Myleene Klass Biography

British musician, television presenter

Myleene Angela Kl* (born 6 April 1978) is a British musician, singer, television presenter and model. She was a member of the pop group Hear'Say, and later released two solo cl*ical crossover albums in 2003 and 2007. More recently, Kl* has been a television and radio presenter. She has hosted television series including Popstar to Operastar (2010–2011) and BBQ Champ (2015) on ITV and The One Show (2007) on BBC One. She was a regular panellist on the ITV lunchtime chat show Loose Women in 2014 and again from 2024 onwards. In 2006, Kl* was runner-up on the sixth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, and returned in 2023 for the "all-stars" series I'm a Celebrity... South Africa, which she won.

Early life

Kl* was born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, to an Austrian father and a Filipino mother. She attended Notre Dame High School, Norwich, but transferred to the closer Cliff Park Ormiston Academy in the Gorleston-on-Sea area of Great Yarmouth, to complete her secondary education. Kl* learned to play violin and piano as a child, and at the age of 15 she went to weekend studies at the Junior Department of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she studied voice and harp. She gained A grades at A-Level, including music. She subsequently took a course at the Royal Academy of Music, University of London.

After graduating, Kl* spent a short period as part of a reality show for Bravo, called The Dolls' House. She sang backing vocals for Sir Cliff Richard, with whom she had previously worked at age 10 when she sang in a choir featured in his 1988 single "Mistletoe and Wine", which was that year's Christmas number one on the UK Singles Chart, and made her West End theatre debut in Miss Saigon.

Music career

Early television work came in 1998, when Kl* sang soprano for the music of the Channel 4 film Alice through the Looking Gl*.

Hear'Say

Main article: Hear'Say

In 2001, Kl* auditioned for the ITV reality show Popstars, which offered contestants an opportunity to become part of a newly formed pop band. Kl* was chosen as one of the ten finalists and became a member of Hear'Say, with Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw, Danny Foster and Noel Sullivan. Following the success of their first album, the band was given its own TV show en*led Hear'Say It's Saturday. During the show's run, the band had a chance to perform with such established artists as Lionel Richie, Celine Dion, Bradley Walsh, Blue and Atomic Kitten. At the end of 2001, Hear'Say appeared on the Royal Variety Performance.

Subsequently, the group achieved a 37-date sold-out arena tour and performed numerous television guest appearances. Kl* made many appearances with Hear'Say on TV and in live performances during 2002. The pop act's many promotional appearances during the year were also broadcast as part of their own TV shows, en*led Hear'Say: A New Chapter in Full and The Hear'Say Story. In total, Hear'Say had four Top 10 singles including two number-ones in the British charts, before splitting up after a reported long-term feud between Kl* and Marsh. The feud resulted in Marsh leaving the band in December 2001, to be replaced by Johnny Shentall in 2002. The band split up in October of that year.

Solo artist

On 13 May 2003, Kl* signed a five-album deal with Cl*ics and Jazz. Promotion started with the release of the main promotional single "Toccata and Fugue" to TV channels. She also appeared in the video for "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" with The Girls of FHM, which went to No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart.

Kl*'s album, Moving On, was launched on 20 October 2003 at Harrods, London. The album included reworked versions of popular cl*ical pieces such as Fauré's Pavane, Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata and Satie's Gymnopedie No.2. Moving On also included music from the Oscar-winning films Gladiator and The Piano. New arrangements for piano of more contemporary works were also included on the album, namely Linkin Park's "Crawling" and Daniel Bedingfield's "If You're Not the One". In its first week of release. Moving On peaked at No. 2 in the UK Cl*ical Chart, behind Hayley Westenra. It peaked at No. 32 in the UK Albums Chart. By mid-December 2003, the album had been certified gold. In April 2004, Moving On was nominated as "Album of the Year" at the Cl*ical BRIT Awards, but lost to Bryn Terfel's platinum-selling record Bryn.

Myleene Kl* at the BAFTA awards during 2007

Kl* confirmed there would be a re-release of the album with five new tracks, but its release was pushed back. Ultimately, the release was cancelled, the only remnant being the Asian release of Moving On, which includes three new tracks: "Trouble" (a Coldplay cover version with Kl*'s vocals), "Sahara" and "Le Onde".

On 28 March 2007, Kl* signed a record contract with EMI Cl*ics as both a recording artist and an amb*ador for the EMI Cl*ics UK roster of artists. These include Alfie Boe, Natasha Marsh and Natalie Clein. The deal included the release of a series of albums on which Kl* performed two exclusive tracks and chose a number of her favourite cl*ical pieces from the EMI Cl*ics back catalogue.

Kl*'s second album in the EMI series, Myleene's Music for Mothers, was released on 18 February 2008, and has two tracks played by Kl*. These two tracks are the popular "America" from West Side Story, written by Leonard Bernstein, and Ennio Morricone's "Chi Mai", known best as the theme to the 1981 BBC TV drama serial The Life and Times of Lloyd George. In March 2013, she helped to celebrate Andrew Lloyd Webber's 40-year work with her rendition of "Shakalaka- Baby" from the musical Bombay Dreams.

Television career

Presenting

In August 2005, Kl* was signed as a presenter for the ITV music show CD:UK with Lauren Laverne and Johny P, with her first appearance shown on 17 September 2005. In 2005, Kl* appeared as a guest panellist on the topical discussion show The Wright Stuff on a number of occasions. At Christmas 2005, Kl* appeared on a celebrity version of the BBC's quiz show Mastermind.

On 6 August 2006, Kl* was a guest reporter on BBC One's Sunday morning religion and ethics show, Heaven & Earth, with Gloria Hunniford. Kl*'s report, billed as the feature of the week, was on the Pope's astronomer. From 10 October 2006, Kl* co-presented Living's Ghost Towns with the medium and ex-Most Haunted star Derek Acorah. In May 2007, Kl* appeared on Sky HD's Test Card.

From July to August 2007, Kl* co-presented the daily BBC One programme The One Show with Adrian Chiles, before leaving to concentrate on looking after her baby. On 31 December 2007, Kl* presented the BBC One programme, New Year Live, for the countdown to the year 2008 at midnight.

Kl* was announced as the new presenter of the Channel 4 series 10 Years Younger, on November 5, 2008, and first hosted on February 5 of the following year. The programme was broadcast every Thursday evening, from 9.00:pm to 10.00:pm. Kl* replaced Nicky Hambleton-Jones as presenter. She also co-hosted the American version of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here! in 2009 on NBC.

On 31 July 2015, Kl* began presenting the new ITV series BBQ Champ.

Reality television

Kl* took part in the sixth series of ITV's reality television series I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, which began on 13 November 2006 and ended on 1 December 2006. She finished in second place, behind Matt Willis. Kl*'s brother Don, noticing his sister's popularity with the male audience, suggested she auction off her bikinis from the show on eBay. Within a week of leaving the jungle, Kl* took his advice and put her white bikini from the show on auction on eBay until 7 December 2006. Kl* pledged that all the money raised from the auction would go to charity to help victims of the Farepak savings scandal. The auction raised £7,500.

Kl*'s newly found sex symbol status was cemented further after Playboy offered her a six-figure deal to pose nude for the magazine. The offer was sent to Kl*'s agent while she was still on the show, with many offers from other magazines, chat shows and TV work. The demand for Kl* increased so much that it is estimated she received offers amounting to several million pounds.

Returning to the UK, Kl* did several TV and press interviews about her time on the show. Commenting on her famous showers, she said she never expected it to be such a focus of attention and that the reason for her frequent cold showers was to help cope with her sexual frustration, saying, "Forget snakes and spiders – going without sex was the hardest thing." She revealed that so great was her frustration and sexual urges after nearly three weeks without sex, that on her release from the jungle, she spent the first hours having unprotected sex with her boyfriend which resulted in her pregnancy with her first child. She also tried to end the widespread debate about whether or not her breasts are real, saying, "They're absolutely real and natural, I can *ure you." About her new offers, she said she had been approached by several companies about doing bikini ranges with them.

After only one week on I'm a Celebrity..., Kl* became the most searched for celebrity from the show on the Internet search engine MSN/Live Search and the third most searched for celebrity in the UK.

On 20 September 2020, it was announced that Kl* would be a contestant on the thirteenth series of Dancing on Ice. She was paired with Łukasz Różycki. She became the first celebrity to be eliminated following a skate-off against Lady Leshurr and Brendyn Hatfield.

On 26 March 2023, it was announced that she would appear in I'm a Celebrity... South Africa. During the final episode aired on 12 May, Kl* beat runner-up Jordan Banjo and was crowned the first "I'm a Celebrity Legend".

On 13 October 2023, Kl* appeared as a guest panellist on the ITV talk show Loose Women before returning once again as a regular panellist from 19 January 2024.

Political intervention

In November 2014, Kl* caused controversy by engaging in a heated debate with then-leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, on the ITV show The Agenda. Discussing his proposals for a so-called mansion tax on larger homes, Kl* expressed the view that this would hit "little grannies". In the course of discussion, she pointed to a gl* of water, saying, "You can't just point at things and tax them." The row later featured in an attack on Miliband by the prime minister, David Cameron, at Prime Minister's Questions.

Radio

In February 2006, Kl* began presenting the Sunday Breakfast programme on Cl*ic FM, taking over from Aled Jones (who returned to this slot in 2016). She worked for several years on the station's early morning show on Saturdays and Sundays and since 2006 presents the Saturday and Sunday evening Smooth Cl*ics programme (10:pm:– 1:am). While working on the weekend morning show for Cl*ic FM, she was also heard on London's Capital Radio on Sunday evenings from 8 to 10 pm. This show was also broadcast on GCap Media's One Network local commercial radio stations around the UK.

On 27 May 2008, Kl* presented the BBC Radio 2 show Friday Night is Music Night in front of a live audience at the Watford Colosseum in Watford, Hertfordshire. The recording of this show was broadcast on 18 July 2008. Kl* presented various shows on TalkRADIO, filling in for James Whale and Jon Gaunt.

Kl* began presenting a Saturday drive-time show on Smooth Radio in 2014. Kl* presented the weekday 10:am – 1:pm show covering for Kate Garraway while she was looking after her husband who had Coronavirus. Garraway returned to the mid-morning show on 14 September and Kl* returned to her usual Saturday drive-time show.

Modelling

She appeared in a shoot for Maxim magazine in February 2006. Kl* was chosen as the new face of Ortak Jewellery. In January 2007, it was announced that Kl* had signed a multimillion-pound deal with Marks & Spencer to model clothes and swimwear for the new season. From 2012, Kl* modelled for the catalogue store Littlewoods.

Miscellaneous work

In early 2006, Kl* was cast as one of the three women starring in the long-running play The * Monologues and performed in Bromley, Richmond and Brighton. Her run was then extended to include all dates in Nottingham. Olympic champions joined Kl* on 13 December 2006 to launch Lucky Dog, a new London 2012 National Lottery scratchcard. In 2008, Kl* began designing a range of baby clothes for Mothercare called Baby K. Kl* also writes a regular blog for the pregnancy and parenting website Gurgle, which is owned by Mothercare. Kl* is the official godmother of the cruise ship Carnival Splendor. Kl* is an EDF Energy / Team Green Britain Amb*ador and took part in the launch of the EDF London Eye on 27 January 2011. In 2011, Kl* began working with the children's shoe brand Start-rite, helping the company to design and promote a range of fitted footwear.

Personal life

Kl* has been an amateur astronomer for most of her life, having been taught the basics by her father. She was one of a handful of celebrities, engineers and scientists who were at the UK National Space Centre control centre for the touchdown of the UK Mars probe Beagle 2 in the early morning of Christmas Day 2003. Since then, she has been a keen supporter of the UK's work in the European space programme. In March 2006, Kl* publicly criticised the proposed closure of the London Planetarium and explained on television how to view Venus in the early morning. She also appeared on Channel 4's Richard & Judy to discuss the book Moondust, which follows the lives of the first men on the moon, and in 2007 attended the televised party on BBC One, held at the home of Patrick Moore in Selsey to mark the 50th anniversary of Moore's monthly programme, The Sky at Night. Kl* once studied astronomy with the Open University.

In December 2005, Kl* was attacked by a group of teenagers in a newsagent in Bermondsey. She had a bag of chips dropped on her head and was pushed to the ground. The teenagers attempted to take photos of Kl* on their mobile phones.

In May 2006, Kl* was involved in a go-karting crash at a charity race in Cardiff, South Wales, sustaining an injury to her leg.

On 1 April 2007, she announced she was expecting her first child on 7 September. As a result, she delayed her wedding to Graham Quinn until 2008. Their daughter Ava was born on 16 August 2007. Kl*'s spokesman said, "Myleene presented The One Show and felt a bit weird on the way home. She went to the hospital to get checked out and they told her she was in labour." Kl* published a book about her experiences of being pregnant, en*led My Bump and Me: From Morning Sickness to Motherhood – An Honest Diary of My Pregnancy. She gave birth to a second daughter on 25 March 2011, called Hero.

In May 2009, Kl* had an ac*ulated wealth of £7.5 million.

In January 2010, Kl* claimed she received a warning from Hertfordshire Police for brandishing a kitchen knife (through a window) at a group of teenagers who entered her garden while she and her daughter were alone in the house. She said that she was "utterly terrified" and "aghast" at the response by the police. Hertfordshire Police denied making any such warning and stated that the law allows householders the proportionate use of force to protect themselves. It has subsequently been reported that it was Kl*'s agent or publicist who notified the police of the incident and who then p*ed on the story to The Sun.

On 21 October 2011, Kl* and Quinn married, with 16 people in attendance. On 23 April 2013, she was granted a divorce from Quinn.

On 1 August 2019, she gave birth to her third child, a boy named Apollo. This was Kl*'s first child with her partner Simon Motson, who also has two children from a previous relationship. On 13 September 2020, Kl* announced that she had become engaged to Motson.

Charity work

As part of World Vision's 24-hour famine appeal, Kl* visited Sierra Leone to see how World Vision was working to help villagers build up their lives. She has also been the face of various charity campaigns such as stop text bully and ChildLine, and helped aid the Niger famine appeal by manning the telephone lines.

At the Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist, Norwich on 24 June 2005, Kl* performed a selection of tracks from her Moving On album, as well as accompanying some local schoolchildren in a concert of cl*ical standards. The cathedral summer concert was organised to raise funds for an extension of the church building. Part of this performance was recorded by MTV, which was following Kl* at the time for a show called The Price of Fame. The programme was later broadcast by VH1 and also by ITV, where it was only shown in the London region. The recording by the music channel was acknowledged by Kl* during the evening.

On 15 July 2006, as part of BBC One's Sport Relief charity spectacular, Kl* appeared as a special guest in the Question of Sport Relief segment. Kl*'s appearance involved her playing a variety of TV sport theme tunes on a grand piano. This part of the fundraiser was based on the BBC's popular A Question of Sport quiz show and was hosted by Sue Barker. Guest panellists on the show included Nancy Dell'Olio and Zara Phillips, who played alongside the regular team captains Ally McCoist and Matt Dawson.

During December 2006, Kl* also appeared on The Big Finish with Graham Norton, in which she competed alongside Bill Oddie and Big Brother star Nikki Grahame for the "Showbiz" team (against "Soap", "Sport", "News" and "Judges" teams) to compete to win £10,000 for the winning team's chosen charities. The Showbiz team, represented by Graham in the final round, was beaten by the Soap team represented by the former EastEnders actress Wendy Richard. In November 2007, Kl* guest-presented BBC Children in Need and performed Your Song with John Barrowman. She also collaborates with Norwood, a Jewish charity for children.

In July 2022, Kl* received an honorary degree from the University of East Anglia.

In 2023, she backed changes to the Women's Health Strategy for women who have experienced miscarriage with MP Olivia Blake.

Kl* is an amb*ador for the National Foundation for Youth Music, a children's music charity.

Filmography

Television

Guest appearances

• Never Mind the Buzz*s (2001, 2003, 2005, 2007)
• Shooting Stars (2002)
• Would I Lie to You? (2007)
• Hider in the House (2007)
• Al Murray's Happy Hour (2007)
• The Apprentice (2008)
• Celebrity Juice (2011, 2013, 2016)
• Born to Shine (2011)
• Countdown (2014, 2021)
• Draw It! (2014)
• Through the Keyhole (2014, 2017)
• The TV That Made Me (2016)
• The Keith & Paddy Picture Show (2017)
• Michael McIntyre's The Wheel (2021)
• Sunday Brunch (2023)

Discography

See also: Hear'Say §:Discography

Studio albums

Solo promotional singles

• "Toccata and Fugue" (2003)
• "Nothing To Lose" (2021), in collaboration with Veronica Green,

Books

• My Bump and Me (Virgin Books, 2008) ISBN:9781905264247
• Things to Make and Do With Your Children (Orion, 2013) ISBN:9781409144212
• They Don't Teach This at School (HQ, 2023) ISBN:9780008467913

See also

• List of Dancing on Ice contestants
• List of:I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!:(British TV series) contestants

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Myleene Kl*.

• Official website
• Myleene Kl* at IMDb
• Calm Cl*ics on Cl*ic FM

Winners' singles

• "Pure and Simple"
• "Sound of the Underground"
• "Sacred Trust" / "After You're Gone"

Other alumni

• Liberty X
• The Cheeky Girls
• Darius Danesh
• Warren Stacey
• Phixx
• Clea
• Javine Hylton

Related articles

• Popstars
• Discography