Russ Spencer
Encyclopedia
Russell Spencer is an English
television presenter and singer.
game show Make Your Play
. He was also anchor presenter three nights a week for The Great Big British Quiz
on Five. Other presenting credits include MTV, The Disney Channel,Generation X
for the BBC
, Quiz Call
, Quiz TV
and Glitterball
for ITV1
. Russ also starred in the cult-hit Channel 4
and E4 series Boys Will Be Girls, trying to pass himself off as a woman! The series has now been shown worldwide and is currently airing in Russia. Other credits include spots on Never Mind the Buzzcocks
and Pop Moments we Hate to Love for the BBC
and Wannabe and Radio Ga Ga
for VH1
. Early in 2010, Spencer appeared alongside fellow Scooch member, Caroline Barnes, on the Channel 4
series, "Coach Trip
". Television acting work includes guest roles in series six of Channel 4
’s "Shameless
" and "Footballers' Wives
" for ITV1
.
represented the UK at the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest
in Finland. On 17 March 2007 Scooch
reformed after seven years and won Making Your Mind Up
, a BBC
contest to determine the UK's entry in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest
beating amongst others Justin Hawkins
and Brian Harvey
. Russ co-wrote the song "Flying The Flag (For You)
", signed to Warner Music and stormed the UK charts to the number five position.
Originally formed in 1999, Scooch
signed to EMI
and gained four top twenty hits including their other top five single "More Than I Needed to Know", all culminating in the album "Four Sure". Worldwide Scooch
scored number one singles in Japan and Australia.
Scooch
were Ambassadors for the Children’s Health Authority and to this day hold the record for the highest charting Eurovision single since 1997 when the UK last won the contest. They are also proud to have performed at every Arena across the UK.
Numerous television credits include, Top of the Pops
, SMTV Live
, CD:UK
, Live & Kicking
, The Pepsi Chart Show, The Priory, The Big Breakfast
, GMTV
, LK Today, Richard & Judy
, This Morning
, Loose Women
, So Graham Norton
, The National Lottery, Popworld
and BBC Breakfast
.
, theatre work includes the original West End cast of "Nine
', the UK National Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
starring as "The Child Catcher" alongside Craig McLachlan
. He created the role of "Ricky St Clair" in the UK Tour of Dave Simpson’s "The eXtra Factor", "Joe
" in Santa Claus - The Musical alongside Anita Dobson
and Roy Barraclough
at The Alexandra Theatre Birmingham, Wayne Sleep’s Explosive Dance & "Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Birthday Celebration" both at the Royal Albert Hall
and a World Tour as lead vocalist with The New Zealand and Hawaii Symphony Orchestras.
Numerous pantomime appearances include "Prince
" in "Cinderella
" at The Regent Theatre, Stoke on Trent and The Lighthouse, Poole. "Puss in Boots
at The Theatre Royal, Windsor and "Prince
" in "Snow White
" at The Broadway Theatre, Catford and The Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.
station 107.8 Radio Jackie
.
series Coach Trip
with long-term partner Caroline Barnes. The pair were in Scooch
together and currently live in London. They were red-carded on day 36, after 19 days on the coach, for having broken the rules by asking others to vote them off.
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...
television presenter and singer.
TV work
Spencer is a television presenter, hosting shows such as the ITV1ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
game show Make Your Play
Make Your Play
Make Your Play was a live, interactive quiz show, showing in the UK on the ITV Network, from Monday to Saturday, beginning after midnight. The show was launched on Friday September 29, 2006 on ITV and ITV Play....
. He was also anchor presenter three nights a week for The Great Big British Quiz
The Great Big British Quiz
The Great Big British Quiz , which ceased operating on 4 May 2007 was an interactive quiz based channel on which viewers where invited to phone in to solve puzzles in return for cash and prizes. It broadcast from studios in Battersea, London, England, it was usually seen on Sky Digital...
on Five. Other presenting credits include MTV, The Disney Channel,Generation X
Generation X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the Western post–World War II baby boom ended. While there is no universally agreed upon time frame, the term generally includes people born from the early 1960's through the early 1980's, usually no later than 1981 or...
for the BBC
BBC
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...
, Quiz Call
Quiz Call
Quiz Call is a late night/early morning phone-in quiz TV show, produced by Ostrich Media for Five, Five USA and Fiver.- Launch :...
, Quiz TV
Quiz TV
Quiz TV was a popular British television interactive gameshow which screened on Digital satellite and cable TV from 14 June 2004 to 23 June 2006. It was a premium-line call-in show, viewers were encouraged to phone a premium-rate number in order to provide an answer to a quiz question....
and Glitterball
Glitterball
Glitterball was a live, late night, interactive television quiz show in the United Kingdom. It was broadcast under the ITV Play branding on ITV a few nights a week from around midnight , and from 1.00am on ITV2. The show launched on 19 February 2007. Both Glitterball and Make Your Play alternated...
for ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
. Russ also starred in the cult-hit 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...
and E4 series Boys Will Be Girls, trying to pass himself off as a woman! The series has now been shown worldwide and is currently airing in Russia. Other credits include spots on Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
Never Mind the Buzzcocks is a comedy panel game television show with a pop music theme, currently without a permanent presenter. It stars Phill Jupitus and Noel Fielding as team captains. The show is produced by Talkback Thames for the BBC, and is usually aired on BBC Two...
and Pop Moments we Hate to Love for the BBC
BBC
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...
and Wannabe and Radio Ga Ga
Radio Ga Ga
"Radio Ga Ga" is a 1984 song performed and recorded by the British rock band Queen, written by their drummer Roger Taylor. It was released as a single with "I Go Crazy" by Brian May on the original B-side and was included on the album The Works...
for VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
. Early in 2010, Spencer appeared alongside fellow Scooch member, Caroline Barnes, on the 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...
series, "Coach Trip
Coach Trip
Coach Trip is a reality show that was broadcast on Channel 4 with More4 and Pick TV showing repeats since 7 March 2005. The programme returned on 25 May 2009. The show's format consists of 4 to 7 teams of 2 undertaking a coach tour principally of continental Europe...
". Television acting work includes guest roles in series six of 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...
’s "Shameless
Shameless
Shameless is a British television drama series set in Manchester on the fictional Chatsworth council estate. Produced by Company Pictures for Channel 4, the first seven-episode series aired weekly on Tuesday nights at 10pm from 13 January 2004...
" and "Footballers' Wives
Footballers' Wives
Footballers' Wives is a British television drama surrounding the fictional Premier League Association football club Earls Park F.C., its players, and their wives. It was broadcast on the ITV network from 8 January 2002 to 14 April 2006...
" for ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
.
Scooch
Russ and his pop group ScoochScooch
Scooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag ", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after...
represented the UK at the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
in Finland. On 17 March 2007 Scooch
Scooch
Scooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag ", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after...
reformed after seven years and won Making Your Mind Up
Making Your Mind Up (TV series)
Eurovision: Your Country Needs You was a BBC TV show broadcast annually to select the United Kingdom's entry into the Eurovision Song Contest...
, a BBC
BBC
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...
contest to determine the UK's entry in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
beating amongst others Justin Hawkins
Justin Hawkins
Justin David Hawkins is an English musician and singer-songwriter, best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist of The Darkness, alongside his brother, guitarist Dan Hawkins...
and Brian Harvey
Brian Harvey
Brian Harvey is an English musician and formerly lead singer of pop band East 17.Harvey was born in Walthamstow, London, and attended Sir George Monoux School from 1988-90.-Career:...
. Russ co-wrote the song "Flying The Flag (For You)
Flying the Flag (for You)
"Flying the Flag " is a song performed by British pop/bubblegum dance group Scooch.The song was entered and won the British national selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, Eurovision: Making Your Mind Up in 2007, and subsequently represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song...
", signed to Warner Music and stormed the UK charts to the number five position.
Originally formed in 1999, Scooch
Scooch
Scooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag ", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after...
signed to EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and gained four top twenty hits including their other top five single "More Than I Needed to Know", all culminating in the album "Four Sure". Worldwide Scooch
Scooch
Scooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag ", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after...
scored number one singles in Japan and Australia.
Scooch
Scooch
Scooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag ", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after...
were Ambassadors for the Children’s Health Authority and to this day hold the record for the highest charting Eurovision single since 1997 when the UK last won the contest. They are also proud to have performed at every Arena across the UK.
Numerous television credits include, 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...
, SMTV Live
SMTV Live
SMTV Live , also written SM:TV Live and in early promotional material SMTV://live, was a British Saturday morning children's television programme, first broadcast on ITV on 29 August 1998 and last broadcast on 27 December 2003.On the surface, the programme did not seem to stray away from the format...
, CD:UK
CD:UK
CD:UK was a British music television programme. Originally run in conjunction with SMTV Live, the programme was first aired on ITV on 29 August 1998 to rival the BBC's Live & Kicking and was the replacement for The Chart Show, which had been airing on the network for nine and a half years.In...
, Live & Kicking
Live & Kicking
Live & Kicking was a BBC Saturday morning children's magazine programme, running from 1993 to 2001. The fourth in a succession of Saturday morning shows, it was the replacement for Going Live!, and took many of its features from it, such as phone-ins, games, comedy, competitions and the showing of...
, The Pepsi Chart Show, The Priory, The Big Breakfast
The Big Breakfast
The Big Breakfast was a British light entertainment television show shown on Channel 4 and S4C each weekday morning from 28 September 1992 until 29 March 2002 during which period 2,482 shows were produced. The Big Breakfast was produced by Planet 24, the production company co-owned by former...
, 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...
, LK Today, Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy
Richard & Judy was a British magazine/chat show which was presented by married couple Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It originally aired on Channel 4 from 2001 to 2008 but later moved to digital channel Watch in October 2008. It featured the world's most famous stars, along with their Book Club...
, 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...
, Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
, So Graham Norton
So Graham Norton
So Graham Norton is a British television programme, hosted by Irish personality Graham Norton. It ran from 3 July 1998 to 1 March 2002.-Theme:...
, The National Lottery, Popworld
Popworld
Popworld was a British television programme that was broadcast on Channel 4, offering pop news, trivia, gossip, interviews and music videos, as well as musical performances from the most recent top artists....
and BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast
BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...
.
Theatre
Trained at Laine Theatre ArtsLaine Theatre Arts
Laine Theatre Arts is an independent performing arts college, based in the town of Epsom in Surrey, England. The college was founded in 1974, and developed from an earlier school, the Frecker-Laine School of Dancing...
, theatre work includes the original West End cast of "Nine
Nine (musical)
Nine is a musical with a book by Arthur Kopit, music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. The story is based on Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical film 8½...
', the UK National Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (musical)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, also known as Chitty the Musical, is a stage musical based on the 1968 film produced by Cubby Broccoli. The music and lyrics were written by Richard and Robert Sherman with book by Jeremy Sams.-Productions:...
starring as "The Child Catcher" alongside Craig McLachlan
Craig McLachlan
Craig McLachlan is an Australian actor and singer. He appeared in shows such as Sons and Daughters, Neighbours, Bugs and Home and Away.-Biography:...
. He created the role of "Ricky St Clair" in the UK Tour of Dave Simpson’s "The eXtra Factor", "Joe
Joe
Joe may be a nickname originating from the name "Joseph", "Josephina" and others.Joe may refer to:-People:* Joe , an American R&B singer and record producer* Joe , a character known only as "Joe" on the popular children's show...
" in Santa Claus - The Musical alongside Anita Dobson
Anita Dobson
Anita Dobson is an English television actress and singer. She gained her highest profile while playing Angie Watts in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders...
and Roy Barraclough
Roy Barraclough
Roy Barraclough MBE is a comic actor. He is best known for his role as the shifty, lugubrious landlord of the Rovers Return, Alec Gilroy in the long-running British TV soap Coronation Street where he formed an on-screen partnership with Bet Lynch .- Career :Roy Barraclough...
at The Alexandra Theatre Birmingham, Wayne Sleep’s Explosive Dance & "Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Birthday Celebration" both at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
and a World Tour as lead vocalist with The New Zealand and Hawaii Symphony Orchestras.
Numerous pantomime appearances include "Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
" in "Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
" at The Regent Theatre, Stoke on Trent and The Lighthouse, Poole. "Puss in Boots
Puss in Boots
'Puss' is a character in the fairy tale "The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots" by Charles Perrault. The tale was published in 1697 in his Histoires ou Contes du temps passé...
at The Theatre Royal, Windsor and "Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
" in "Snow White
Snow White
"Snow White" is a fairy tale known from many countries in Europe, the best known version being the German one collected by the Brothers Grimm...
" at The Broadway Theatre, Catford and The Floral Pavilion, New Brighton.
Radio
In 2008 Russ was a presenter for the Independent Local RadioIndependent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
station 107.8 Radio Jackie
107.8 Radio Jackie
Radio Jackie is an Independent Local Radio station in England broadcasting news, classic hits, and local information to south west London and North Surrey from its studios in Tolworth....
.
Personal life
Spencer appeared on the Channel 4Channel 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...
series Coach Trip
Coach Trip
Coach Trip is a reality show that was broadcast on Channel 4 with More4 and Pick TV showing repeats since 7 March 2005. The programme returned on 25 May 2009. The show's format consists of 4 to 7 teams of 2 undertaking a coach tour principally of continental Europe...
with long-term partner Caroline Barnes. The pair were in Scooch
Scooch
Scooch are a British bubblegum dance group, comprising performers Natalie Powers, Caroline Barnes, David Ducasse and Russ Spencer.Scooch represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki with their song "Flying the Flag ", finishing 23rd out of 24 entries after...
together and currently live in London. They were red-carded on day 36, after 19 days on the coach, for having broken the rules by asking others to vote them off.
External links
- Russ Spencer Official Website
- Scooch Official at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- Scooch Official Website
- Video of song "Flying The Flag (For You)"
- Presenter profile on radiojackie.com