Christopher John Tarrant (born 10 October 1946)[1] is a retired English broadcaster, television personality, radio DJ and stand up comedian.

He presented ATV Today, a current affairs programme serving the Midlands area of England, until 1982.

Tarrant rose to prominence after becoming a co-host on Tiswas, the children's television show broadcast on a Saturday morning from 1974 to 1981.

In January 1982, along with Bob Carolgees, John Gorman, Randolph Sutherland and Lenny Henry, Tarrant launched a late-night show, O.T.T.

His father had joined a territorial unit of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in 1936 and was among those evacuated from Dunkirk in the retreat of May 1940.

[5] 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.

It also featured the young Lenny Henry and occasionally Jim Davidson together with Bob Carolgees and his puppet, Spit the Dog.

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.

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.

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.

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.

[citation needed] In 2020, a TV mini-series, Quiz, about Ingram's attempt to win a million pounds on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

[13] 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 ATV and later Central Television.

In 1998, Tarrant released a compilation album entitled Ultimate Party Megamix on PolyGram Television's record label.

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 January 2009, Tarrant began hosting a new ITV show, The Colour of Money, which was cancelled after seven episodes after failing to perform well in the ratings.

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.

[18][19] 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.

[citation needed] On 25 April 2022, Tarrant released his book It's Not A Proper Job: Stories from 50 Years in TV.

[23] In December 2024, Tarrant announced his retirement after 50 years in television, after the COVID-19 pandemic led him to reconsider how he wanted to spend his time as well as claiming he no longer "needs the money".

In a statement in September 2006, Tarrant said: "I am deeply sorry for the hurt I have caused to my loyal wife and wonderful children, all of whom I adore.

In June 2000, Tarrant's River Thames launch boat the Ben Gunn was vandalised and burnt at its mooring in East Molesey.

Whilst Tarrant was preparing for his mother's funeral, he discovered his father's war diary in an open desk.

[30] Upon landing, he was rushed to Charing Cross Hospital where doctors did emergency surgery to remove a blood clot from his right leg.

[37] In 2024, Tarrant promoted the National Lottery's 'People's Portraits' series of Ukrainian refugees at the Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool.

On 13 May 2007, Tarrant was arrested on suspicion of assault at an Indian restaurant and was released on police bail.

The incident took place at the MemSaab Restaurant on Maid Marian Way, Nottingham, where Tarrant, who had been joking with a couple dining at an adjacent table, threw an item of cutlery towards the man.

[38][39] Tarrant admitted to the BBC that he did jokingly "lob" some cutlery onto the couple's table after asking them to leave him alone to discuss work with his colleagues.