A British comedian known for his cockney accent and high-pitched voice, Joe Pasquale would eventually go on to win a reality show (
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2004), star in a number of stage productions (
The Nerd,
The Producers), and take on hosting duties on the U.K. version of
The Price Is Right. Born in Essex on August 20, 1961, Pasquale learned of his talents and honed his chops in front of audiences while working as an entertainment manager at a holiday camp. His first big break came in 1987, when he finished in the runner-up spot in the talent show
New Faces. In 1993 he returned to the competition, which he then won, but the influx of alternative comedy saw Pasquale's career hit a bit of a lull.
As the '90s wore on, Pasquale's influence and following grew, and in 1996, he released his first video, Live and Squeaky. He would go on to release more videos over the next few years, and by 2005, had played the Royal Variety Performance for the fifth time. In 1999, Pasquale scored his first acting gig, in
The Nerd, and was a critical hit. By the time he appeared in 2008 to launch the program
BingoLotto, Pasquale had added a peformance credit as part of the touring company of
The Producers, as well as his stint as host of
The Price Is Right, and had wrapped up a successful solo tour in 2006 entitled Return of the Love Monkey, which was filmed for eventual DVD release.
–
Chris True, Rovi