Melanie Sykes is a British television and radio presenter and a former model. She was born near Manchester in England on August 7, 1970. She is best known for co-hosting ‘Let’s Do Lunch’ with Gino D’Acampo and ‘Today with Des and Mel’ alongside Des O’Connor. She was also the co-presenter of ‘The Big Breakfast’ with Denise Van Outen between 1997 and 2001, and a regular panelist on the afternoon talk show ‘Loose Women’ between 2005 and 2013. Other series she has presented include ‘Celebrities Under Pressure’, ‘The Vault’, ‘The Paul O’Grady Show’, and ‘Gene Detectives’. Despite being a well-known celebrity of British television, there are many things that people do not know about this presenter. Here are 10 interesting facts that you probably didn’t know about Melanie Sykes.
1. She Got Her Television Break in Commercials
Melanie Sykes had already worked as a model when she was offered the role of the face of Boddington’s Bitter in the mid-90s. In these adverts, she appeared as a sexy and sultry woman looking provocative before producing a pint of Boddington’s and speaking in a broad Manchester accent. This gave her the break she needed to get into television. She has since appeared in many other television commercials for brands including Matalan, BrightHouse, Morrisons, Churchill Insurance Services, Head & Shoulders, and Take-a-Break magazine.
2. She Has Two Sons
Melanie Sykes married actor Daniel Caltagirone in January 2001. The couple’s first son, Roman, was born the following year. Their second son, Valentino Luca, was born in 2004. Valentino was diagnosed with autism in 2006 when he was two years of age. This led to Sykes becoming involved with several autism organizations and becoming an advocate of autism awareness. Sykes and Caltagirone divorced in 2009. She went on to marry for a second time, and her wedding to Jack Cockings took place in 2013. In the same year, Sykes was arrested and charged with assaulting her husband. Sykes filed for divorce less than one year into her second marriage.
3. She Was Almost a Bond Girl
According to IMDB, Melanie Sykes was offered a role in the Bond film ‘Die Another Day’. However, she decided not to take up the offer and missed her chance to become a Bond Girl. Her only other film credit is playing Eve in the 2000 short film ‘Justified Technophobe’.
4. She Dated Matt Goss
There has been lots of media interest in Melanie Sykes’ relationships over the years, especially because she has been divorced twice. However, she was in a high-profile relationship even before her first marriage. During the 1990s, she was involved in a romantic relationship with singer and songwriter Matt Goss from Bros. for five years. She is once again dating a celebrity as it is rumored that she is now dating Steve Coogan.
5. Her Net Worth is $5 Million
It is estimated that Melanie Sykes has a personal net worth of $5 million, says Celebrity Net Worth. She has accrued this wealth through working as a model, appearing in commercials, and presenting for both radio and television.
6. Melanie Sykes Has Set a world Record
Good Housekeeping reports that Melanie Sykes once set a world record. Along with co-host Gino D’Acampo, the pair set a Guinness World Record for the most jumpers put on in one minute. The pair put on 11 jumpers during an episode of ‘Let’s Do Christmas with Gino & Mel’ which was aired in December 2013.
7. She Enjoys Keeping Fit
Melanie Sykes likes to keep in shape, and she exercises regularly. She enjoys daily workouts and likes to play sports. Her favorite sport is tennis, and she takes lessons to improve her game. She regularly posts pictures of herself on social media that show her working out or playing tennis.
8. She Took Part in ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’
Melanie Sykes was one of the contestants on season 14 of the ITV celebrity reality competition series ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!’. This was aired on British television between November 16, 2014, and December 7, 2014. Sykes was one of 12 contestants who took part that year, and she finished in the third position. The runner-up was X-Factor contestant Jake Quickenden, while the winner was superbike racer Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty. During her time in the Australian jungle, Melanie Sykes took part in five of the Bushtucker trials, including some of the dreaded eating challenges, and won multiple stars for the team. Despite her success in the show, she is mostly remembered for the scenes of her showering in a bikini.
9. She is the Voice of Blind Date
Many people do not realize that it is the voice of Melanie Sykes that they are listening to during the voiceover sections of ‘Blind Date’. This is a television dating series that is currently aired on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom. In the past, the show was presented by Cilla Black and the series was shown on ITV. Now, Paul O’Grady is at the helm of the series since its comeback in 2017. The show features someone looking for a date who has three potential dates hidden behind a screen. They ask the three contestants three questions. Their answers are then summarized by the voice of Melanie Sykes before a decision is made about who will go on a date.
10. She Can Play the Baritone Horn
Melanie Sykes is a woman of many talents, and one of these is that she can play the baritone horn. When she was growing up in Ashton-Under-Lyne, she was a member of the Ashtonian Brass Band. This was an activity that all the family enjoyed as her mum, dad, and two sisters, Samantha and Stacy, were also members of the band.Bond Girl
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