Tom O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Tom O'Connor is a British
actor
and comedian
. He is best known for presenting game show
s such as Crosswits, The Zodiac Game
, Name That Tune
, I've Got A Secret and Gambit
.
. He became a mathematics and music teacher at the St Joan of Arc School, Bootle. After work he appeared as a comedian in working men's club
s.
break came when he appeared on The Comedians. During the 1970s and 1980s he was one of the most popular faces on British TV. In 1977 he was the subject on an edition of This Is Your Life
. He continues to tour comedy venues all around the country.
He continued to host many shows including Name that Tune, Wednesday at 8, Tom O'Connor Show, Gambit, Crosswits, and many more.
In 2000 he made his television acting debut as Father Tom (a Catholic priest) in the BBC
series Doctors
. On 24 February 2006 he was given an award for having guest appeared on the TV programme Countdown
100 times. O'Connor won Celebrity Come Dine With Me
, scoring a record breaking 29/30, on 14 March 2010.
In 2011, O'Connor appeared on a celebrity edition of the BBC One gameshow Pointless
with his daughter-in-law Denise Lewis
(the gold medal winning Olympic heptathlete). They reached the final, eventually winning £500 for charity.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
. He is best known for presenting game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
s such as Crosswits, The Zodiac Game
The Zodiac Game
The Zodiac Game was a quiz programme devised by Ron Bareham that was produced by Anglia Television and aired on the ITV network from 1984 until 1986 and was hosted by Tom O'Connor. Russell Grant also made frequent appearances on the show...
, Name That Tune
Name That Tune
Name That Tune is a television game show that put two contestants against each other to test their knowledge of songs. Premiering in the United States on NBC Radio in 1952, the show was created and produced by Harry Salter and his wife Roberta....
, I've Got A Secret and Gambit
Gambit (game show)
Gambit is a television game show, created by Wayne Cruseturner and produced by Heatter-Quigley Productions, that originally ran on CBS from September 4, 1972 to December 10, 1976. A slightly retooled version, Las Vegas Gambit, aired on NBC from October 27, 1980 to November 27, 1981, originating...
.
Early life
Tom O'Connor attended St Mary's College, Crosby and Saint Mary's College, TwickenhamTwickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
. He became a mathematics and music teacher at the St Joan of Arc School, Bootle. After work he appeared as a comedian in working men's club
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
s.
Television career
His televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
break came when he appeared on The Comedians. During the 1970s and 1980s he was one of the most popular faces on British TV. In 1977 he was the subject on an edition of This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards from 1952 to 1961. In the show, the host surprises a guest, and proceeds to take them through their life in front of an audience including friends and family.Edwards...
. He continues to tour comedy venues all around the country.
He continued to host many shows including Name that Tune, Wednesday at 8, Tom O'Connor Show, Gambit, Crosswits, and many more.
In 2000 he made his television acting debut as Father Tom (a Catholic priest) in 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...
series Doctors
Doctors (BBC Soap Opera)
Doctors is a British daytime television soap opera, set in the fictional Midland town of Letherbridge, defined as being close to the City of Birmingham. It was created by Chris Murray; Mal Young drove its development, and Carson Black was the original producer. The first episode was broadcast on...
. On 24 February 2006 he was given an award for having guest appeared on the TV programme Countdown
Countdown (game show)
Countdown is a British game show involving word and number puzzles. It is produced by ITV Studios and broadcast on Channel 4. It is presented by Jeff Stelling, assisted by Rachel Riley, with regular lexicographer Susie Dent. It was the first programme to be aired on Channel 4, and over sixty-five...
100 times. O'Connor won Celebrity Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
, scoring a record breaking 29/30, on 14 March 2010.
In 2011, O'Connor appeared on a celebrity edition of the BBC One gameshow Pointless
Pointless
Pointless, subtitled "A season with Britain's worst football team" by Jeff Connor, is a book published in 2006 about East Stirlingshire F.C..In the summer of 2004, Jeff Connor, a sports journalist, was given access to East Stirlingshire, Britain's then least successful senior football club...
with his daughter-in-law Denise Lewis
Denise Lewis
Denise Lewis OBE is a retired British athlete who specialised in the heptathlon. She won the gold medal in the heptathlon at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.-2000 Olympics:...
(the gold medal winning Olympic heptathlete). They reached the final, eventually winning £500 for charity.