December 4th 2024.
After more than five decades in the entertainment industry, beloved host Chris Tarrant has announced his retirement from television. The 78-year-old, who first captured hearts as the face of the children's show Tiswas from 1974 to 1981, gained even more success as the host of the hit game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? from 1998 until 2014. In addition to these iconic roles, Tarrant also took on the role of travel presenter in 2012 with his documentary series Chris Tarrant: Extreme Railways, which ran for six seasons before concluding in 2020.
But now, nearly five years after his last television appearance, Tarrant has confirmed that he will no longer be gracing our screens. "Yes, I've stopped," he shared. "Lockdown really put things into perspective for me. I've been doing this for 50 years and, well, I don't need the money. So I started questioning myself, why am I still doing this?" Tarrant revealed to The Sun.
While the presenter did make a couple of appearances on shows such as Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh and Britain's Favourite Sitcoms last year, he has been mainly focused on pursuing his passions and enjoying his free time. At the TRICS Christmas lunch, Tarrant shared that he has been able to do many things that he had been putting off for a long time, including going on safari with his grandchildren, traveling to Borno with his wife Jane, and capturing stunning photographs of bears in Alaska. "So, why the hell would I go to work?" he questioned with a laugh.
Despite his retirement, Tarrant has not been short of offers from television networks, with his agent still receiving inquiries for him to host "all sorts of rubbish," as he jokingly put it. However, the seasoned presenter has turned down these offers, including the opportunity to host The Masked Singer and a travel show, as he did not want to be tied down by schedules and being told where to go and what to do.
Reflecting on his career, Tarrant shared that he had a "great time" throughout his years in the spotlight, but he doesn't miss it. Starting out as a presenter at ATV in 1972, he went on to host Tiswas before joining the Capital Breakfast show in 1987, a role he held for 17 years. He then made his mark as the host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and also presented shows such as Tarrant on TV, Tarrant Lets the Kids Loose, It's Now What You Know, and The Colour of Money.
As Tarrant bids farewell to his television career and embraces his retirement, he encourages others to share their stories. "If you've got a celebrity story, video, or pictures, get in touch with the The Agency entertainment team by emailing us, calling, or visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you," he concluded.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
