Julia Roberts (QVC presenter)

Julia Roberts (born June 10, 1956) is a popular, well-known British television home shopping host on the shopping channel QVC.

Biography

Roberts started her career as a cabaret dancer, supporting "Cannon and Ball" on a summer season in Guernsey, and then followed their act on to television. She supplemented this work with various supporting cast roles on TV including "Citizen Smith" and "Doctor Who" in 1979, Christmas pantomimes and dancing on cruise liners; before she took a job in a cabaret show in Hong Kong, dancing and singing.citeweb|url=http://www.shoppingtelly.com/index.php?categoryid=32&p2_articleid=21|title=Julia Roberts|publisher=shoppingtelly.com|date=8th June 2005|accessdate=2008-01-06]

Roberts returned to the UK with her boyfriend, and appeared in various commercials, including the Woolwich Building Society and "Head and Shoulders" shampoo. She was approached in 1980 by a group called "The Main Event" to sing in their Eurovision Song contest entry "I'm Gonna Do My Best To Please You" - which came last. The ensemble included Cheryl Baker, who won the following year with Bucks Fizz. [citeweb|url=http://www.excellentvoice.co.uk/talent.showcard.php?id=11|title=Julia Roberts|publisher=excellentvoice.co.uk|accessdate=2008-01-06]

Wishing to undertake more television, she appeared as a hostess on "The Price is Right" with Leslie Crowther. After two series she had her first child Daniel, and then worked on the 'Hit Squad' on "Beadle's About," before having her second child, daughter Sophie.

After the birth of her second child, Roberts and her husband Chris were living in South London, when Croydon Cable started cabling the local streets. Looking to get into television presentation, she sent in an audition tape based on her time at the "1989 Motorshow" at Olympia for Vauxhall Motors. Roberts got the job undertaking general reporting duties, developing her role by presenting on her own 'magazine-style' programme on the station. It was during this period that she began presenting the channels show on Crystal Palace F.C., and which resulted in her now obsession with the football club. Roberts is a season ticket holder, in the past written a column in "Palace News" and been interviewed for Sky TV, and presented half time slots on the giant screen in the stadium, promoting club merchandise in a "QVC" style.

Asked by her agent to apply for a new shopping channel in 1993, she presented a pilot slot on presenting her own mobile phone for 15 minutes, and a pencil for 5 minutes. Appearing on the channels opening sequences with co-presenter Jon Briggs, Roberts is one of two original cast members who have been with QVC (UK) since the launch of the channel in October 1993. Roberts was one of two judges, together with Head of Presenters Mark West, in finding new talent Craig Rowe in QVC's search for a presenter. [citeweb|url=http://qvcpresentersearch.qvcuk.com/meet_the_judges|title=Meet the Judges|publisher=QVC UK|accessdate=2008-01-06] Still an active presenter on the channel today, Roberts has her own production company and has penned a novel.

References

External links

* [http://www.qvcuk.com/ukhtml/prrobert.html Julia Roberts profile at QVC (UK)]