Editing Chris Tarrant (section)

==Career==

=== ''Tiswas'' and ''O.T.T.'' ===
{{Main|Tiswas|O.T.T. (TV series)}}

Tarrant rose to prominence after becoming a co-presenter on ''[[Tiswas]]'', a children's television show broadcast on a Saturday morning from January 1974 to March 1981, alongside [[Sally James (presenter)|Sally James]]. It also featured the young [[Lenny Henry]] and occasionally [[Jim Davidson]] together with [[Bob Carolgees]] and his [[puppet]], Spit the Dog. [[John Gorman (entertainer)|John Gorman]], former member of [[The Scaffold]], was also a presenter.

In 1982, along with Bob Carolgees, John Gorman, Randolph Sutherland and Lenny Henry, Tarrant hosted the short-lived Saturday late-night show ''[[O.T.T. (TV series)|O.T.T.]]'' ("Over the Top"), which was billed as an adult version of ''Tiswas'' but was not such a success. Despite being short-lived, the show was very popular amongst adults. After this, Tarrant did a stint on the breakfast television station [[TV-am]]. Sally James presented the concurrent and final series of ''Tiswas'' alone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tiswasonline.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412161613/http://www.tiswasonline.com/|url-status=dead|title=Tiswas Online|archive-date=12 April 2015|website=tiswasonline.com|access-date=11 January 2020}}</ref>

===Capital Radio===
{{Main|Capital London|l1=Capital Radio}}
In 1984, Tarrant joined [[Capital London|Capital Radio]] as a presenter, initially presenting the station's Sunday lunchtime show before moving to a late-morning weekday slot, following David Jensen. From March 1987 until April 2004 he hosted ''[[Capital Breakfast]]''. The show was highly popular, increasing Capital Radio's audience share in London. Tarrant had regular co-presenter Kara Noble (eventually replaced by Zabe Newsome for a very short duration) as his sidekick for the early years until Noble moved to Heart FM in 1995 with regular contributions from Flying Eye traffic reporter Russ Kane and newsreader [[Howard Hughes (radio presenter)|Howard Hughes]]. It was on this show that he first coined his "Is that your final answer?" catchphrase.

At 9:00 am on 2 April 2004, after hosting 4,425 shows, 20 years on Capital Radio and giving away prizes to the value of £3.5 million, Tarrant said his farewell to the station.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://audioboom.com/posts/3049421-chris-tarrant-last-show-on-capital-2004|title=Chris Tarrant – last show on Capital – 2004|work=Audioboom|access-date=1 March 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301225208/https://audioboom.com/posts/3049421-chris-tarrant-last-show-on-capital-2004|archive-date=1 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

===''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''===
{{Main|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show)|l1=Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show)}}
Tarrant began hosting the television quiz show ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (British game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'' in 1998. The format was sold to over 100 other countries. Tarrant coined the format's catchphrase, "But we don't want to give you that," and continued his older catchphrase, "Is that your final answer?", contributing it to the format. Tarrant presented the ITV game show ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' from 1998 to 2014, while also providing some audio recordings for some console games, and a tabletop game made by [[Tiger Electronics]] based on the show. He recorded a total of 592 episodes across 30 series, in which a total of five contestants won the cash prize of £1 million. 

One contestant, [[Charles Ingram]], won the £1 million cash prize (and was declared by Tarrant as "the most amazing contestant we have ever, ever had") but was denied his winnings when it was determined that [[R v Ingram, C., Ingram, D. and Whittock, T.|he had cheated]]. Tarrant attended the trial regarding the Ingram fraud case. When called to testify, he stated that he had not noticed anything amiss during the filming and had not heard any coughing. He said that following the win the Ingrams had been behaving "as normal as people who had just won £1m would be in that situation." Tarrant also said that he would not have signed the cheque if he had had suspicions of cheating and was "shocked" when he heard about the allegations.<ref>{{cite news |date=12 March 2003 |title=Tarrant 'shocked' by Millionaire claims |work=[[BBC News]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2842163.stm |url-status=live |accessdate=4 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040627134751/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2842163.stm |archive-date=27 June 2004}}</ref> 

In subsequent interviews about the Ingram case, Tarrant has always insisted he was totally unaware of any coughing around him at the time of Ingram's run, but realised something wasn't right after viewing the tape afterwards. He has also said he was very sad about the whole situation, saying: "This was a very cynical plan, motivated by sheer greed. It is hugely insulting to the hundreds and hundreds of other contestants who have come on the show, just hoping for much smaller amounts of money but prepared to try and win their money honestly."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lavender |first=Jane |date=14 April 2020 |title=Chris Tarrant on exact moment he knew Charles Ingram was cheating on Millionaire |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/chris-tarrant-exact-moment-knew-21848031 |access-date=5 January 2023 |website=mirror |language=en}}</ref>

In July 2000, Tarrant signed a contract with ITV to present the show until December 2002. This contract was later extended to 2013. On 22 October 2013, Tarrant announced that, after fifteen years of hosting the programme, he would be leaving ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'', which consequently led ITV to axe the programme once his contract was finished; no more specials would be filmed after this announcement, leaving only those made before it to be aired as the final episodes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Who Wants To Be A Millionaire axed as host Chris Tarrant decided 'it was time to take a break' |newspaper=[[Daily Mirror]] |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/who-wants-millionaire-axed-host-2479545 |access-date=22 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Millionaire axed as Tarrant quits |url=http://www.u.tv/entertainment/Millionaire-axed-as-Tarrant-quits/73946d68-1f14-4ad2-9d20-912ca13e275c |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022152601/http://www.u.tv/entertainment/Millionaire-axed-as-Tarrant-quits/73946d68-1f14-4ad2-9d20-912ca13e275c |archive-date=22 October 2013 |access-date=22 October 2013 |website=[[UTV Media|u.tv]]}}</ref> After the final celebrity editions, Tarrant hosted a [[clip show]] entitled "Chris' Final Answer", which aired on 11 February 2014 and ended the original series.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Ellen |date=12 February 2014 |title=Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Chris's Final Answer – TV review: 'Tarrant isn't quite on the money' |newspaper=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/who-wants-to-be-a-millionaire-chriss-final-answer-tv-review-tarrant-isnt-quite-on-the-money-with-9122226.html |access-date=1 March 2019}}</ref>

In 2018, ITV commissioned a new series of ''Who Wants to be a Millionaire?'', to be presented by new host [[Jeremy Clarkson]]. In a television interview, Tarrant said he had chosen not to watch the revived series. He said he would have "politely turned down" an offer by the network to return to the show had he been approached.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}

In 2020, a TV mini-series, ''[[Quiz (TV series)|Quiz]]'', about Ingram's attempt to win a million pounds on ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' by cheating, was released. Tarrant was portrayed by the actor [[Michael Sheen]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=15 November 2019 |title=Michael Sheen transforms into Chris Tarrant for Millionaire TV drama |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-50419997 |access-date=29 July 2020}}</ref>

===Other work===
Tarrant is known to have worked at Salford Royal Foundation Trust as a Hospital radio presenter.

Tarrant narrated the schools programme ''Stop, Look, Listen'', made by [[Associated Television|ATV]] and later [[ITV Central|Central Television]].

Tarrant hosted ''[[Everybody's Equal]]'' in 1989, although the programme came to an end in 1990 (the format was revived in 1997 by [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]] as ''Whittle'', with [[Tim Vine]] as host). In 1991 he hosted the second series of [[Cluedo (UK game show)|''Cluedo'']] which was part panel quiz and part murder drama, based on the board game of the same name. On 1 January 1993, after [[Thames Television]] lost its ITV franchise and been replaced by [[Carlton Television]], Tarrant hosted the first programme of the new contractor, ''A Carlton New Year''. Also in 1993, Tarrant hosted ''[[Lose A Million]]'', in which contestants started off with a (fictional) million pounds and were required to lose it by aiming to answer a set of questions incorrectly. Tarrant would later host ''Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'', in which the objective of the game is to do the opposite. From 1996 to 1999 Tarrant hosted the [[Man O Man (UK game show)|UK edition of ''Man O Man'']].

In 1994, Tarrant hosted a revival of ''[[Pop Quiz]]'', previously hosted by [[Mike Read]]. It ran one series and eight episodes in total, airing again on Saturday nights (as Read's version did).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Waring |first1=Olivia |title=The life of the most eccentric icon the 1980s produced.|url=https://metro.co.uk/2016/10/25/pete-burns-timeline-the-life-of-the-most-eccentric-icon-the-1980s-produced-6214058/ |access-date=13 October 2020 |work=Metro |date=25 October 2016}}</ref>

Tarrant was also the long-term host of ''[[...on Television|Tarrant on TV]]'', a programme which shows clips featuring a number of unusual television programmes from around the world. He presented the show from 1990 to 2006. In 1998, Tarrant released a compilation album entitled ''Ultimate Party Megamix'' on [[PolyGram Television]]'s record label. A second edition entitled ''Ultimate Summer Party'' was also released. Both albums contain songs compiled by Tarrant himself in the form of a megamix.

In 2003, Tarrant did voice over work on the film ''[[Johnny English]]'', where he starred as himself hosting a radio presentation of Sauvage's coronation. In 2008, he presented the game show ''[[It's Not What You Know]]'' on [[Challenge (TV channel)|Challenge]]. In January 2009, Tarrant began hosting a new [[ITV (TV channel)|ITV]] show, ''[[The Colour of Money (game show)|The Colour of Money]]'', which was cancelled after seven episodes after failing to perform well in the ratings.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.stv.tv/tv/102147-chris-tarrants-latest-show-axed/|title=Chris Tarrant's latest show axed|date=12 June 2009|access-date=12 August 2009|publisher=STV Entertainment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615083327/http://entertainment.stv.tv/tv/102147-chris-tarrants-latest-show-axed/|archive-date=15 June 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2008 it was announced he would return to radio, hosting a weekly Saturday morning show for the [[GMG Radio]] network of stations including London's [[102.2 Smooth Radio]], [[Real Radio (Scotland)|Real Radio]] in Scotland and the North West's [[105.4 Century Radio|Century Radio]].<ref>{{cite news|url= https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jun/30/radio.guardianmediagroup?gusrc=rss&feed=media|title= Tarrant v Ross: let battle commence|work= The Guardian|first= Mark|last= Sweney|date= 30 June 2008|access-date= 9 August 2009|location= London|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131015144707/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/jun/30/radio.guardianmediagroup?gusrc=rss&feed=media|archive-date= 15 October 2013|url-status= live}}</ref> The show would air in direct competition to [[Jonathan Ross]]'s show on [[BBC Radio 2]] and began on 26 July. It was aired for 12 months until July 2009.

In 2009, UKTV signed Tarrant to present a show for [[Watch (TV channel)|Watch]] called ''[[Tarrant Lets the Kids Loose]]''. The eight-part series, beginning on 4 October, gave three- to six-year-olds the chance to fulfil their greatest ambitions in the adult world, whether running a photographic studio, a radio station or an ice-cream van. The show was executively produced by Lisa Perrin and Tess Cumming.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jul/01/chris-tarrant-kids-show-uktv-watch|title=Chris Tarrant to present kids' hidden-camera show for UKTV|last=Sweney|first=Mark|date=1 July 2009|website=The Guardian|language=en|access-date=1 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302103831/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2009/jul/01/chris-tarrant-kids-show-uktv-watch|archive-date=2 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 2010, Tarrant become one of the first three celebrities to be subjected to the British version of the American institution of a comedy roast, on Channel 4's ''[[A Comedy Roast]]''. In August 2010, Tarrant launched the ''Fishing with Chris Tarrant'' application for [[iOS (Apple)|iOS]] devices in association with ''[[Angling Times]]'' magazine.<ref>[http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/Section/News--Catches/General-News/August-2010/Chris-Tarrant-launches-iPhone-fishing-app/ Chris Tarrant launches iPhone fishing app] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031142210/http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/Section/News--Catches/General-News/August-2010/Chris-Tarrant-launches-iPhone-fishing-app/ |date=31 October 2010 }}, 20 August 2010, ''Angling Times''</ref><ref>[http://www.fishingwithchristarrant.com/ Fishing with Chris Tarrant website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101003100804/http://www.fishingwithchristarrant.com/ |date=3 October 2010 }}</ref> Also in 2010 he presented ITV1's ''The Door'', a game show in which celebrities faced unpleasant and scary challenges to win money for charity.

On 13 April 2012, Tarrant made an appearance in the BBC show ''[[Would I Lie to You? (British game show)|Would I Lie to You?]]'' on [[David Mitchell (comedian)|David Mitchell]]'s team alongside [[Mel Giedroyc]].

In 2012, Tarrant filmed the ''[[Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways]]'' series for [[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]], which has been compared with similar programmes presented by [[Michael Palin]] and [[Michael Portillo]] and features locations including the [[Congo-Ocean Railway]], [[the Ghan]] across Australia and the [[Konkan Railway]] in India. The series was aired in December 2012.<ref>[http://www.channel5.com/shows/chris-tarrant-extreme-railways Chris Tarrant – Extreme Railways] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121224337/http://www.channel5.com/shows/chris-tarrant-extreme-railways |date=21 January 2013 }}, 6 December 2012, ''[[Channel 5 (UK)|Channel 5]]''</ref> A second series was shown in 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/rail-journeys/Chris-Tarrant-on-board-the-worlds-extreme-railways/|title=Chris Tarrant: on board the world's extreme railways|date=26 February 2016|via=www.telegraph.co.uk|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=11 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901003711/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/rail-journeys/Chris-Tarrant-on-board-the-worlds-extreme-railways/|archive-date=1 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, Channel 5 aired a new series called ''Chris Tarrant Goes Fishing''. A year later Tarrant began appearing in the ITV daytime game show ''[[Show Me the Telly]]'' as the TV legends team captain.

Since 2014, Tarrant has been a brand ambassador and has appeared in commercials for [[Lottoland]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chris Tarrant |url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0850634/otherworks |access-date=18 January 2023 |website=IMDb}}</ref>

In 2017, Tarrant became a continuity announcer for the TV channel [[Challenge (TV channel)|Challenge]].

On 25 April 2022, Tarrant released his book ''It's Not A Proper Job: Stories from 50 Years in TV.''<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/culture/chris-tarrant-career-terry-wogan-b2414163.html |title=Chris Tarrant recalls conversation with Terry Wogan as he celebrates 50-year career |date=2023-09-19 |language=en |access-date=2024-06-26 |via=www.independent.co.uk}}</ref>

In December 2024, Tarrant announced his retirement after 50 years in television, after the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom|COVID-19 pandemic]] led him to reconsider how he wanted to spend his time as well as claiming he no longer "needs the money".<ref>{{Cite web |last=reporter |first=LeicestershireLive |last2=Rainbird |first2=Ashleigh |date=2024-12-06 |title=Chris Tarrant quits 'silly' TV career after 50 years |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/celebs-tv/chris-tarrant-quits-silly-tv-9772364#:~:text=Chris%20Tarrant,%20the%20former%20host,wanted%20to%20spend%20his%20time. |access-date=2024-12-19 |website=Leicestershire Live |language=en}}</ref>