Cat Deeley

Compassionate_Conservative · August 17, 2006

Catherine Elizabeth "Cat" Deeley (born 23 October 1976), is a British television host and former fashion model born in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England.

Deeley attended Bishop Vesey's Grammar School's Sixth Form College. After achieving nine A grade GCSEs and four A-levels at school, Deeley became a full time fashion model. Deeley signed with the Storm modelling agency, where Kate Moss was also on the roster. She shortened her first name to Cat because there were several other Storm models named Catherine.

Deeley left modelling after two years and became an MTV UK presenter in 1997. She typically co-hosted with Edith Bowman. She became famous for presenting barefoot, saying she felt more comfortable and at home hosting this way. From 1998 to 2002, she was co-host with Ant and Dec on the Saturday morning children's show SMTV Live. In 2001, she won a Children's BAFTA award for Best Presenter. She continued to present the spin-off music show CD:UK until March, 2005.

Other programmes she has hosted include Record Of The Year, Fame Academy, The Brit Awards 2004 and Stars in Their Eyes, as well as a weekly show 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.

In 2006, she hosted the American reality show So You Think You Can Dance. Deeley interviewed Kylie Minogue for a television special which aired in the United Kingdom on Sky One on 16 July 2006 and in Australia on Channel Nine on 17 July 2006. Deeley is also considering posing for Playboy

Deeley is an avid supporter of the English football club, West Bromwich Albion.

As a result of her ambition to break into Hollywood, Deeley's long term relationship with PR Executive Mark Whelan broke down Deeley then moved to Los Angeles in May 2006, as she stated on a late night TV interview with Craig Ferguson.