Jeremy Beadle - Early Life

Early Life

Beadle was born in Hackney, East London, on 12 April 1948. His father, a Fleet Street sports reporter, abandoned Jeremy's mother, Marji (9 July 1921 – July 2002), when he learned that she was pregnant. Before Jeremy reached the age of two he was frequently hospitalised and had undergone surgery for Poland syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that stunted growth in his right hand.

His mother worked as a secretary to help pay to raise him, including a stint for the boxing promoter Jack Solomon. Beadle did not enjoy school and was frequently in trouble. He was eventually expelled from his secondary school, Orpington County Secondary Boys' School. A teacher remarked, "Beadle, you waffle like a champion but know nothing."

After his expulsion, he travelled and worked in Europe. He had a number of jobs, at one point taking photographs of topless models, and worked as a skin-diving instructor, lavatory attendant and tour guide. He often said that he gave the best London tour because he realised that what people wanted was stories of blood, sex and death.

Beadle was chosen in 1970 by Tony Elliott, the founder of Time Out, to set up a Manchester edition of the magazine, a venture that was short-lived, though he subsequently maintained a connection with the publication in London. In 1972, North West Arts Association asked him to organise the Bickershaw Festival, and he worked on further musical events over the next couple of years. In 1973, as an early member of the Campaign for Real Ale, he was elected to their National Executive and secured the campaign's first television or radio coverage in a one-hour programme on BBC Radio London, which he hosted. It was during this period that his talent for practical jokes became evident, although occasionally this rebounded on him, such as when colleagues left him naked in front of 400 women arriving for their shift. He then started writing for radio and television, going on to provide material for stars such as Terry Wogan, Michael Aspel, Noel Edmonds and Kenny Everett.