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Fearne Cotton | |
|---|---|
 Cotton in 2014 | |
| Born | (1981-09-03)3 September 1981 (age 44) Northwood, London, England |
| Other names | Fearne Wood |
| Education | Haydon School |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Billy Cotton (great-granduncle) Sir Bill Cotton, CBE (granduncle) |
| Website | officialfearnecotton |
Fearne Cotton[1] (born 3 September 1981)[2] is an English broadcaster and author. She began her career in the late 1990s as a children’s television presenter forGMTV,CITV andCBBC. She went on to present various television shows, includingTop of the Pops (2004–2020),Love Island (2006),The Xtra Factor (2007), andInterior Design Masters (2019). Cotton was a regular co-presenter of theChildren in Need annual telethons from 2005 to 2015, with the exception of 2009. From 2008 to 2018, she was a team captain on theITV2 comedy panel showCelebrity Juice.
In 2007, Cotton became the first regular female presenter of theRadio 1 Chart Show, which she co-presented withReggie Yates for two years. She was later givenher own Radio 1 show, airing every weekday morning from 2009 to 2015. She joinedBBC Radio 2 in 2016.
In 2018, Cotton began presentingHappy Place, a podcast focusing on wellbeing and mental health. She has also released eightself-help books, two children's books, and four books on healthy eating.[3]
Cotton was born inNorthwood,London Borough of Hillingdon, to Mick and Lyn Cotton; she has a younger brother, Jamie Cotton. Her father was asignwriter for events such asLive Aid, and her mother worked inalternative therapy.[citation needed] She grew up in nearbyEastcote, and was educated atHaydon School. She is apescetarian; she says she is an animal lover.[4] She has participated in several half marathons for charity.[5]
Former BBC executiveSir Bill Cotton (1928–2008) was her paternal grandfather's cousin.[6] He was the son of the well-known entertainer and band leaderBilly Cotton. In August 2017, Cotton's ancestry was explored in theBBC TV seriesWho Do You Think You Are?
Cotton studied art atA-level, a skill she used whilst presenting the seriesDraw Your Own Toons.[7]
Cotton began her presenting career in 1996, at the age of 15,[8] with early-morningGMTV children's programmeThe Disney Club, after winning a competition for young talent to present the show.[9] Cotton later continued with the show and with its replacementDiggit. She left in 2000, to concentrate on her other projects withCITV, includingDraw Your Own Toons andMouse, aimed at encouraging children to use computers.[citation needed]
Cotton joinedCBBC in 2001 to present children's science programmeEureka TV. From 2001 until 2003, she presentedFinger Tips, an arts and crafts programme for children, which she co-presented withStephen Mulhern. She later co-presented on CBBC's Sunday morning show,Smile and onThe Saturday Show. She has also made appearances in theCBBC showOnly in America, alongside her good friend and fellow presenterReggie Yates. Cotton returned to children's television in 2015 by voicing one of the Voice Trumpets in the reboot of the classic British children's television seriesTeletubbies.[citation needed]
In 2006, Cotton presented the second series ofITV'sLove Island withPatrick Kielty.[citation needed]
In 2007, she took over fromBen Shephard as host ofThe X Factor spin-off programmeThe Xtra Factor onITV2, presenting the programme for one series before resigning to work in America; she was replaced in the following series byHolly Willoughby.[citation needed]
Starting on 5 September 2007, Cotton co-hosted with Holly Willoughby the ITV2 dating programmeHolly & Fearne Go Dating, which saw the pair try to find dates for lonely singletons.[citation needed]
Beginning in 2008, Cotton appeared as a team captain on the ITV2 comedy panel showCelebrity Juice alongside hostKeith Lemon and fellow team captain Holly Willoughby. Cotton took a short break from the programme in 2013 whilst on maternity leave, andKelly Brook stood in for her during the ninth series. She quit the series in 2018.[citation needed]
Cotton has also presented theIsle of Wight Festival 2009 on ITV2 alongsideRufus Hound.[citation needed]
Since 2009, Cotton has hostedFearne and... on ITV2. In 2012, Cotton hostedThe Nation's Favourite Number One Single, a three-part series, revealing Britain's Favourite No. 1 single. Since 2016, Cotton has co-presentedFearne & Gok: Off The Rails, alongsideGok Wan forITVBe.[10] In March 2017, Cotton guest presented five episodes ofITV Breakfast'sLorraine programme.[11]
In 2003, Cotton moved over to mainstream broadcasting. She along with Simon Grant (her co-presenter fromThe Saturday Show) presented the spin-off showTop of the Pops: Saturday (later renamedTop of the Pops: Reloaded) that year. In 2004, she moved up to work alongside Reggie Yates on the main programme,Top of the Pops (the then flagship chartshow for the BBC) becoming one of the last regular presenters for that programme, which ended in July 2006. Due to other commitments, she was unable to present the final show itself, appearing instead in a short film shown at the head of that show, in which she made her personal farewells. Cotton and Yates presented the one-off Christmas and New Year specials in both 2008 and 2009, as well as theComic Relief special in 2009.
She has hosted parts of theRed Nose Day telethon for Comic Relief (2005, 2007, 2009 and 2011) presenting several strands alongsideJonathan Ross andLenny Henry.
Cotton has also presented many charitytelethons for both Comic Relief andChildren in Need onBBC One andBBC Two. In July 2005 she co-presented the BBC's coverage ofLive 8 inHyde Park. During the event, British pop star and formerTake That memberRobbie Williams flirted with her in front of the cameras, causing much speculation in the media at the time, which was later repudiated by the pair.[citation needed] In 2008, she hosted aStrictly Come Dancing special as part of Children in Need.
In June 2012, Cotton was one of the BBC's presenters for its coverage of theThames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. Following more than 4,000 complaints made about the BBC's coverage of the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and in particular criticism of Cotton's role, she responded on Twitter by stating, "Grown men who slag me off in articles/online are huge bullies. I love my job and wouldn't be doing it if I wasn't any good at it."[12]
Cotton guest presentedThe One Show on BBC One for two nights in November 2013, two nights in February 2014, one night in March 2014 and one night in March 2016.[citation needed]
She also presented the Friday night live eviction programme that year for theChannel 5 reality television seriesMake Me a Supermodel.[citation needed]
Cotton hostedSky One's talent searchMust Be The Music for one series in 2010.[13]
Cotton is the voice over of theTesco Mobile adverts since late 2020. She also became the voice over of theOn the Beach radio adverts in 2022.[14]
In February 2008, Cotton moved to the US to host one-off specialGuinness World Records Live: Top 100.[15] Cotton later co-hosted theNBC reality showLast Comic Standing.[16]
Cotton has presented parts of the BBC's coverage of theEurovision Song Contest.[citation needed]
On 20 May 2006, she read the United Kingdom's votes at theEurovision Song Contest 2006, held inAthens, Greece.[citation needed]
On 17 March 2007, she, along withTerry Wogan, hostedMaking Your Mind Up 2007,[17] the show to decide which song the UK sent to theEurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki, Finland. On the night, after the final "sing-off" between the two remaining acts, Wogan and Cotton simultaneously announced different winners. Since Wogan was the more experienced presenter, it was assumed that he was right. In fact, Wogan had accidentally announced the wrong artist, Cyndi, as the winner. Cotton had to persist in repeating the correct name until the confusion was resolved.[18] The groupScooch was quickly proclaimed as the correct winner, but came only second-to-last in the main competition.[citation needed] Cotton also presented the United Kingdom's votes at the show itself, held in Helsinki, Finland, on 12 May 2007.[citation needed]
In September 2005, she joinedBBC Radio 1 to present the Friday early morning slot with Reggie Yates,[19] with whom she had previously worked on CBBC,Only in America andTop of the Pops. Since 14 October 2007, Cotton and Yates presented BBC Radio 1'sChart Show, taking over fromJK & Joel, who had left the station.[20] Cotton then became the first ever permanent female presenter of a BBC radio chart show. (Jo Whiley had preceded her as the first female presenter ofThe Official UK Top 40, as it was then called, but presented it only once, on 24 November 2002.)
On 16 July 2009, it was announced that Cotton would become the new presenter of BBC Radio 1's weekday mid-morning show, taking over fromJo Whiley (who moved to weekends). Her new programme began on 21 September 2009.[21][22]
On 27 February 2015, she announced that she was pregnant with her second child and that she would be leavingBBC Radio 1.[23]Clara Amfo replaced Cotton on 25 May 2015, taking over the mid-morning show. Cotton's final show was broadcast on 22 May 2015.[24]
Cotton joinedBBC Radio 2 in July 2016 standing in forGraham Norton with formerSpandau Ballet bassistMartin Kemp on Saturday mornings (10 am–1 pm) while Norton took his annual summer break.[25] Fearne covered forKen Bruce 24–28 October 2016, in 2017 on 13–17 February, 3–7 and 10–14 April, 11 May, 29 May–2 June and 23–27 October, and in 2018 on 14–16 February.Fearne has also covered for Chris Evans on the Breakfast Show from 9–13 April 2018. In late 2018, Cotton sat in forClaudia Winkleman on Sundays.[26]
In 2019, Cotton was the cover host forZoe Ball during the holidays. On 19 March 2020 Cotton launchedBBC Radio 2's fourth music decades show,Sounds of the 90s.
In August 2017, Cotton collaborated with Mini Club, a children's clothing company that sells throughBoots stores and their website, to produce her own clothing range. She publicised the range across her various social media accounts, posting pictures of herself and her daughter wearing lines from the collection.[citation needed] She also has clothing and homeware ranges with online retailerVery.
In 2018, Cotton began presentingHappy Place, apodcast available tostreaming platforms.[27] The podcast features Cotton interviewing various celebrities.[28]
Cotton said onFriday Night with Jonathan Ross that she has eleven tattoos, the most notable of which is a fern leaf, covering her right hip up to her rib cage.[29]
Cotton lived at Chestnut Cottage,Petersham, Richmond-upon-Thames, from 2004 to 2008.[30]
Cotton datedIan Watkins, lead singer and frontman of the rock bandLostprophets, in 2005.[31]
Cotton was previously married toJesse Wood, the son ofRolling Stones guitaristRonnie Wood. She has a son and a daughter with Wood, born in 2013 and 2015. On 13 December 2024, Cotton announced she and Wood were separating.[32] Cotton lives inRichmond, London.[33]
Cotton is a friend of fellow TV presenterHolly Willoughby, with whom she has co-presented several shows.[34] Cotton andSarah Cawood acted as two of the bridesmaids at Willoughby's wedding to Dan Baldwin on 4 August 2007.[35]
Cotton became vegetarian as a child. In 2019, she authored avegan cookbook, though she did not follow a strictly vegan diet at the time.[36] She has since become vegan.[37][38]
In December 2024 she announced that she had undergone surgery to remove two benign jaw tumours.[39][40]
Cotton supports a number of charities includingCoppaFeel!, Post Pals,Macmillan Cancer Support,Children in Need andRed Nose Day.[citation needed]
In 2009, she climbedMount Kilimanjaro, alongsideBen Shephard,Gary Barlow,Alesha Dixon,Ronan Keating,Denise Van Outen andChris Moyles, andGirls Aloud membersCheryl Cole andKimberley Walsh. Cotton and others collapsed from altitude sickness during the five-day climb. She was in the first group (with Van Outen, Shephard and Cole) to reach the summit and helped raise £3.3m.[41] Cotton filmed a video piece for Comic Relief aboutmalaria. She visited a children's hospital inUganda.
Cotton also recorded her voice for theBT Speaking Clock to raise funds forComic Relief.[42]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | The Disney Club | Presenter | |
| 1998 | Mouse | ||
| 1998–2001 | Draw Your Own Toons | ||
| Diggit | |||
| 1999–2000 | Pump It Up | Co-presenter | WithAndy Collins |
| 2001 | Petswap | WithDave Benson Phillips | |
| Record Breakers | Presenter | ||
| Eureka TV | |||
| 2001–2003 | Finger Tips | Co-presenter | WithStephen Mulhern |
| 2002 | Top of the Pops Saturday | With Simon Grant | |
| CBBC Prom in the Park | Presenter | TV special | |
| 2002–2003 | The Saturday Show | ||
| 2002–2004 | Smile | ||
| 2003 | Antiques Roadshow | Guest Presenter | 1 episode |
| 2003–2005 | Top of the Pops Reloaded | Presenter | |
| 2003–2007 | Serious | Narrator | |
| 2004 | EastEnders Revealed | ||
| 2004–2020 | Top of the Pops | Co-presenter | WithReggie Yates |
| 2005 | Live 8 | WithJonathan Ross,Jo Whiley andGraham Norton | |
| Only in America | WithReggie Yates | ||
| Byker Grove | Herself | 1 episode | |
| 2005–2015 | Children in Need | Co-presenter | |
| 2005–2018 | Britain's Next Top Model | Narrator | |
| 2006 | Love Island | Co-presenter | WithPatrick Kielty |
| All Star Family Fortunes | Herself | Team captain, 1 episode | |
| Make Me a Supermodel | Presenter | ||
| 2006, 2016, 2020 | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | Herself / Guest Announcer | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | The Xtra Factor | Presenter | |
| Making Your Mind Up | Co-presenter | WithTerry Wogan | |
| Holly & Fearne Go Dating | Herself | Co-star withHolly Willoughby | |
| 2007, 2009, 2011 | Comic Relief | Co-presenter | |
| 2008 | Coleen's Real Women | Narrator | 8 episodes |
| Guilty Pleasures | Presenter | TV special | |
| Everybody Dance Now! | |||
| Guinness World Records Smashed | |||
| Last Comic Standing | Co-presenter | Season 6 withBill Bellamy | |
| 2008–2010 | Greek Uncovered | Narrator | |
| 2008–2018 | Celebrity Juice | Panellist | Team captain |
| 2009 | The Truth About… | Presenter | Documentary |
| 2009–2010, 2014 | Fearne and.... | ||
| 2009–2017 | Children in Need Rocks | ||
| 2010 | Must Be The Music | ||
| 2011 | The Royal Wedding | TV special | |
| 2012 | The Nation's Favourite Number 1 Hit Single | Narrator | 3 episodes |
| Unzipped | Herself | 2 episodes | |
| Lemon La Vida Loca | |||
| 2013, 2014, 2016 | The One Show | Guest Presenter | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | Sweat the Small Stuff | Panellist | |
| 2014, 2016 | Through the Keyhole | 2 episodes | |
| 2015 | The Keith Lemon Sketch Show | Herself | 4 episodes |
| 2015–2018 | Teletubbies | Voice Trumpet | Voice role |
| 2016 | Fearne & Gok: Off The Rails | Co-presenter | WithGok Wan |
| Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast | Herself | 1 episode | |
| 2017 | Lorraine | Guest Presenter | 3 episodes |
| Who Do You Think You Are? | Herself | 1 episode | |
| 2019 | Interior Design Masters | Presenter | |
| 2020 | Portrait Artist of the Year | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2022–2024 | Celebrity Gogglebox | 7 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Keith Lemon: The Film | Herself | Cameo |
[Quoting Cotton:] 'I am Fearne Wood. It is just such a hassle to change, what with the books and everything over the years. If someone comes up to me saying, "Are you Fearne Cotton?" Jesse's like, "Wood!"' She laughs. 'But I like having the same surname as my kids and all that jazz.'
| Media offices | ||
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| Preceded by | BBC Radio 1 chart show presenter (withReggie Yates) 14 October 2007 – 20 September 2009 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
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| Other | |