Nick Hancock | |
|---|---|
 Hancock in 2013 | |
| Born | Nicholas John Hancock (1962-10-25)25 October 1962 (age 62) |
| Education | Homerton College, Cambridge (BA) |
| Occupation(s) | Actor,TV presenter |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Known for | PresentingRoom 101 HostingThey Think It's All Over |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Nicholas John Hancock[1] (born 25 October 1962)[2][3] is an English actor and television presenter. He hosted the sports quizThey Think It's All Over for 10 years. He also formerly presentedRoom 101 (1994–1999) on TV, as well as its earlierradio version (1992–1994).
Hancock grew up with three elder sisters and his father Ken. He was educated atYarlet School inStaffordshire and laterShrewsbury School.[4] He was awarded a third-class degree in education byHomerton College, Cambridge.[5] While he was at Cambridge Hancock was a member of theFootlights, where he first collaborated withHugh Dennis andSteve Punt, and became president in 1983, with Punt as vice president. He was also a founding member of the Homerton College Blaggards.[6]
After graduating Hancock became aPE teacher and practised stand-up comedy as a hobby. He formed adouble act withNeil Mullarkey, another former member of the Footlights, and they mostly did satirical spoofs of the title sequences of television shows to accompanying music, several times on television, including onAfter Ten with Tarbuck in 1988.[7] The shows includedDoctor Who,Kojak, andDad's Army.[7]
His early television credits also include working withJasper Carrott inCarrott Confidential (1989), andThe Mary Whitehouse Experience (1989-1992),[8][9] andMe, You and Him.[8] In 1990, Hancock presented a comedy/chat show about trivia forBritish Satellite Broadcasting calledLa Triviatta (1990).[9] The same year 1990, Hancock appeared in two episodes ofMr. Bean,[9] first as a thief who stole Mr. Bean's camera, and later as a ticket inspector on a train.[9]
In 1992, Hancock was chosen as the host presenter ofRoom 101,[8] remaining in the role until 1999.[9]
In 1995, he became as the host presenter ofThey Think It's All Over,[8] A great example of the show's humour was whenChris Eubank was slating Kiwi rugby starJonah Lomu, who's 6 ft 5 in and about 18½ stone, Hancock knowing Lomu was backstage as a mystery guest, and about to come on, was very comedic in the moment.[10]
In 1998 Hancock starred (alongside Andy Smart) in a documentary/comedy about theIranian national football team, "The Outsiders".[8] In 1999 he also appeared inGreat Railway Journeys of the World, travelling from Guantanamo to Pinar del Rio.[8] In 1998 Hancock also provided the narration for a six-part BBC documentaryPleasure Beach,[8] following the running ofthe Blackpool amusement park.[8]
In 2006 Hancock was discussing his TV likes and dislikes onTV Heaven, Telly Hell.[9] In 2007, Hancock filmed a series forSTV andDiscovery Real Time calledNick Hancock's Fishing School, where he teaches a number of students the art of fly fishing.[11]
In 2011, He appeared in a celebrity special edition of theITV1 gameshowThe Chase.[12] In 2011 he was asked byBBC America to join the panel of theNPR quiz showWait Wait... Don't Tell Me! for a year-end special, "A Royal Pain in the News". Hancock won the game.[13]
In June 2015 Hancock guest-hosted the breakfast show for Stoke-on-Trent radio stationSignal 1.[8]
In October 2021 he competed on Scott Mills and Chris Stark's "Upside Down Quiz" on their Weekend Show for BBC Radio 5.[14] Hancock's podcast, "The Famous Sloping Pitch"[15] is hosted on Apple.
In December 2022, Hancock's barn conversion home and contents, featured in season 2/episode 4 ofCelebrity Yorkshire Auction House, he submitted 15 quirky items to auction, including a club fender that made £400 and a retro lava lamp, which went for £30. In total, 14 items sold, raising £1,123, the unsold item, a cherished oil painting, returned home with him.[16][17]
In April 2023 he appeared as a fictionalised version of himself in an episode of series 4 ofMeet the Richardsons, having been tracked down byJon Richardson to discuss life after showbusiness.[18]
Hancock met his wife,Iranian-born Shari Eftekhari, during aGeorge Best andRodney Marsh football roadshow inStaines,Surrey. Hancock proposed to Shari in a pub: "We were playing pool in the Nellie Dean. I said to Shari: 'Have I got something stuck between my teeth?' As she looked I stuck out my tongue – there was an engagement ring on it. She said: 'That's lovely, yes, I will – but can we change the ring?" The couple married inStaffordshire in 1997, two years after they first met, and have two children.[4]
Hancock is a lifelong supporter ofStoke City. In September 2001, he paid £20,000 atSotheby's Football Memorabilia auction in London for theFA Cup winner's medal awarded toSir Stanley Matthews in1953. Hancock sold the medal in November 2014 for £220,000.[19] In 2007, he made an appearance on an edition ofAntiques Roadshow recorded in Stoke-on-Trent, talking about some of the items in his collection of football memorabilia. He is also acricket fan. He was interviewed by6 Towns Radio about the 40th anniversary of Stoke's 1972 League Cup win.[20]
He lives with his wife and their two children inShrewsbury.[4]
Hancock recorded an hour-long compilation video release of footballingbloopers, dubbedFootball Nightmares. This was released on VHS which was succeeded by two follow-up videos:Football Hell andFootball Doctor. These three were later released on a one-disc DVD.
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2025 (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)