Justin Lee Collins (born 28 July 1974) is a former actor and radio and television presenter from Bristol, England.[2]
Collins began his career as a comedian in the 1990s when he was in his late teens.
He then presented a number of UK TV shows. From 2003 to 2005 he hosted his own radio show on XFM. He was one of the duo presenting The Sunday Night Project (previously named The Friday Night Project), appearing alongside Alan Carr for Channel 4. He also hosted numerous specials on Channel 4 entitled 'Bring Back...', reuniting the cast and crew from shows and films such as Dallas, Star Wars, The A-Team and Fame. He then took on challenges to become a Mexican wrestler, a surfer, a ballroom dancer, a ten-pin bowler, a high diver and a West End star.
In 2012 he was convicted of harassing ex-girlfriend, Anna Larke.[4] Subsequently losing several television contracts, leading to a career hiatus.
In 2014 Collins tried to return to UK screens, starring in the comedy horror feature film The Hatching alongside Thomas Turgoose and Andrew Potts. In 2015 he played a small role in the time-travel comedy Time Slips while hosting an independent radio show on Fubar Radio until 2016,[5] then presenting short lived Football themed magazine show, FanTV UK.[6]
Collins has since been inactive. In 2022 JLC started a change.org, to get back onto the telly. It was signed by Lionel Blair and Alan Carr. [7]
Early life
Collins was born on 28 July 1974 in Southmead, Bristol, to Anita and Danny Collins. His father was a self-employed electrician.[8][9] Collins is an only child. In 1990, he left education at Speedwell Secondary School aged 15 with no qualifications and started working at Marks & Spencer as a warehouseman.[9][10]
Career
Comedy and theatre
Collins began his career in entertainment as a stand-up comic whilst still working part-time as a double-glazing window demonstrator. He won the Best New Comedy Act award at the Glastonbury Festival in 1997 and reached the finals of the BBC New Comedy Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival the same year.[11] Collins gave up stand-up comedy in 2002 to concentrate on TV and radio presenting, stating he intended to never return to the profession.[10]
In 2007 and 2010, Collins won the category Funniest Man at Loaded's Lafta awards.[12]
In 2008 Collins appeared as Amos Hart in the hit show Chicago, for which he rehearsed at the Cambridge Theatre. Collins said of the role, "I'm over the moon to be playing the sexiest part in the best show on the West End stage. I've already gone through a dozen pairs of tights."[13]
From August 2011 to September 2012 Collins played Dennis Dupree in the West End production of Rock of Ages.
In 2013, Collins made a one-night-only return to stand-up comedy when he participated in "What’s the Fuss?", an event organised by Helen Lederer.[14]
Radio
Collins began hosting a radio show on XFM in 2003, initially on Sundays at 1 to 3 am, later progressing to Saturday afternoons from 3 to 6 pm. He left in December 2005 and returned to host the Saturday 2 to 6 pm slot during April 2011. On 17 September that year, Collins sat in for Dermot O'Leary's Saturday show on BBC Radio 2. Collins was heard performing a Tom Jones impersonation on BBC Radio 1's Chris Moyles show in January 2008.[15]
In 2014, Collins returned to radio with his own weekly show on Fubar Radio, an uncensored station featuring Andy Parsons and Mark Dolan. The show is also available via iTunes in podcast form.
He fronted a series for Channel 4 entitled The Convention-Crasher, aired in late 2007 and early 2008, in which he learned skills such as clowning and ventriloquism in an attempt to win prizes at professional conventions.
In June 2008, a show was aired on Sky One entitled Justin Lee Collins: 180, which followed his quest to be a professional darts player. In the show, he practised with Keith Deller and played in the BDO International Open on 15 June 2008. He lost in the first round 3–0 in legs to county player Stuart Bousfield, who was in the top 100 in the BDO rankings at the time.[17]
He signed a £3 million deal with ITV for a show which focused on topical issues, but with a comedic twist, titled The Justin Lee Collins Show on ITV2 which ran from March to May 2009.[18] That year he became the host of the Sky 1 show Oops tv, which shows home videos of people doing stupid things and things going badly wrong. That August he appeared on JLC Is, a six-part series on Sky 1 HD depicting the comedian taking on challenges to become a Mexican wrestler, a surfer, a ballroom dancer, a ten-pin bowler, a high diver and a West End star.[19] The following month on 11 September, whilst being interviewed on BBC Radio 1's Chris Moyles Show it was announced Collins had signed an exclusive deal with Channel 5, and he confirmed he would therefore not be making another series of The Justin Lee Collins Show for ITV2. On joining Five he hosted the game show Heads Or Tails, where players could win up to £1m by correctly calling coin flips, and a chat show called Good Times which was cancelled due to poor viewing figures.[20]
In Justin Lee Collins: The Wrestler, Collins trains for 10 days in Mexico with a Mexican Luchador (Mexican wrestler) who fights under the name Cassandro, as an exotico. Justin adopts a rudo (bad guy) Luchador persona, El Glorioso, or the Glorious Lee One, with his own wrestling mask. His persona is given the blessing of El Hijo del Santo (The Son of Saint). Returning to London, Justin fights Cassan Dro in a Lucha libre event in the Roundhouse, ultimately losing and being unmasked.[21]
In 2014, Collins was cast in British feature film The Hatching as Stan. It was directed by Michael Anderson. Collins stars alongside Andrew Potts and Thomas Turgoose. The following year he had a bit part in time-travel comedy Time Slips, directed by Stephen Hyams.
In August 2016 Collins made a return to TV, four years after his conviction, becoming a regular presenter on FanTV. The show attracted a small audience and was cancelled a few months later.[22]
Music
After failing to be chosen to represent the United Kingdom in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, on 22 January 2010 Collins announced on RTÉ's The Late Late Show his intention to seek the nomination to represent Ireland. His proposed song was written by Boyzone star Ronan Keating.[23] RTÉ confirmed on 9 February 2010 the song had not been shortlisted for the Irish final.[24]
In 2007, Collins signed a three-album deal with Universal. Because of other commitments the first album (titled Another Side) was never released and subsequently the deal was called off. Collins stated in an interview with Reveal magazine (2012) that he would like to resume his efforts to release music in the future.[25][26]
Writing
In September 2009 Collins' autobiography Good Times! was published by Ebury Press. An audiobook followed.
Personal life
Marriage and children
In 2003, Collins married Karen Lee.[27][28] She gave birth to their first child, a boy, in May 2005.[29] In January 2008, Collins announced his wife had recently given birth to their second son.[30] Collins separated from his wife in late 2010.[1]
Harassment conviction
In November 2010, Collins began a relationship with Anna Larke.[31] After their break-up, Collins was charged with harassment of Larke under Section 4 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (harassment causing fear of violence),[32] and was subsequently tried at St Albans Crown Court, where he was sentenced to 140 hours of community service and to pay £3,500 prosecution costs.[33][34]
Following the trial he sought help from a psychotherapist.[14]
Libel Lawsuit
In 2017, Collins successfully sued British tabloid The Sun for £50,000 when they falsely reported his dismissal from FUBAR Radio. The tabloid claimed Collins was sacked for sexism. The claim was proven false in a court of law and the paper were forced to issue a print apology. The statement read:
"We wish to make clear that JLC did not behave in this way and has not been sacked from Fubar. We apologise to JLC and have agreed to pay him damages.".[35]
.jpg)
