Jason Manford
Jason John Manford (born 26 May 1981) is an English comedian, television presenter, and actor.
Manford is best known for his roles on comedy panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats on Channel 4 and Odd One In for ITV. His presenting credits have included Comedy Rocks, The One Show, Show Me the Funny and A Question of Sport: Super Saturday.
Early life
Manford was born in Salford, Greater Manchester. His mother, Sharon (née Ryan), a native of Dublin, is of Irish Catholic extraction. His father, Ian Manford, is a courtroom stenographer. Jason and his ten siblings grew up in a terraced house in what is known as the "Triangle of Death" area of Manchester notorious for its gang activity and high crime rate.
When Manford was seventeen, he got a job as a glass collector at a local pub. While working there, Manford became interested in comedy after watching the likes of Peter Kay, Eddie Izzard and Johnny Vegas perform at the local comedy club. Kay recommended him to do the Higher National Diploma in media and performance at the University of Salford. Despite not having the required A Level grades, he was accepted into the programme and eventually upgraded to a full degree. Manford's brother, Colin, a University of Salford graduate, followed him into performing. Jonathan Brown,
Manford's brother, Colin, has also become a stand-up comedian, and is based in Manchester.