Tipping Point: Lucky Stars

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Ben Shephard (Host)

Born: December 11, 1974 in Epping, Essex

Best Known For: Hosting The Xtra Factor

Early-life: Benjamin Peter Sherrington Shephard was born in Essex on December 11, 1974. He has a brother and sister. He studied dance, drama and theatre arts at Birmingham University. As a teenager he loved sport, and played for South-East England's Under 16 and Under 18 football teams, and for the Senior Eastern Counties rugby team. After graduating, he spent time in France, working in a chateu. He returned to the UK and landed jobs at various production companies, before getting his big break in 1998, hosting Channel 4 series Control Freaks.

Career: He co-hosted The Bigger Breakfast and T4 on Channel 4, before signing up to ITV2's Bedrock. Among his presenting credits are EastEnders Revealed, Channel 4's Planet Pop, MTV Select with Kelly Brook and Exclusive with Lisa Rogers. As well as presenting GMTV Today and Entertainment Today, Ben also fronted the station's lifestyle series Inch-loss Beach in 2003 and took a road trip from San Francisco to LA in Ben's Road to Hollywood. He presented the ITV2 show The Xtra Factor since 2004 but quit - reportedly being angry that Dermot O'Leary was brought in to replace Kate Thornton on the main show, instead of him. He has since presented several high-profile shows for ITV and is the face of The Krypton Factor.

Quote: 'My experiences as a backpacker have taught me that decent toilet paper is a luxury you just can't afford to be without.'

Trivia: Shephard holds the world record for the most pumpkins smashed in one minute - 11.

Carol Vorderman (Contestant)

Born: December 24, 1960 in Bedford

Best Known For: Doing the sums on Countdown.

Early-life: Carol Jean Vorderman was born in Bedford on December 24, 1960, to a Welsh mother and a Dutch father who split up when she was a baby; her mother then took her children (Carol has a brother) back to her hometown of Prestatyn, where they grew up. Carol knew little about her father's early life until she appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? where she learned he had been in the Dutch Resistance during the Second World War - he died while the programme was being made. She studied engineering at Cambridge. It was her mum who put her name forward for Countdown after spotting an advert looking for women with a flair for maths.

Career: Vorderman got the Countdown job, the first show broadcast on Channel 4 in 1982. She was initially one of four female presenters, but the other women were gradually phased out, leaving her as Richard Whiteley's co-host. Vorderman was soon in demand as a presenter on other TV shows, appearing on the likes of Tomorrow's World, How 2, Stars and Their Lives and Better Homes, but throughout continued to appear on Countdown. She announced she was leaving the show in 2008, after bosses reportedly asked her to take a 90 per cent pay cut. She has also been involved in a task force to improve numeracy skills in schools, and until July 2014 co-host of ITV's Loose Women.

Quote: 'All my life, I have been used to dusting myself down and just getting on with it.'

Trivia: Vorderman has hosted the Pride of Britain Awards on ITV since 1999.

Mark Charnock (Contestant)

Born: March 23, 1968 in Bolton

Best Known For: Playing Marlon Dingle in Emmerdale.

Early-life: Born in Bolton, Lancashire, on March 23, 1968, Mark was educated at Canon Slade School. He won a place at Hull University, but gave up his degree to pursue a career in acting, going on to join the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career: Mark's first screen role was in an episode of 2point4 Children, and he had a bit part in Coronation Street before he found fame in Emmerdale. Prior to landing the role of Marlon, he starred alongside Derek Jacobi as the bumbling Brother Oswin in Cadfael. He first appeared in the Yorkshire-based soap in 1996 and has since gone on to become one of its most popular characters. He won a British Soap Award in 2004.

Quote: 'I'm lucky really. I play a character than gets a lot of comedy and I also, every now and then, get some great drama. So my artistic thirst is quenched by the show. But I never plan beyond the next contract. It's presumptuous.'

Trivia: Mark and actor Dale Meeks appeared as the Blues Brothers in Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes and they won.

Joe Swash (Contestant)

Born: January 20, 1982 in Islington, London

Best Known For: His work in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born in 1982, Swash studied at Highbury Grove School in Islington, and attended Anna Scher Theatre School on the advice of his mother's friend, actress Linda Robson. Fellow attendees at the time were his future EastEnders co-stars Natalie Cassidy, James Alexandrou and Brooke Kinsella. When Swash was seven, he made his first TV appearance in an Andrex advertisement, and at the age of 11 he was cast in the movie The Adventures of Pinocchio, with Dawn French and Griff Rhys Jones.

Career: Swash was about to give up on the idea of becoming an actor when he won a role in BBC's EastEnders. He was cast as Mickey Miller and made his first appearance in EastEnders in April 2003 as a recurring character. In November 2008, Swash was crowned King of the Jungle after winning the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! He has presented a number of shows for ITV2, including Minute to Win It and Fake Reaction. Other projects include Hole in the Wall, Gimme a Break and Celebrity Juice.

Quote: 'I fancied being a fireman because I wanted to help people and because I didn't want to do a 9-5 job. Plus I know the ladies like the uniforms. But EastEnders called and offered me the part of Mickey, and I haven't looked back since.'

Trivia: He has performed in a number of pantos.

Sara Doyle (Series producer)

10:00 am - 11:00 am, Monday, April 6 on U&W (25)

About this Broadcast

Season 2, Episode 1

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