Ravin Mika Wilding[1] (born 16 October 1977) is a British television presenter and former police officer who served with the British Transport Police and Metropolitan Police Service.
Rav Wilding | |
|---|---|
 Wilding in 2012 | |
| Born | Ravin Mika Wilding 16 October 1977 Canterbury, Kent, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Fulston Manor School |
| Occupation(s) | Soldier, police officer, television presenter |
| Known for | Crimewatch |
| Spouse |
Jill Morgan (m. 2017) |
Prior to joining the police, Wilding served in the British Army and worked as a security guard at Harrods department store in London. He is best known for his role as a presenter on the BBC TV show Crimewatch.
Military and police career
editIn January 2021, it was announced by Chief Superintendent Martin Fry that Wilding had joined British Transport Police as a detective.[2] Yet, according to his LinkedIn profile, Wilding ended his service with the British Transport Police shortly after in March 2021.[3]
Television career
editWilding had to go through numerous interviews and auditions as well as formal television presenter training. Having also auditioned for Blue Peter, he was offered a part on BBC Crimewatch, which he has appeared on since June 2004.[4] After taking a period of unpaid leave, Wilding resigned from the police force in February 2008 to concentrate on TV work.
Wilding is a regular reporter on crime issues for BBC One's The One Show. Since 21 April 2008, Wilding has co-presented a new programme called Missing Live,[5] shown every weekday morning on BBC One.[6] In August 2008, he hosted the twenty-episode fly-on-the-wall series following the lives of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Helicopter Heroes on BBC One.[7] He has also fronted two series of the daily live show Crimewatch Roadshow for BBC One and will present the third series in June 2011.[8]
In January 2008, he won a celebrity edition of The Weakest Link and Ready Steady Cook. On 29 December 2008, Wilding appeared on Celebrity Mastermind.[9] His specialist subject was The Human Body. He came last with only fifteen points. In 2011 he took a role on CBBC as co-presenter and dunk tester for Dave Benson Phillips in the remake of Get Your Own Back.
In August 2009, Wilding was revealed as one of the contestants in Strictly Come Dancing and was partnered with Aliona Vilani.[10] Wilding was made fourth favourite by bookmakers behind former boxer Joe Calzaghe and actor Ricky Whittle,[11] however he became the third celebrity to be eliminated on the show after failing to be saved in the dance-off, on 3 October 2009.
In September 2010, Wilding went to the front line of British Military operations in Afghanistan filming a series for BBC called Remembrance Week. Whilst filming he witnessed a bomb blast that killed one of the serving soldiers with the unit he was filming (the Second Battalion the Duke of Lancasters Regiment) The Lions of England. The series focused on both past and present conflicts.[12][citation needed]
On 15 December 2011, Kirsty Young, Wilding's Crimewatch co-host, announced that this would be his last show. Since June 2009, Wilding has presented the accompanying series, Crimewatch Roadshow, every morning live on BBC1.[13][citation needed] Series 4 aired in June/July 2012.
He took part in an episode of Tipping Point: Lucky Stars on ITV, in which he set the record for the most counters dropped in a single go in any episode of Tipping Point, sinking 23 counters (for a total of £2,300).[14]
He appeared on Season 5 on Hacker Time.[15][citation needed]
Personal life
editWilding was in a relationship with English television personality and glamour model Chantelle Houghton. The couple separated in 2011.[16] Wilding began a relationship with Loose Women's producer Jill Morgan in 2012. The couple married in 2017, and have a daughter who was born in 2020.[17] By early 2024 they had parted.[18]
Later during 2024, Wilding was in a relationship with television co-presenter, former police officer Rebecca Mason.[19]
Wilding revealed on Morning Live that he is dyslexic, dyspraxic and also had been diagnosed by Simon Baron-Cohen as autistic in a film broadcast on the subject.[20]
Filmography
edit- TV
- Crimewatch (2004–2011) – Presenter
- Missing Live (2008–2010) – Co-presenter
- Helicopter Heroes (2008–2014) – Presenter
- Strictly Come Dancing (2009) – Participant
- Crimewatch Roadshow (2009–present) – Presenter
- Remembrance Week (2010) – Presenter
- Get Your Own Back (2011) – Co-presenter
- 71 Degrees North (2011) – Participant
- Cop School (2011) – Presenter
- Neighbourhood Blues (2011) – Presenter
- Frontline Police (2012–?) – Presenter
- Hero Squad (2012–2013) – Presenter
- Crime Scene Rescue (2013) – Presenter
- Splash! (2013) – Participant
- British Police Murdered on Duty (2016) – Narrator
- Ill Gotten Gains (2016) – Co-presenter
- Christmas City (2016) – Presenter
- The All New Monty - Who Bares Wins (2019) – Participant
- Richard Osman's House of Games (2020) – Participant
- Frontline Fightback (2021–present) – Narrator[21]
- Morning Live presenter/expert
- Scam Interceptors (2022–2023) – presenter[22]
- Car Crime: How Safe Is Your Car? (2022) – Presenter[23]
References
edit- ^ "Ravin Mika WILDING personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".
- ^ @BTPFry (15 January 2021). "Another highlight to end the week on. A visit to meet Transferee Intake 44. New colleagues joining @btp from variou…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "LinkedIn Profile of Rav Wilding". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
- ^ "BBC - Press Office - Crimewatch UK new police presenters". www.bbc.co.uk. 24 May 2004. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ Missing Live to return to BBC1 guardian.co.uk, 16 May 2008
- ^ Rav Wilding: I get marriage proposals every day Mirror.co.uk, 27 April 2008
- ^ Helicopter heroes return Craven Herald, 24 August 2008
- ^ Miriam O'Reilly joins Rav Wilding on BBC One Daytime's Crimewatch Roadshow BBC Press Office, 8 April 2011
- ^ Rav Wilding Internet Movie Database
- ^ Strictly reveals dancing line-up BBC News, 25 August 2009
- ^ Strictly Come Dancing Betting Odds Make Joe Calzaghe And Ricky Whittle Favourites Ahead Of Week One Online Betting, 9 September 2009
- ^ Episodes from Remembrance Week BBC One, November 2010[dead link]
- ^ "BBC One - Crimewatch Update, 15/12/2011". Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ^ "Tipping Point". UK Game Shows. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
- ^ "BBC iPlayer - Hacker Time - Series 5: 4. Rav Wilding". Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- ^ "Rav Wilding on split with Chantelle Houghton: 'I've been stitched up!'". The Mirror. 28 April 2011.
- ^ "Rav Wilding reveals baby news after 'long hard journey'". Yahoo. 24 November 2019.
- ^ BBC Morning Live and Crimewatch host announces split from wife Gloucestershire Live, 10 April 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024
- ^ BBC Morning Live star quits day job after announcing romance with co-star Nottinghamshire Live, 1 November 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024
- ^ "Morning Live - Series 4: 15/07/2022". BBC iPlayer. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "Frontline Fightback". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "BBC One Daytime to intercept cyber criminals in new commission Scam Interceptors hosted by Rav Wilding". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
- ^ "Car Crime: How Safe Is Your Car?". itv.com. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
External links
edit- Rav Wilding Official website
- Rav Wilding at IMDb
- Presenters BBC Crimewatch