Craig Charles's Biography

Who is Craig Charles?

At the age of just 12 he won a poetry competition with a poem called I Want to Feel Your Bum.

At 18 he married the actress Cathy Tyson, but they divorced six years later.

He came to widespread public attention playing Dave Lister in the BBC's sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf.

His other notable credits include hosting BBC2's Robot Wars and Channel 4's The Big Breakfast.

In 2005 he was cast as cabbie Lloyd Mullaney on the ITV soap Coronation Street.

Craig Charles spent three months on remand in Wandsworth prison, before being found innocent of raping an ex-girlfriend.

Asked by Metro what lessons 30 years in showbiz had taught him, Craig Charles replied:

"Whatever they are I wish I’d learned them a bit quicker. I guess the most important lesson is don’t believe your own press when things are going well. Don’t read it, just weigh it, and when things are going bad definitely make sure you don’t read it."

In 2009, Craig Charles was interviewed by Decca Aitkenhead of The Guardian on many matters including his history of drug abuse.

In 2014, he became one of the celebrities on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, however he had to leave the jungle early after being informed that his brother had died from a heart attack.

Craig Charles has regularly been a presenter on Channel Five's The Gadget Show.

In 2020, along with the likes of Fleur East, Jodie Kidd, Victoria Pendleton, and Adam Thomas, he was one of the celebrities on ITV's Don't Rock The Boat.

Craig Charles used to host on Radio 2, latterly he has had his show on 6 Music.