{{short description|English actor and singer}} {{BLP sources|date=January 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}} {{Use British English|date=May 2014}} {{Infobox person | name = Jonathan Wilkes | image = Jon Wilkes WWRY partisinde.JPG | imagesize = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|8|1|df=y}} | birth_place = Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England | occupation = <!--Do not put friend of Robbie Williams here--> Entertainer, singer, presenter | height = | spouse = {{marriage|Nikki Wheeler|2004}} | children = 2 | networth = | website = }} '''Jonathan Wilkes''' (born 1 August 1978)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jonathanwilkes.com/biography.php |title=Home - James Grant |publisher=Jonathanwilkes.com |access-date=2012-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507021615/http://www.jonathanwilkes.com/biography.php |archive-date=7 May 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> is an English television presenter and singer.
== Early life and career == Jonathan Wilkes was born in Baddeley Green, Stoke-on-Trent, to Eileen Wilkes and Graham Wilkes, and spent most of his childhood in Packmoor, an outlying village of Chell. He resided near the home of Robbie Williams, with whom he is best friends.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.staffordshirelife.co.uk/Jonny-Wilkes-t-help-Robbie-Williams-best-mate/story-20349251-detail/story.html|title=Jonny Wilkes: I can't help it if Robbie Williams is my best mate|date=2013-12-20|website=Staff Life|access-date=2016-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222164016/http://www.staffordshirelife.co.uk/Jonny-Wilkes-t-help-Robbie-Williams-best-mate/story-20349251-detail/story.html|archive-date=22 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> He has one older sister called Kay. He signed for Port Vale FC, aged seven, and played for Everton FC as a teenager. He said that he was dropped from the team due to his "unwillingness to eat, sleep and breathe football".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.staffordshirelife.co.uk/jonny-wilkes-t-help-robbie-williams-best-mate/story-20349251-detail/story.html|title=Jonny Wilkes: I can't help it if Robbie Williams is my best mate|date=2013-12-20|website=Staff Life|access-date=2016-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222164016/http://www.staffordshirelife.co.uk/Jonny-Wilkes-t-help-Robbie-Williams-best-mate/story-20349251-detail/story.html|archive-date=22 February 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
His first stage role was in a Stoke Amateur Operatic Society production of Hans Christian Andersen.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=https://wilkesacademy.co.uk/jonathan-wilkes/ |title=Jonathan Wilkes |publisher=Wilkes Academy}}</ref>
In 1996, he won the Cameron Mackintosh Young Entertainer of the Year Award. From this, he went on to work in Blackpool under the name 'Jonathan and the Space Girls', until being spotted by Kevin Bishop of the BBC, who employed him as a presenter for the precursor channel to BBC3.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://martintideswell.com/2012/09/22/why-our-jonny-changed-goals-to-become-a-stage-star/|title=Why our Jonny changed goals to become a stage star|date=2012-09-22|website=martintideswell.com|access-date=2016-06-17}}</ref> He has since gone on to work in West End Musicals, and has presented ''You've Been Framed!.''
After signing a record deal with Virgin, Wilkes had a brief spell as a pop-music singer, his single "Just Another Day" reached No. 24 in the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 603}}</ref> The single hit the Top 5 in 18 countries worldwide.<ref name="auto"/> During his brief singing career, he performed with his friend Robbie Williams at the Royal Albert Hall and sang "Me And My Shadow" together which received positive reviews. However, Wilkes later opted to stop making music in order to move back into TV and stage work, the latter being his biggest passion, of which he often works with Robbie Williams.<ref name="auto1"/>
Since 2005 Wilkes has been a regular performer in pantomimes at the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent.<ref name="auto1"/>
== Soccer Aid == Wilkes participates and assists in the organisation of Soccer Aid, an event he has been involved in since 2006, in collaboration with co-founder and friend Robbie Williams.
To date, the event has raised over £100 million for UNICEF.
Wilkes’ last appearance on the pitch on match day came in 2017 owing to a recurring hamstring injury, but is still heavily involved in the organisation and promotion of the event.
{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
==Personal life== Wilkes attended City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College.<ref name="auto1"/> He is a boyhood fan of Port Vale.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2020/10/port-vales-most-famous-supporters/ |title=Port Vale's most famous supporters |date=11 October 2020 |publisher=OneValeFan Academy}}</ref>
While working for the BBC, he lived in London.<ref name="auto1"/> Also while at the BBC, he met his wife Nikki. The couple live in Royal Wootton Bassett.<ref name="auto1"/>
In September 2013, Wilkes opened his own full-time performing arts college called Wilkes Academy.<ref name="auto"/> The patrons of the academy include Ant and Dec, and Arlene Phillips.<ref name="auto1"/> The college is based in Swindon.
==Discography== ===Single=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! style="width:25px;" rowspan="2"|Year ! style="width:200px;" rowspan="2"|Title !colspan="2"|Chart positions |- ! style="width:40px;"| <small>UK</small> |- ||2001 |align="left"|"Just Another Day" | style="text-align:center;"|24<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/10316/jonathan-wilkes/ |title=Jonathan Wilkes |publisher=Official Charts}}</ref> |- |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb name|1087361|Jonathan Wilkes}}
{{s-start}} {{succession box| | before= Lisa Riley | title=Host of ''You've Been Framed!'' | years=2003–2004 | after= Harry Hill }} {{s-end}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkes, Jonathan}} Category:English male musical theatre actors Category:English male singers Category:English male stage actors Category:English television presenters Category:People from Baddeley Green Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football players not categorized by position Category:Male actors from Stoke-on-Trent Category:Mass media people from Staffordshire Category:Musicians from Stoke-on-Trent