Konnie Huq
Encyclopedia
Kanak Asha "Konnie" Huq (icon; Bengali
: কনক হক; born 17 July 1975) is a British
television presenter
, who is best known for being the longest-serving female presenter of Blue Peter
, having presented it from 1 December 1997 until 23 January 2008. She presented the 2010 series of The Xtra Factor on ITV2.
, London
, to Sunni Muslim Bangladeshi parents who had immigrated
to England
in the 1960s. She grew up in Ealing
, London, with her two sisters, Rupa and Nutun. She was educated at the independent
Notting Hill & Ealing High School
in London obtaining 9 GCSEs
(of which 8 were grade A and 1 grade B) and A-levels
in physics, maths and chemistry. She also appeared on the TV gameshow Blockbusters in 1992. At Robinson College, Cambridge
she obtained a 2:1 in Economics
.
, where she sang a solo. In 1992, ahead of the forthcoming general election
, Huq interviewed Labour leader
Neil Kinnock
for the children's programme Newsround
. She appeared as a contestant on Blockbusters in the same year. She also appeared as an extra playing a schoolgirl in the BBC One
sitcom 2point4 Children
in the Series 2 episode "I'm Going Slightly Mad". In 1997, several months before joining Blue Peter, Huq presented Five's early morning children's programme Milkshake!, while also working as an editorial assistant at 'Total Sport' magazine.
children's television
programme Blue Peter
, which she joined on 1 December 1997. One of her most memorable early moments on Blue Peter was visiting Bangladesh, and speaking to members of her extended family whom she had not seen for many years. In the programme's 2004 "Summer Expedition" to India
, Huq became an extra in a Bollywood
film, and practised dancing alongside its stars. For the programme's 2004 "Welcome Home" appeal, she made an emotional visit to Angola
in the hope of reuniting children with the families they had been separated from due to war. In 2008, during her last programme, she broke a Guinness World Record by managing to pin 17 Blue Peter Badges
onto fellow presenter Andy Akinwolere's shirt in a minute.
During her time on Blue Peter her colleagues were Stuart Miles, Katy Hill
, Romana D'Annunzio
, Richard Bacon
, Simon Thomas
, Matt Baker, Liz Barker
, Zöe Salmon
, Gethin Jones
and Andy Akinwolere
.
In March 2007 she apologised to viewers after a competition on the programme was faked, saying "We'd like to say sorry to you because when this mistake happened, we let you down." She was later reported as saying that this event contributed to her decision to leave the programme.
On 31 May 2007, Huq announced that she would be leaving Blue Peter in early 2008. Her last live programme was broadcast on 22 January 2008, making her the third longest-serving Blue Peter presenter of all time and its longest-serving female host, having passed Valerie Singleton's record on 1 October 2007.
On 23 January 2008, Huq hosted her final Blue Peter, with a clip show
of her highlights through the ten years she had been on the programme.
replacing Holly Willoughby
who was unable to fulfil the role due to her ongoing commitments at This Morning
.
However it was reported that she had departed from The Xtra Factor due to other commitments though rumours that she was sacked by Simon Cowell
after he was reported to be unimpressed with her performance and presenting style.
's UK Top 40.
In early 2004 Huq was briefly a presenter for Top of the Pops
. She appeared on the CBBC
series M.I.High
as herself in the episode "The Big Freeze" broadcast on 22 January 2007. She presented GMTV
's coverage on New York Fashion Week
on the week of 10 September 2007. She has also been a guest panelist on the comedy gameshow 8 out of 10 Cats
.
December 2007 saw Huq appear on a celebrity version of Ready Steady Cook
with Blue Peter co-presenter Andy Akinwolere
, and playing a servant (called Konnie) on the last episode of the second series of Robin Hood
. Also in 2007, Konnie began presenting the ITV1 London
show London Talking, a political debate show, alongside Vanessa Feltz
and Nick Ferrari
.
She has also co-presented some of the weekly Your News
programme for BBC News in 2008. On 14 April 2008 Konnie was seen filming at Colchester Zoo
for the 3rd series of Five show Zoo Days which was broadcast starting June 2008.
She also appeared in an episode of Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
in December 2008, where she hosted a mock version of a "mission documentary". Huq appeared alongside Charles Kennedy
on This Week on 18 December 2008 and also appeared in a number of episodes of M.I. High.
She also played herself in the episode "Golden Lady" of the TV series FM
in March 2009.
She presented Guinness World Records Smashed
with Steve Jones
on Sundays 6pm on Sky1, she has attempted some records herself including moonwalking and trampolining. On 15 May 2009, Huq began to present entertainment show Hannah-Oke
on The Disney Channel with Duncan James
.
She appeared as a panellist on popular Channel 5 show The Wright Stuff
the week beginning 24 August 2009 discussing topical issues.
, Alex James
and Emily Rose
on Channel 4 Radio
working with production company UKoneFM. The first edition was broadcast on 3 November 2006.
Huq made her debut as a news presenter on the BBC Asian Network
in September 2007, in a series of documentaries on a radio current affairs programme called the Asian Network Report.
when on Ladbroke Grove
a protester, Ian Harold Brown, tried to grab the torch from her whilst Huq was about to give the torch to the next runner. On BBC News
later that day she defended carrying the torch, saying she "did the procession because I believe in the Olympic values, the ideals, I think sport on a global scale is a brilliant thing, it transcends culture, race, money," despite what she calls China's "terrible track record when it comes to human rights." Huq was not hurt in the incident. Police wrestled the protester to the ground and arrested him. She, however, voiced concern over the Chinese torch guards, saying "They were very robotic, very full on, and actually I noticed them having skirmishes with our own police and the Olympic authorities before our leg of the relay".
, in aid of Comic Relief, and was the third contestant to be voted off, after her rendition of Kim Wilde
's Kids in America
. She also travelled to Uganda
and met orphan children, on behalf of Comic Relief, and is currently a celebrity ambassador for the British Red Cross
, for whom she recorded the video "If I had HIV, would you kiss me?" as part of a campaign against stigmatization of people living with HIV
.
In 2008 Konnie travelled to Afghanistan
with the charity Afghanaid to film a BBC Lifelines appeal which was aired on 21 September on BBC1. In the film she talked with women in the remote province of Badakhshan, which has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world, about childbirth and made an appeal for viewers to donate to Afghanaid's programme to train local midwives. She also spoke to children who had been part of an Afghanaid Child Rights project, including a 14 year old girl who had persuaded her parents not to force her into marriage.
Konnie Huq is an ambassador for Gold Challenge, part of the official mass participation legacy programme for the London 2012 Games. Gold Challenge is a fund-raising challenge where participants take on five or more Olympic and Paralympic sports in order to raise money for a charity of their choice. Konnie will be taking on her own Gold Challenge and encouraging others to do so as well.
at the 2010 General Election.
On 26 July 2010 Huq married Charlie Brooker
at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas
after a nine-month relationship.
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
: কনক হক; born 17 July 1975) is a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
television presenter
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, who is best known for being the longest-serving female presenter of Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
, having presented it from 1 December 1997 until 23 January 2008. She presented the 2010 series of The Xtra Factor on ITV2.
Early life
Huq was born in HammersmithHammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, to Sunni Muslim Bangladeshi parents who had immigrated
Immigration to the United Kingdom since 1922
Immigration to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since 1922 has been substantial, in particular from Ireland and the former colonies and other territories of the British Empire - such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Caribbean, South Africa, Kenya and Hong Kong - under...
to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the 1960s. She grew up in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, London, with her two sisters, Rupa and Nutun. She was educated at the independent
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
Notting Hill & Ealing High School
Notting Hill & Ealing High School
Notting Hill and Ealing High School is an independent school for girls aged 4 - 18, located in West Ealing, a suburb of London. Founded in 1873 it is one of the 26 schools that make up the Girls' Day School Trust...
in London obtaining 9 GCSEs
General Certificate of Secondary Education
The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
(of which 8 were grade A and 1 grade B) and A-levels
GCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
in physics, maths and chemistry. She also appeared on the TV gameshow Blockbusters in 1992. At Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College, Cambridge
Robinson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.Robinson is the newest of the Cambridge colleges, and is unique in being the only one to have been intended, from its inception, for both undergraduate and graduate students of either sex.- History :The college was founded...
she obtained a 2:1 in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
.
Early career
In 1989, at the age of 14, Huq was a guest on Blue Peter with the National Youth Music TheatreNational Youth Music Theatre
The National Youth Music Theatre or NYMT is a UK organisation for young people in the field of musical theatre, based in London. It runs acting auditions, workshops, and musical theatre productions...
, where she sang a solo. In 1992, ahead of the forthcoming general election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
, Huq interviewed Labour leader
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
for the children's programme Newsround
Newsround
Newsround is a BBC children's news programme, which has run continuously since 4 April 1972, and was one of the world's first television news magazines aimed specifically at children...
. She appeared as a contestant on Blockbusters in the same year. She also appeared as an extra playing a schoolgirl in the BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
sitcom 2point4 Children
2point4 children
2point4 Children is a 1990s British sitcom that was created and written by Andrew Marshall. It follows the lives of the Porter family; an average family that is persistently faced with surreal situations and sheer bad luck....
in the Series 2 episode "I'm Going Slightly Mad". In 1997, several months before joining Blue Peter, Huq presented Five's early morning children's programme Milkshake!, while also working as an editorial assistant at 'Total Sport' magazine.
Blue Peter
Huq is best known for presenting the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
children's television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
programme Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
, which she joined on 1 December 1997. One of her most memorable early moments on Blue Peter was visiting Bangladesh, and speaking to members of her extended family whom she had not seen for many years. In the programme's 2004 "Summer Expedition" to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Huq became an extra in a Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film, and practised dancing alongside its stars. For the programme's 2004 "Welcome Home" appeal, she made an emotional visit to Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
in the hope of reuniting children with the families they had been separated from due to war. In 2008, during her last programme, she broke a Guinness World Record by managing to pin 17 Blue Peter Badges
Blue Peter badge
A Blue Peter badge is a much coveted award for Blue Peter viewers, given by the children's television programme for those appearing on the show, or in recognition of achievement...
onto fellow presenter Andy Akinwolere's shirt in a minute.
During her time on Blue Peter her colleagues were Stuart Miles, Katy Hill
Katy Hill
Katy Hill is an English television presenter, who worked on the BBC children's magazine programme Blue Peter for five years.-Biography:...
, Romana D'Annunzio
Romana D'Annunzio
Romana D'Annunzio is a former Scottish television presenter, who presented the children's programme Blue Peter from 1996 until 1998.From 2004, D'Annunzio studied English and Italian at Edinburgh university and worked as an English teacher in Rome. D'Annunzio completed her post-graduate in education...
, Richard Bacon
Richard Bacon (television presenter)
Richard Paul Bacon is an English television and radio presenter.Bacon's first high-profile media role was as a presenter of Blue Peter, from which he was sacked in 1998 following newspaper reports of him taking cocaine...
, Simon Thomas
Simon Thomas (television presenter)
Simon Thomas is a British television presenter, who worked on Blue Peter for six years.-Early life:Simon Thomas was born in Norwich, Norfolk to Andrew and Gill Thomas. He has two sisters called Hannah and Rebecca...
, Matt Baker, Liz Barker
Liz Barker
Elizabeth Jane 'Liz' Barker is a television presenter on British television. She has one younger sister, Suzanne and is a distant relative of guitarist Dave Hill....
, Zöe Salmon
Zöe Salmon
Zöe Salmon is a television presenter who hosted the children's television show Blue Peter from 23 December 2004 to 25 June 2008. She also appeared on Dancing on Ice in early 2009.-Life and career:...
, Gethin Jones
Gethin Jones
Gethin Clifford Jones is a Welsh television presenter who has co-presented the BBC children's programme Blue Peter....
and Andy Akinwolere
Andy Akinwolere
Andy Akinwolere is a British television presenter.-Early life:Akinwolere was born in Nigeria in 1982, and moved to the United Kingdom with his family when he was eight years old. They settled in Birmingham, where he was educated.-Education:Akinwolere attended St...
.
In March 2007 she apologised to viewers after a competition on the programme was faked, saying "We'd like to say sorry to you because when this mistake happened, we let you down." She was later reported as saying that this event contributed to her decision to leave the programme.
On 31 May 2007, Huq announced that she would be leaving Blue Peter in early 2008. Her last live programme was broadcast on 22 January 2008, making her the third longest-serving Blue Peter presenter of all time and its longest-serving female host, having passed Valerie Singleton's record on 1 October 2007.
On 23 January 2008, Huq hosted her final Blue Peter, with a clip show
Clip show
A clip show is an episode of a television series that consists primarily of excerpts from previous episodes. Most clip shows feature the format of a frame story in which cast members recall past events from past installments of the show, depicted with a clip of the event presented as a flashback. ...
of her highlights through the ten years she had been on the programme.
The Xtra Factor
Huq presented the 2010 series of The Xtra Factor on ITV2ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
replacing Holly Willoughby
Holly Willoughby
Holly Marie Willoughby is an English television presenter and model, known for her work in presenting children's TV and entertainment shows. In her early career she modelled underwear and went on to present CD:UK...
who was unable to fulfil the role due to her ongoing commitments at This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
.
However it was reported that she had departed from The Xtra Factor due to other commitments though rumours that she was sacked by Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell is an English A&R executive, television producer, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is known in the United Kingdom and United States for his role as a talent judge on TV shows such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol...
after he was reported to be unimpressed with her performance and presenting style.
Other television work
Between 2002 and 2004, Huq co-presented the CBBC ChannelCBBC Channel
CBBC is a BBC television channel aimed at 6 to 12 year olds. It complements the CBBC programming that continues to air on BBC One and BBC Two. Launched on 11 February 2002, it broadcasts from 7am to 7pm on Freeview, cable, IPTV and digital satellite, occupying the same bandwidth as, but a different...
's UK Top 40.
In early 2004 Huq was briefly a presenter for Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. She appeared on the CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
series M.I.High
M.I.High
M.I. High is a BBC children's spy-fi adventure series. It is produced for the BBC by the independent production company Kudos, who also produced the hit BBC spy drama Spooks. It follows in the success of the Young Bond and the Alex Rider series of books and films. M.I...
as herself in the episode "The Big Freeze" broadcast on 22 January 2007. She presented GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
's coverage on New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week
The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first...
on the week of 10 September 2007. She has also been a guest panelist on the comedy gameshow 8 out of 10 Cats
8 Out of 10 Cats
8 out of 10 Cats is a television comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for Channel 4. It was first broadcast on 3 June 2005. The show is based on statistics and opinion polls, and draws on polls produced by a variety of organizations and new polls commissioned for the programme, carried out by...
.
December 2007 saw Huq appear on a celebrity version of Ready Steady Cook
Ready Steady Cook
Ready Steady Cook was a BBC daytime TV cooking programme it first debuted on 24 October 1994 and the last edition was broadcast on the 2 February 2010. The programme was hosted by Fern Britton from 1994 until 2000 when celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott became the new host...
with Blue Peter co-presenter Andy Akinwolere
Andy Akinwolere
Andy Akinwolere is a British television presenter.-Early life:Akinwolere was born in Nigeria in 1982, and moved to the United Kingdom with his family when he was eight years old. They settled in Birmingham, where he was educated.-Education:Akinwolere attended St...
, and playing a servant (called Konnie) on the last episode of the second series of Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
. Also in 2007, Konnie began presenting the ITV1 London
ITV London
ITV London is the on-air brand name used by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the two Channel 3 broadcast franchises, Carlton Television and London Weekend Television in the London ITV region.-History:...
show London Talking, a political debate show, alongside Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Jane Feltz is an English television personality, broadcaster and journalist. She currently presents an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2, a mid morning phone-in show on BBC London 94.9. In 2011, she started hosting The Vanessa Show on Channel 5. The first series ended on June 24th...
and Nick Ferrari
Nick Ferrari
Nick Ferrari is a radio presenter who currently hosts the weekday breakfast show from 0700-1000 UTC on the London-based talk and phone-in radio station LBC 97.3. He also has a regular column in the Sunday Express and is a regular guest on The Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV1...
.
She has also co-presented some of the weekly Your News
Your News
Your News was a weekly BBC News television programme made from user-generated content sent into the BBC by viewers and the public.-Broadcast:The programme was broadcast every weekend on the BBC News at 3:30pm and 10:30pm on Saturday and Sunday...
programme for BBC News in 2008. On 14 April 2008 Konnie was seen filming at Colchester Zoo
Colchester Zoo
Colchester Zoo is a zoo in Essex, England. The zoo had 547,495 visitors in 2003 and 464,684 in 2004. It features big cat and primate collections as well as many others.Colchester Zoo is supported by a charitable organisation called Action for the Wild...
for the 3rd series of Five show Zoo Days which was broadcast starting June 2008.
She also appeared in an episode of Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe
Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is a British television review programme broadcast on BBC Four by Charlie Brooker. The programme contains reviews of current shows, as well as stories and commentary on how television is produced.-Format:...
in December 2008, where she hosted a mock version of a "mission documentary". Huq appeared alongside Charles Kennedy
Charles Kennedy
Charles Peter Kennedy is a British Liberal Democrat politician, who led the Liberal Democrats from 9 August 1999 until 7 January 2006 and is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ross, Skye and Lochaber constituency....
on This Week on 18 December 2008 and also appeared in a number of episodes of M.I. High.
She also played herself in the episode "Golden Lady" of the TV series FM
FM (TV series)
FM was a British sitcom which aired on ITV2, starring Chris O'Dowd , Kevin Bishop and Nina Sosanya . The series followed the lives of two DJs and their producer on their FM radio progamme, "Skin 86.5 FM"...
in March 2009.
She presented Guinness World Records Smashed
Guinness World Records Smashed
Guinness World Records Smashed is a British television show for Sky1, that features record attempts, celebrity guests and death-defying stunts...
with Steve Jones
Steve Jones (presenter)
Stephen Ashton "Steve" Jones is a Welsh television presenter. Jones is primarily known in the UK as presenter of T4. Internationally, he is known as the host of The X Factor USA.-Early life:...
on Sundays 6pm on Sky1, she has attempted some records herself including moonwalking and trampolining. On 15 May 2009, Huq began to present entertainment show Hannah-Oke
Hannah-Oke
Hannah-Oke is a British karaoke game show based on the hit TV series Hannah Montana that premiered on Disney Channel UK on May 15, 2009, and airs every week at 6pm...
on The Disney Channel with Duncan James
Duncan James
Duncan Matthew James Inglis is an English singer, actor and television presenter. He is best known as a member of the boyband Blue.-Early life:...
.
She appeared as a panellist on popular Channel 5 show The Wright Stuff
The Wright Stuff
The Wright Stuff is a British television chat show, hosted by Matthew Wright, and currently airing on Channel 5 each weekday morning from 9:15 to 11:10am....
the week beginning 24 August 2009 discussing topical issues.
Radio
On 15 September 2006, Huq became one of the presenters of The Tube with Tony WilsonTony Wilson
Anthony Howard Wilson, commonly known as Tony Wilson , was an English record label owner, radio presenter, TV show host, nightclub manager, impresario and journalist for Granada Television and the BBC....
, Alex James
Alex James (musician)
Professionally known as Alex James is an English musician, songwriter, journalist and cheesemaker. He is best known as the bass player and occasional vocalist of band Blur...
and Emily Rose
Emily Rose
Emily Rose may refer to:* Emily Rose , American television actress/voice actor* Emily Rose Everhard, American child actress* The Exorcism of Emily Rose, a 2005 horror film about demonic possession...
on Channel 4 Radio
Channel 4 Radio
Channel 4 Radio was a radio brand launched by Channel 4 in January 2007. On October 11, 2008 the closure was announced. It incorporated Oneword, in which Channel 4 purchased a 51% share in 2005, although it relinquished this share to co-owner UBS Media in January 2008.Listeners were required to...
working with production company UKoneFM. The first edition was broadcast on 3 November 2006.
Huq made her debut as a news presenter on the BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network
BBC Asian Network is a British radio station serving those originating from and around the Indian subcontinent. The music and news comes out of the main urban areas where there are significant communities with these backgrounds. The station has production centres in Birmingham, Leicester and London...
in September 2007, in a series of documentaries on a radio current affairs programme called the Asian Network Report.
Olympic Torch incident
On 6 April 2008, Huq was one of 80 carriers of the Olympic torch relay through LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
when on Ladbroke Grove
Ladbroke Grove
Ladbroke Grove is a road in west London, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is also sometimes the name given informally to the immediate area surrounding the road. Running from Notting Hill in the south to Kensal Green in the north, it is located in North Kensington and straddles...
a protester, Ian Harold Brown, tried to grab the torch from her whilst Huq was about to give the torch to the next runner. On BBC News
BBC News
BBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
later that day she defended carrying the torch, saying she "did the procession because I believe in the Olympic values, the ideals, I think sport on a global scale is a brilliant thing, it transcends culture, race, money," despite what she calls China's "terrible track record when it comes to human rights." Huq was not hurt in the incident. Police wrestled the protester to the ground and arrested him. She, however, voiced concern over the Chinese torch guards, saying "They were very robotic, very full on, and actually I noticed them having skirmishes with our own police and the Olympic authorities before our leg of the relay".
Charity interests
In 2005, Huq took part in BBC One show Comic Relief Does Fame AcademyComic Relief Does Fame Academy
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy is a spin-off of the original Fame Academy show where celebrities sing as students of the Academy. The programme was launched in 2003 to help raise money for the charities supported by Comic Relief, with the final of the show occurring on Red Nose Day...
, in aid of Comic Relief, and was the third contestant to be voted off, after her rendition of Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
's Kids in America
Kids in America (song)
"Kids in America" is a New Wave song by British singer Kim Wilde, released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the US in 1982. It has famously been covered by many artists from different genres.-Background:...
. She also travelled to Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and met orphan children, on behalf of Comic Relief, and is currently a celebrity ambassador for the British Red Cross
British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom branch of the worldwide impartial humanitarian organisation the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with over 31,000 volunteers and 2,600 staff. At the heart of their work...
, for whom she recorded the video "If I had HIV, would you kiss me?" as part of a campaign against stigmatization of people living with HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
.
In 2008 Konnie travelled to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
with the charity Afghanaid to film a BBC Lifelines appeal which was aired on 21 September on BBC1. In the film she talked with women in the remote province of Badakhshan, which has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world, about childbirth and made an appeal for viewers to donate to Afghanaid's programme to train local midwives. She also spoke to children who had been part of an Afghanaid Child Rights project, including a 14 year old girl who had persuaded her parents not to force her into marriage.
Konnie Huq is an ambassador for Gold Challenge, part of the official mass participation legacy programme for the London 2012 Games. Gold Challenge is a fund-raising challenge where participants take on five or more Olympic and Paralympic sports in order to raise money for a charity of their choice. Konnie will be taking on her own Gold Challenge and encouraging others to do so as well.
Personal life
Huq supported the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
at the 2010 General Election.
On 26 July 2010 Huq married Charlie Brooker
Charlie Brooker
Charlton "Charlie" Brooker is a British journalist, comic writer and broadcaster. His style of humour is savage and profane, with surreal elements and a consistent satirical pessimism...
at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
after a nine-month relationship.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 1992 in television The year 1992 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1992.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:*Hallmark Hall of Fame .*Guiding Light .*The Today Show .... |
Blockbusters | Contestant |
| 2point4 Children 2point4 children 2point4 Children is a 1990s British sitcom that was created and written by Andrew Marshall. It follows the lives of the Porter family; an average family that is persistently faced with surreal situations and sheer bad luck.... |
Extra | |
| 1993 1993 in television The year 1993 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1993.For the American TV schedule, see: 1993-94 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:... |
Eat Your Words | Main presenter alongside Simon Parkin |
| 1997 1997 in television The year 1997 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1997.- Events :-Debuts:-Miniseries:*Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac, a reunion of the 1979–93 series*The Last Don... |
Milkshake! Milkshake! Milkshake! is a television programming block on Channel 5, aimed at children 2 to 7 years old. The strand debuted in 1997 and is broadcast on weekdays from 06:00 to 09:00, and from 07:00 to 10:00 on weekends. Sunday and Monday Mornings its broadcast 05:00 to 09:15/10:00. It used to air on 5*... |
Main presenter alongside Lucy Alexander Lucy Alexander Lucy Alexander is a British television presenter.Alexander graduated at the London Studio Centre in drama and dance. One of her friends there was actress Tamzin Outhwaite.-Presenting career:... |
| 1997 1997 in television The year 1997 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1997.- Events :-Debuts:-Miniseries:*Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac, a reunion of the 1979–93 series*The Last Don... –2008 2008 in television The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:... |
Blue Peter Blue Peter Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time... |
Main presenter alongside various co-presenters |
| 2002 2002 in television The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... –2004 2004 in television The year 2004 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2004.For the American TV schedule, see: 2004–05 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
UK Top 40 | Main presenter alongside Adrian Dickson Adrian Dickson Adrian Dickson is a South-African born British television and radio host.He began his career after graduating from a Broadcast Journalism university degree course. His first television appearances were for CBBC on BBC Television... |
| 2005 2005 in television The year 2005 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2005.For the American TV schedule, see: 2005–06 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:... |
Comic Relief Does Fame Academy Comic Relief Does Fame Academy Comic Relief Does Fame Academy is a spin-off of the original Fame Academy show where celebrities sing as students of the Academy. The programme was launched in 2003 to help raise money for the charities supported by Comic Relief, with the final of the show occurring on Red Nose Day... |
Contestant (out third) |
| 2006 2006 in television 2006 in television may refer to:*2006 in American television*2006 in Australian television*2006 in British television*2006 in Canadian television*2006 in Japanese television... |
The Tube The Tube (radio series) "The Tube " was resurrected in 2006 by Manchester based production company UK One Productions for Channel 4 Radio and produced by Tom Smetham and Stephen Chapman, founders of GNA Trading, the company behind Versus Cancer. It ran monthly from October 2006 to March 2007 always broadcasting on the 1st... |
Main presenter alongside Tony Wilson Tony Wilson Anthony Howard Wilson, commonly known as Tony Wilson , was an English record label owner, radio presenter, TV show host, nightclub manager, impresario and journalist for Granada Television and the BBC.... , Alex James Alex James (musician) Professionally known as Alex James is an English musician, songwriter, journalist and cheesemaker. He is best known as the bass player and occasional vocalist of band Blur... and Emily Rose Emily Rose Emily Rose may refer to:* Emily Rose , American television actress/voice actor* Emily Rose Everhard, American child actress* The Exorcism of Emily Rose, a 2005 horror film about demonic possession... |
| 2007 2007 in television 2007 in television may refer to:*2007 in American television*2007 in Australian television*2007 in British television*2007 in Canadian television*2007 in Japanese television... |
The Sarah Jane Adventures The Sarah Jane Adventures The Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen... |
Cameo appearance |
| M.I.High M.I.High M.I. High is a BBC children's spy-fi adventure series. It is produced for the BBC by the independent production company Kudos, who also produced the hit BBC spy drama Spooks. It follows in the success of the Young Bond and the Alex Rider series of books and films. M.I... |
Minor character | |
| 8 out of 10 Cats 8 Out of 10 Cats 8 out of 10 Cats is a television comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for Channel 4. It was first broadcast on 3 June 2005. The show is based on statistics and opinion polls, and draws on polls produced by a variety of organizations and new polls commissioned for the programme, carried out by... |
Panellist | |
| New York Fashion Week New York Fashion Week The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, branded Mercedes-Benz FashionWeek in 2009, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world .-History:The first New York Fashion Week, then called Press Week, was the world's first... |
Main presenter for GMTV coverage | |
| London Talking | Main presenter alongside Vanessa Feltz Vanessa Feltz Vanessa Jane Feltz is an English television personality, broadcaster and journalist. She currently presents an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2, a mid morning phone-in show on BBC London 94.9. In 2011, she started hosting The Vanessa Show on Channel 5. The first series ended on June 24th... and Nick Ferrari Nick Ferrari Nick Ferrari is a radio presenter who currently hosts the weekday breakfast show from 0700-1000 UTC on the London-based talk and phone-in radio station LBC 97.3. He also has a regular column in the Sunday Express and is a regular guest on The Alan Titchmarsh Show on ITV1... |
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| Robin Hood Robin Hood Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes.... |
A servant called Konnie | |
| 2008 2008 in television The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:... |
Al Murray's Happy Hour Al Murray's Happy Hour Al Murray's Happy Hour was a chat show presented by comedian Al Murray and produced by Avalon TV. The first series aired in early 2007. It is broadcast on the British terrestrial TV network, ITV, and the first series was broadcast on Saturday nights at 10pm. The second series aired on Fridays at 10pm... |
Celebrity guest |
| Your News Your News Your News was a weekly BBC News television programme made from user-generated content sent into the BBC by viewers and the public.-Broadcast:The programme was broadcast every weekend on the BBC News at 3:30pm and 10:30pm on Saturday and Sunday... |
Main presenter alongside Laura Jones Laura Jones (journalist) Laura Jones is a British television journalist who is best known for her work on the popular children's television programme Newsround.She was born in Aberystwyth, Wales, but spent most of her childhood in Lampeter, also in Wales... , Manish Bhasin Manish Bhasin Manish Bhasin is a sports journalist and presenter currently working for the BBC as presenter of The Football League Show.-Early career:Bhasin graduated in 1997 from Anglia Ruskin University with a degree in "Communication Studies with English" and completed a diploma in "Broadcast Journalism" at... and Adam Parsons Adam Parsons Adam Parsons is an English television and radio presenter, working mainly for the BBC.Previously he was a Sports Correspondent for BBC News, appearing regularly on BBC One, BBC Radio and BBC News, the BBC's 24 hour rolling news channel. Since 2007 he was also a regular relief presenter on the... |
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| The Weakest Link The Weakest Link The Weakest Link is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and will end its run in 2012 when its host Anne Robinson ends her contract. The original British version of the show airs around the world on BBC Entertainment... |
Contestant on Blue Peter special | |
| UK School Games UK School Games The UK School Games was an annual sporting competition for elite school-age athletes in the United Kingdom held between 2006 and 2011.The event was based on an Olympic Games model, with multiple sports events held across an intensive four-day period... |
Main presenter alongside Nigel Clarke Nigel Clarke Nigel Clarke is a British composer and musician. He is a former head of composition and contemporary music at the London College of Music and Media.... |
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| When Beauty Goes Wrong | Main presenter | |
| Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe is a British television review programme broadcast on BBC Four by Charlie Brooker. The programme contains reviews of current shows, as well as stories and commentary on how television is produced.-Format:... |
Presenter of the mock documentary in Episode 4 'Konnie's Great British Wee' | |
| Are You Smarter Than A 10 Year Old? Are You Smarter Than A 10 Year Old? (UK) Are You Smarter Than a/Your 10 Year Old? was a British quiz show which aired on Sky1. There were two editions, one broadcast weekly in primetime, hosted by Noel Edmonds and a daily version, originally hosted by Dick and Dom, but later hosted by Damian Williams... |
Contestant | |
| 2008 2008 in television The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2008. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:... –2009 2009 in television The following is a list of events affecting American television in 2009. Events listed include television show debuts, finales, cancellations, and new channel launches.-January:-February:-March:-April:-May:-June:-July:-August:... |
Zoo Days | Presenter of the Colchester edition of the show |
| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
Noel's HQ | Reporter |
| Guinness World Records Smashed Guinness World Records Smashed Guinness World Records Smashed is a British television show for Sky1, that features record attempts, celebrity guests and death-defying stunts... |
Main presenter alongside Steve Jones Steve Jones (presenter) Stephen Ashton "Steve" Jones is a Welsh television presenter. Jones is primarily known in the UK as presenter of T4. Internationally, he is known as the host of The X Factor USA.-Early life:... |
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| Hannah-Oke Hannah-Oke Hannah-Oke is a British karaoke game show based on the hit TV series Hannah Montana that premiered on Disney Channel UK on May 15, 2009, and airs every week at 6pm... |
Main presenter alongside Duncan James Duncan James Duncan Matthew James Inglis is an English singer, actor and television presenter. He is best known as a member of the boyband Blue.-Early life:... |
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| The Wright Stuff The Wright Stuff The Wright Stuff is a British television chat show, hosted by Matthew Wright, and currently airing on Channel 5 each weekday morning from 9:15 to 11:10am.... |
Panellist for the Week | |
| The Daily Politics The Daily Politics The Daily Politics is a British television show launched by the BBC in 2003. Presented by Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn, the programme takes an in-depth and sometimes irreverent look at the daily goings on in Westminster and other areas across Britain and the world, and includes interviews with leading... |
Guest reporter | |
| I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! NOW! | Panellist | |
| Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie was a British reality Television series on ITV2, series 1 focused on Jack Osbourne's globe-trekking six-month quest to get in physical and mental shape to climb the rockface of California's El Capitan mountain, the show documents Osbourne running with the bulls in... |
Celebrity participant | |
| 2010 2010 in television 2010 in television may refer to:*2010 in American television*2010 in Australian television*2010 in British television*2010 in Canadian television*2010 in Japanese television... |
The Archive Hour: Open Sesame | Guest reporter |
| The Xtra Factor | Main presenter from Series 7 | |
| Mind Your Language | Main presenter | |
| 71 Degrees North 71 Degrees North 71 Degrees North is a TV series on ITV which began broadcasting on 11 September 2010. 10 celebrities must battle it out to see who will make it to the 71st parallel north, with challenges along the way. Mazda formerly sponsored the show, Continental tires are the current sponsors... |
Contestant Series 1 | |
| This Week | Guest reporter | |
| Shocked Britain | Main presenter | |
| 2011 | Would I Lie to You? (TV series) Would I Lie To You? (TV series) Would I Lie to You? is a comedy panel game made by Zeppotron for BBC One. It was first broadcast on 16 June 2007.-Format:The show was presented by Angus Deayton in 2007 and 2008, and by Rob Brydon from 2009 onwards... |
Guest panellist |
External links
- Konnie Huq supports Dance for life British Red Cross
- Konnie Huq Guinness World Records Smashed Interview Sky 1