Nick Knowles

Nicholas Simon Augustine Knowles (born 21 September 1962)^[1] is an English television presenter, writer and musician. He has hosted several television programmes including Real Rescues (2007–2013), Who Dares Wins (2007–2019), Break the Safe (2013–2014), 5-Star Family Reunion (2015–2016), and DIY SOS (1999–present).

Knowles was born in Southall, Middlesex.^[2] At the age of 12, Knowles moved to Mildenhall in Suffolk,^[2] attending St Louis Middle School in Bury St Edmunds,^[2] and moved again, attending Gunnersbury Catholic School for Boys. After another family move to Deakin Leas in Tonbridge, he attended the Skinners' School in Tunbridge Wells, Kent,^[3] where he passed eight O-levels, and excelled at rugby.^[3]

Leaving school at 16, he had a number of entry-level jobs as a labourer, petrol station assistant and salesman.^[2] He played in bands from the age of 14 and was constantly writing music, poetry and comedy, until he submitted a script to a BBC2 programme that invited children to make a video.^[2][4]

Knowles began as a runner in television production, before moving into presenting.^[5] Knowles was a reporter for TVS in the South East, reporting on the nightly news programme Coast to Coast.^[6]

He is principally known as the main host of DIY SOS,^[6] a home renovation series broadcast on BBC One since 1999,^[6] and has presented the BBC factual show Real Rescues since 2007. Knowles has also hosted several entertainment programmes for the BBC since signing an exclusive contract with them,^[5] including Who Dares Wins,^[6]Last Choir Standing,^[6]Guesstimation,^[6]Secret Fortune,^[6] and Perfection.^[6]

Knowles has also presented programmes with a wildlife theme. In 2007, he fronted Mission Africa, in which a team of volunteers constructed a game reserve in Kenya. During this project, Knowles fell from a Land Rover, dislocating his shoulder. He flew back to the UK to receive emergency treatment. In the same year, he reported on the plight of orphaned orangutans for an edition of Saving Planet Earth. In 2009, Knowles co‑presented the BBC reality TV series Wildest Dreams with James Honeyborne, in which novice candidates had to complete a set of challenging tasks filming wild animals in Africa. The winner joined the BBC Natural History Unit on a one-year placement.^[7]

From 2011 to 2015, Knowles was the presenter of the BBC game show Perfection,^[6] in which the candidates must achieve absolute perfection to win the jackpot, aired weekdays on BBC One. From 2013 to 2014, he presented the BBC National Lottery game show Break the Safe. In 2015, Knowles began presenting the new BBC One National Lottery game show 5-Star Family Reunion, which returned for a second series in 2016.^[8]

In May 2016, Knowles presented Invictus: The Road to the Games, a one-off programme for the BBC. Knowles earned between £300,000 and £349,999 as a BBC presenter for the financial year 2016–2017.^[9]

In 2018, he participated in the eighteenth series of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, finishing in sixth place, after being voted out on 6 December.^[10]

Desde abril de 2019, presentó el programa de la BBC Home Is Where the Art Is , en el que reta a tres artistas a crear bellas obras de arte para personas que nunca han conocido. El programa tuvo una segunda temporada en 2021. ^{[ 11 ]}

En mayo de 2021, se informó que Knowles estaba en conversaciones con la BBC sobre su papel como presentador principal de DIY SOS debido a su aparición en un anuncio de televisión de Shreddies que violaba los acuerdos y directrices comerciales de la BBC. ^{[ 12 ]} Una semana después, la BBC anunció que había resuelto el problema y que Knowles volvería a su papel en DIY SOS, con la reanudación de la filmación en los próximos meses y se esperaba que regresara a las pantallas en 2022. ^{[ 13 ]}

Entre agosto y septiembre de 2021, Knowles presentó la serie de Channel 5 Nick Knowles' Big House Clearout . ^{[ 14 ]}

En septiembre de 2024, Knowles fue concursante en la vigésimo segunda temporada de Strictly Come Dancing de la BBC , formando pareja con la bailarina profesional Luba Mushtuk . Tras lesionarse el hombro antes del segundo programa, tuvo que realizar un American Smooth , con la canción " Parklife " de Blur , después de tan solo 16  horas de entrenamiento. ^{[ 15 ]} No actuó en la tercera semana debido a la lesión y, como resultado, su Charleston con " Rain on the Roof " (de Paddington 2 ) se pospuso para la semana siguiente. ^{[ 16 ]} En la cuarta semana, realizó su Charleston de la Semana de las Películas, pero fue eliminado en el duelo de baile. ^{[ 17 ]}

Knowles fue coguionista de la película Golden Years de 2016 , protagonizada por Simon Callow , Virginia McKenna y Una Stubbs . ^{[ 6 ]}

Publicó su primer y único álbum musical, Every Kind Of People , el 3 de noviembre de 2017. ^{[ 18 ] [ 19 ]} Entró en la lista de álbumes del Reino Unido en el puesto número 92. ^{[ 20 ]}

Knowles was married to his first wife Gillian Knowles from 1996 to 2000, and they share a son and daughter.^[21][5][22] He dated his second wife Jessica Rose Moor from 2009; they married in September 2012^[23] but divorced in 2017.^[24] Knowles has four children in total.^[25] In 2021, he was reportedly dating Katie Dadzie and the couple became engaged.^[26] The two married on 7 June 2025 at Braxted Park in Essex.^[27][28]

His brother has a record company, and his three sisters all became dancers.^[3]

In 2018, he was reported to be living in Spain.^[29]

In June 2019, Knowles was issued with a six-month driving ban and fined £1,480 for speeding and using a mobile phone whilst driving. Speaking outside the court in Cheltenham, he said: "For me, this was a wake-up call, and putting my phone in the boot of my car now stops the temptation."^[30]

In November 2013, Knowles and his then wife Jessica opened an antiques shop and home design consultancy in Eton, Berkshire.^[31]

Knowles plays rugby and adheres to a dietary regimen that is vegan "80 per cent of the time".^[32] In 2016, he became involved with a Shrewsbury-based vegan restaurant called O'Joy.^[33] The restaurant closed in November 2017.^[34]

Knowles has been a regular supporter of the children's anti-bullying charity Act Against Bullying. He sang "Addicted to Love" for Children in Need 2008.^[4]

• Nick Knowles – official site
• Nick Knowles at IMDb
• Nick Knowles discography at Discogs