed TV prankster]
* [http://www.playbackarts.co.uk/meryfela/Campbell%20on%20Beadlian%20Library.mp3 The Beadlean Library] Actor & playwright Ken Campbell on BBC Radio 3

Persondata
NAME = Beadle, Jeremy James Anthony Gibson, MBE
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = English television presenter, writer and producer
DATE OF BIRTH = 12 April 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH = Hackney, London
DATE OF DEATH = 30 January 2006
PLACE OF DEATH = North London