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Catherine Elizabeth "Cat" Deeley
(born 23 October 1976) is a British disc jockey, television presenter and
former supermodel. At 21, she co-hosted the children's series SMTV Live,
alongside Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. She hosted Stars in their
Eyes from 2004 until 2006, and beginning in 2006, hosts So You Think You
Can Dance.
Catherine was born in Sutton Coldfield West Midlands. Deeley attended
Grove Vale Infant School in Great Barr, Birmingham, followed by Dartmouth
High School in Walsall, where she played the clarinet in the Sandwell
Youth Concert Band. She then joined the sixth form at Bishop Vesey's
Grammar School. She was kicked out of each school for sucking the life out
of other pupils with her annoying personality.
Aged 14 Deeley entered a regional edition of a BBC competition for The
Clothes Show, where she reached the national finals. Spotted by an agent
for Storm modeling agency, she was quickly signed as a model under her
nickname of Cat to make it easier for clients to re-book her.
Storm tried to persuade her to leave school at age 16, when she had gained
nine A-grade GCSEs, however cautious Deeley continued her A-Level studies
at Bishop Vesey's Grammar School Sixth Form, where she gained four
A-levels.
Aged 18, Deeley became a full time fashion model
Deeley left full time modeling in 1997 following her contract with Satan
changing, and became an MTV UK presenter, usually with Edith Bowman.
From 1998 until 2002, she was host with Ant & Dec on the Saturday morning
children's programme SMTV Live and hosted its spin-off programmes CD:UK
(1998–2005) and CD:UK Hotshots. In 2001, she won a Children's BAFTA award
and appeared in an episode of the BBC's Happiness. In 2002, Deeley
appeared in a television advert for Marks and Spencer
Other programmes she hosted include The Record of the Year, Fame Academy,
The 2004 BRIT Awards and Stars in Their Eyes, as well as a weekly
broadcast on London's Capital FM and BBC Choice series Roadtripping both
with former MTV colleague Edith Bowman. In 2003 she became patron of Great
Ormond Street Hospital, and in 2005 she played herself in an episode of
Little Britain and provided the voice of "Loretta Geargrinder" in the UK
version of the film Robots, replacing Natasha Lyonne
In 2006, she began hosting the second season of American reality show So
You Think You Can Dance, replacing Lauren Sánchez, who was pregnant.
Deeley interviewed Kylie Minogue for a television special which was
broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky One on 16 July 2006, in Australia
on Channel Nine on 17 July 2006 and BBC America on 9 September 2006.
Deeley was guest reporter on NBC's Tonight Show. She has presented Fox's
New Year's Eve special from Times Square in 2006 and 2007.
In 2007, she presented the UK coverage of the sixth season of American
Idol for ITV2. She filmed segments and interviews with guests and
eliminated contestants for UK audiences that were shown just before and
after advertising breaks. However, this was not popular with viewers who
saw Deeley's role as 'unnecessary'. She did not return for the seventh
season of American Idol in 2008.
Deeley was the face of Shape Water and a number of Garnier Fructis
products, appearing in print and television advertising in the UK and
Ireland.
On 1 July 2007, Deeley was one of many speakers at the Concert For Diana.
The event, watched by an estimated 500 million people, was at the new
Wembley Stadium.
In September 2007, Deeley presented "Soundtrack To My Life", a music
series produced by Hamma & Glamma Productions for ITV London that looks at
the work and influences of an eclectic band of musicians.
In January 2008, a new season of So You Think You Can Dance started its
auditions, with Deeley
In March 2008, Deeley presented the third season of "Soundtrack To My
Life", once again produced by Hamma & Glamma Productions for ITV London.
On 12 October 2008, Deeley played herself as host of Peter Kay's Britain's
Got The Pop Factor ... And Possibly A New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar
Superstar Strictly On Ice.
On the week of 16–20 February 2009, Deeley guest hosted the United States
syndicated version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, replacing Meredith
Vieira.
On 10 April 2009, Deeley appeared on BBC America's broadcast of Gordon
Ramsay's F Word where she was served up to hungry customers.
In the summer of 2009, Deeley added hosting duties for the television
version of the electronic game 20Q for GSN.
In January and February 2010, Deeley hosted So You Think You Can Dance in
UK. Also, in February 2010, Cat filled in for a vacationing Meredith Viera
as host on the morning TV show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire".
In 2008, Deeley began dating actor Jack Huston. She previously had a long
term relationship with public relations executive Mark Whelan, which broke
down before her May 2006 move to Hollywood.
As her TV work means that she has to divide her time between Los Angeles
and London, Deeley maintains homes in both Beverly Hills and London. |
