Johnny Ball
| Johnny Ball | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Graham Ball 23 May 1938 Bristol, England |
| Occupation | Presenter |
| Children | 2 including Zoë Ball |
Johnny Ball (born 23 May 1938) is an English television personality, a populariser of mathematics and the father of BBC Radio 2 DJ Zoë Ball.
He was born as Graham Ball in Bristol where he attended Kingswood Primary School on the eastern edge of the city. Later in his childhood the family moved to Bolton, Lancashire, where he attended Bolton County Grammar School. He left formal education with two 'O' Levels, one in Mathematics and one in Geography. He then signed on for three years in the Royal Air Force, worked as a Butlin's Redcoat, and was an entertainer in northern clubs and cabaret.
He was a regular fixture on children's television in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, presenting several series of popular science and technology programmes intended for children (including Think of a Number; Think Again; Think Backwards; Think...This Way and Johnny Ball Reveals All). He was also one of the hosts of infant education programme Play School beginning in 1967 and continuing throughout the 1970s and beyond. As well as appearing on screen Ball wrote jokes for some shows including Crackerjack. All of these shows (except the ITV programme ...Reveals All) appeared on the BBC. Ball's shows were renowned for presenting scientific and technological principles in an entertaining and accessible way for young people.
In 2003, he appeared on The Terry and Gaby Show in which he answered viewers' questions. In July 2004, he was named in the Radio Times list of the top 40 most eccentric TV presenters of all time. In July 2012, he presented a Horizon special on ageing on BBC Four. He has recently starred in ITV and Channel 4 television adverts as well as radio adverts for the Yorkshire-based firm Help-Link.
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