Mark Durden-Smith
Encyclopedia
Mark Durden-Smith is a British television presenter. He began his presenting career as host of Sky Sports
live rugby union coverage, which included weekly English Premiership fixtures, domestic and European cup competitions and Internationals Tests, including the English home Six Nations matches in 1998. He has a background in entertainment and journalism, starting his career at GLR and BBC regional newsrooms before becoming a researcher for Saturday Night Clive and Clive Anderson Talks Back. He moved to Sky Sports in 1996, presenting a wide range of programmes.
Later, through working for Sky, he became one of the original presenters of the morning Channel 4
programme, RI:SE
, when it launched in 2002. After this he has presented the British qualifying rounds for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest
, as well as presenting Drop the Celebrity
, and ITV2
coverage of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now, Soapstar Superstar
and Hell's Kitchen
. He also hosted the American show, American Princess. He appeared in some editions of the quiz show HeadJam
.
In 2004, he hosted The Match for Sky One, returned to Australia for a fourth series of ITV2
's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now, presented Double or Nothing for Sky One
, and Hell's Kitchen Extra Portions for ITV2.
He also hosted the The Police Bravery Awards for Sky One
. In 2005 he returned to present ITV2
's Hell's Kitchen Extra Portions, presented Package Holidays Undercover for ITV 1 and a second series of The Match for Sky One
. In 2006 he filmed the third series of The Match with Zoe Ball for Sky One and hosted Millionaire Manor
, the National Lottery show for BBC1. He also presented the sixth series of ITV2
's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now. On 9 March 2007, it was announced that he would join ITV Sport
to front the network's coverage of the 2007 University Boat Race on 7 April. This coverage won the RTS sports award for best outside broadcast and best sports feature for its University Boat Race coverage.
It was announced in June 2007 that he would head a new ITV
series, Wish You Were Here...? Now and Then, a 25-part series where Durden-Smith revisits destinations, originally visited by his mother and other presenters in the original series of Wish You Were Here...?, to see how much they have changed. In November 2007 he appeared as the UK based presenter of the seventh series of ITV2
's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now.
and sports commentator Neil Durden-Smith, and is a married father of twin boys and girl.
In August 2010 he appears as a panellist on ITV's new show 3@Three
. Smith also presents live coverage on ESPN's Aviva Premiership rugby coverage on the touchline as of the 2010 season.
Since June 2010, he is a relief presenter for ITV's This Morning. He most recently covered for Phillip Schofield, who was away in Australia, on 6 and 7 December 2010 and also on 17 & 18 January 2011.
From 28 February to 4 March 2011 he was a guest in Countdown
's Dictionary Corner and again between 31 October 2011 and 4 November 2011.
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
live rugby union coverage, which included weekly English Premiership fixtures, domestic and European cup competitions and Internationals Tests, including the English home Six Nations matches in 1998. He has a background in entertainment and journalism, starting his career at GLR and BBC regional newsrooms before becoming a researcher for Saturday Night Clive and Clive Anderson Talks Back. He moved to Sky Sports in 1996, presenting a wide range of programmes.
Later, through working for Sky, he became one of the original presenters of the morning Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
programme, RI:SE
RI:SE
RI:SE was a breakfast television show made by Princess Productions in collaboration with BSkyB for Channel 4 in the UK. It was scheduled to replace The Big Breakfast after declining ratings. It launched on 29 April 2002...
, when it launched in 2002. After this he has presented the British qualifying rounds for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest
Junior Eurovision Song Contest
The Junior Eurovision Song Contest , is an international song competition which has been organised by the European Broadcasting Union annually since 2003 and is open exclusively to broadcasters that are members of the EBU. It is held in a different European city each year.The competition has many...
, as well as presenting Drop the Celebrity
Drop the Celebrity
Drop the Celebrity is a British television game show broadcast in 2003, in which a group of British celebrities in an airplane wait for the audience on the ground to vote on who should be dropped from it by parachute...
, and ITV2
ITV2
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...
coverage of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now, Soapstar Superstar
Soapstar Superstar
Soapstar Superstar was a reality singing competition produced by Granada Television which first aired on British television station ITV in 2006. In the competition, ten soap opera actors perform in front of a celebrity panel, which included Cilla Black, Billy Sammeth and Chris Cowey...
and Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen (UK TV series)
Hell's Kitchen was a British cookery reality show aired on ITV which featured prospective chefs competing with each other for a final prize. Four series had been aired since 2004, three presented by Angus Deayton and the latest by Claudia Winkleman....
. He also hosted the American show, American Princess. He appeared in some editions of the quiz show HeadJam
HeadJam
HeadJam is a BBC television game show hosted by Vernon Kay. It originally aired during the summer of 2004 on BBC Three, with a repeat soon afterwards on BBC Two.It featured two teams, each consisting of a member of the public and a celebrity...
.
In 2004, he hosted The Match for Sky One, returned to Australia for a fourth series of ITV2
ITV2
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...
's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now, presented Double or Nothing for Sky One
Sky One
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
, and Hell's Kitchen Extra Portions for ITV2.
He also hosted the The Police Bravery Awards for Sky One
Sky One
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
. In 2005 he returned to present ITV2
ITV2
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...
's Hell's Kitchen Extra Portions, presented Package Holidays Undercover for ITV 1 and a second series of The Match for Sky One
Sky One
Sky1 is the flagship BSkyB entertainment channel available in the United Kingdom and Ireland.The channel first launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, and is the fourth-oldest TV channel in the United Kingdom, behind BBC One , ITV and BBC Two...
. In 2006 he filmed the third series of The Match with Zoe Ball for Sky One and hosted Millionaire Manor
Millionaire Manor
Millionaire Manor is a BBC National Lottery game show that was broadcast on BBC One from 3 December 2005 to 4 March 2006. The programme was hosted by Mark Durden-Smith.-Ratings:Episode Viewing figures from BARB....
, the National Lottery show for BBC1. He also presented the sixth series of ITV2
ITV2
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...
's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now. On 9 March 2007, it was announced that he would join ITV Sport
ITV Sport
ITV Sport is a sport producer and brand name owned by ITV plc. It was formed from the amalgamation of Granada Sport, Carlton's sports department and ISN, the sports division of London News Network. The company produces Champions League and FA Cup Football, along with coverage of England's national...
to front the network's coverage of the 2007 University Boat Race on 7 April. This coverage won the RTS sports award for best outside broadcast and best sports feature for its University Boat Race coverage.
It was announced in June 2007 that he would head a new ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
series, Wish You Were Here...? Now and Then, a 25-part series where Durden-Smith revisits destinations, originally visited by his mother and other presenters in the original series of Wish You Were Here...?, to see how much they have changed. In November 2007 he appeared as the UK based presenter of the seventh series of ITV2
ITV2
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...
's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! Now.
Family
Mark is the son of Judith ChalmersJudith Chalmers
Judith Chalmers OBE is an English television presenter who is best known for presenting the travel programme Wish You Were Here...? in the 1970s and 1980s, where she often appeared in a bikini.-Early life and career:...
and sports commentator Neil Durden-Smith, and is a married father of twin boys and girl.
Currently
As of 2009 he presents the home makeover show, Gutted, on UKTV's Home channel.In August 2010 he appears as a panellist on ITV's new show 3@Three
3@three
3@Three is a topical TV live debate show on ITV. In the programme three topics are discussed each day at three o'clock by three rotating panellists. The first series of ten episodes aired on Monday-Friday between 2 August and 13 August 2010...
. Smith also presents live coverage on ESPN's Aviva Premiership rugby coverage on the touchline as of the 2010 season.
Since June 2010, he is a relief presenter for ITV's This Morning. He most recently covered for Phillip Schofield, who was away in Australia, on 6 and 7 December 2010 and also on 17 & 18 January 2011.
From 28 February to 4 March 2011 he was a guest in Countdown
Countdown
A countdown is a sequence of counting backward to indicate the seconds, days, or other time units remaining before an event occurs or a deadline expires. Typical events for which a countdown is used include the launch of a rocket or spacecraft, the detonation of a bomb, the start of a race, and the...
's Dictionary Corner and again between 31 October 2011 and 4 November 2011.