Richard Osman's House of Games - Festive Week 2: Monday - 07:30 am Tuesday, December 30 on BBC Two England

Richard Osman (Host)

Born: November 28, 1970 in Billericay

Best Known For: Pointless.

Early-life: Richard Thomas Osman was born in Billericay on November 28, 1970, but grew up in West Sussex. He was raised by his single mum after his father left home - they didn't see each other for 20 years. Richard studied politics and sociology at Trinity College, Cambridge, where his future Pointless colleague Alexander Armstrong was reading English literature. He claims that one of his proudest moments came when his mum and grandfather watched his graduation.

Career: Osman has worked behind the scenes as an executive producer on a number of TV programmes, including Deal or No Deal, 8 Out of 10 Cats, and 10 O'Clock Live. As the UK creative director of TV production company Endemol, he pitched the quiz Pointless to the BBC. As a way of explaining the rules, he played the co-host during a run-through. He was asked to do the role for real when the show was commissioned. Pointless started on BBC Two in 2009 and was an immediate hit. It quickly made the switch to BBC One. Since being in the spotlight on Pointless, he has made guest appearances on QI, Have I Got News for You and Would I Lie to You? He also guest presented an episode of The One Show alongside Alex Jones.

Quote: "Whenever I turn up to pub quizzes now, I see people going: ‘Urgh, that's the guy who knows everything.'"

Trivia: He is the younger brother of Mat Osman, bassist with Suede, and suffers from nystagmus, a condition that results in uncontrolled movement of the eyes.

Alex Brooker (Contestant)

Best Known For: Co-hosting The Last Leg.

Early-life: Alex was born in Kent in 1986 with hand and arm deformities and a twisted right leg which had to be amputated when he was a baby. He now wears a prosthetic leg. He studied journalism at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and during his time there he spent a day working at the Liverpool Echo, wrote a column for a student magazine and was presenter on a student radio station.

Career: Brooker was the Disabled Rights Officer for LJMU before he went to work for the Press Association on a trainee editorial scheme. His big break came in 2012 when he beat thousands of people to become the face of Channel 4's 2012 Paralympics coverage. He was a co-host on The Last Leg with Adam Hills, a nightly alternative look at the Games. In 2013, he returned as a regular on The Last Leg. In January 2014, he began co-hosting Channel 4's celebrity reality series The Big Jump alongside Davina McCall but did not return for the second series in 2015. He started presented The Superhumans Show for Channel 4 in 2016.

Quote: "While we are advanced in this country in terms of our attitudes towards disability, there is still a level of unease about what you can and can't say."

Trivia: He supports Arsenal FC.

Rhys Darby (Contestant)

Joanna Page (Contestant)

Born: March 23, 1978 in Swansea, Wales

Best Known For: Gavin & Stacey.

Early-life: Born Joanna Louise Page on March 23, 1978, in Swansea. She's an only child, the daughter of a mechanic father and bank worker mother. She claims she felt adored while growing up, but that may have caused problems later on, because being turned down after auditions came as a shock. She left home to move to London at 18 to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada). She suffered from homesickness initially, but a friendship with fellow student Maxine Peake helped her settle down. They remain good pals.

Career: Page's first film was 1999's Miss Julie, the same year she made her TV debut as Dora in an adaptation of David Copperfield. She went on to have a regular role in The Cazalets. Page appeared alongside Johnny Depp in From Hell, but it was starring as the girl who steals Martin Freeman's heart in Love Actually that made her a famous face, although she didn't become a household name until tackling one of the lead roles in much-loved sitcom Gavin & Stacey. Other TV work includes appearances in White Van Man, The Syndicate, Gates and the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who.

Quote: "I don't go out a lot. The other day I was in the middle of doing the house cleaning and there was a knock on the door and I opened it to some man who went: 'Oh good God, it's you. What are you doing here?'"

Trivia: Page has also appeared frequently on stage, done panto and featured in numerous adverts.

Molly Rainford (Contestant)

Breid McLoone (Executive producer)

Tamara Gilder (Executive producer)

John Smith (Director)

Richard Osman's House of Games: Festive Week 2: Monday

07:30 am - 08:00 am, Tuesday, December 30 on BBC Two England (2)

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Festive Week 2: Monday
Season 2025, Episode 6

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