I'M RICHARD ARNOLD: So take me or leave me

Hi guys. Southampton Mike told me about this site so I've come on. If you want to ask me anything I'll do my best to answer.

Hi and welcome Richard!!



Born in Hampshire on 24th November 1969, Richard grew up in Inverurie, Scotland, having moved there with his family in 1981. After school he attended Edinburgh University where he gained an MA in English Language and Literature before moving to London to study at City University completing a course in periodical journalism.

Whilst at City University Richard joined ‘Inside Soap’ magazine on a work experience placement. He joined the publication as full time Editorial Assistant on leaving University, and worked his way up the ranks to Feature’s Editor before leaving the magazine in 1995.

Upon leaving ‘Inside Soap’, Richard joined the presenting team of the BBC`s ‘The Sunday Show’ and combined this with freelancing on numerous national magazines, writing columns for TV Quick, New Woman, Heat and Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine.

Richard has notched up hundreds of hours of live radio since joining Radio Scotland as resident TV critic in 1994. He presented a bi-weekly TV review for Radio 5 for four years from March 1993, fronted Liberty London Radio`s daily music and lifestyle show from May 1997 to November 2000 and has freelanced regularly as TV critic for Radio 5 live, and guest hosted for Smooth FM.

His TV credits include hosting numerous programmes for Living TV including two series of ‘Loose Lips’, alongside Melinda Messenger, plus ‘The Good Soap Guide’, ‘The Inside Soap Awards’ in both 2003 and 2004 and ‘Psychic Live’. Richard also fronted an hour long special of Living TV’s popular ‘Most Haunted Live’. His work on ITV1 and ITV2 includes ‘The Planet’s Funniest Animals’ (2004) and ITV1’s first live interactive TV quiz – ‘Soap Challenge’.

In 2004, Richard presented ‘Will on Will and Grace’ - a celebrity audience with Will and Grace star Eric McCormack. Richard also fronted backstage coverage for Living TV during ‘Miss Universe 2003’, ‘Miss Teen USA 2003’, ‘Miss USA 2004, and ‘Miss Universe 2004’. In 2006 he co-hosted Animal Planet’s ‘The Animal Roadshow’, and was quarter finalist on Celebrity Masterchef’s first series. March 2007 saw Richard host ITV1`s popular ‘Soapstar Superchef’ series, along with a third series of Challenge TV`s ‘Take It Or Leave It’ quiz show.


In 2008 Richard appeared in ‘Celebrity Are You Smarter Than A Ten Year Old’ on Sky One, where he won $100,000 for charity.

His first appearance on GMTV was in 1997 as the station`s TV Critic. After a brief gap he returned in 2000. He is not only known for his daily ‘Talking Telly slot but has co-hosted ‘LK Today’ with Kate Garraway, presented ‘Richard`s Little Britain’ summer show in 2005 and fronted the 2006 GMTV wedding – ‘Married In The Morning’. In 2007 he was given his own show – The Richard Arnold Show – which returned again in the summer of 2008.

Richard has recently branched out into acting with several cameo roles to his credit including ‘Hustle’, ‘Talk to Me’, ‘Footballers Wives’, ‘Shameless’ and ‘Rock Rivals’. Richard also writes a weekly column in ‘Woman’s Own’ magazine, and regularly contributes to The People newspaper. Richard lives in London.

We have a couple of things in common, you were born in Hampshire; I was born & bred in Southampton....................you were brought up in Inverurie; I have lived in Peterhead for the last 7 years. Where in Hampshire were you born?

Hi Richard, I'm a fan of Take It Or Leave It, specially the final bit when they do the last 5 questions. I watch all the old re-runs on Challenge.

Have there been times when they picked the wrong box that contestants have had arguments off-screen about their decision or the answers they gave? Are there any amusing stories you can tell?

You are a lucky man to have covered beauty contests, and to have worked with the lovely Melinda Messenger!! What was Melinda like to work with?

Hiya, do you support a football team? As you were born in Hampshire think very carefully how you answer this, you could be lynched!!

Good to see you here Richard, I read Woman's Own and follow your column which is one of my favourite parts of the magazine. That part of your career must seem very different to presenting TV and radio programmes. Which do you prefer?
How much time does it usually take you to prepare your column? Who have you most enjoyed interviewing?

Hi. Your career has been very much in the public limelight. I am sure there must have been times things have not gone quite right, maybe an embarrassing moment or three. Can you please tell us about one or two of them?? Thanks.

Been snowed under with 'new season' copy but will get on to it!

Thanks for the reminder Mike, so sorry I haven't got around to this until now!

SaintMike wrote:We have a couple of things in common, you were born in Hampshire; I was born & bred in Southampton....................you were brought up in Inverurie; I have lived in Peterhead for the last 7 years. Where in Hampshire were you born?

I was born in Andover, dragged up by a Hampshire lass and a cockney Dad who was bombed out of Bow during WWII! Dave proposed to Dot on the Central Line. They've been married 56 years! We moved to Aberdeenshire when I was 12 or so - Dad was a helicopter engineer so we moved to be nearer the oil rigs. As a young fan of Dallas, it wasn't quite the Oil Barons but I had a ball at the Young Farmers discos!

Jillyanne wrote:Hi Richard, I'm a fan of Take It Or Leave It, specially the final bit when they do the last 5 questions. I watch all the old re-runs on Challenge.

Have there been times when they picked the wrong box that contestants have had arguments off-screen about their decision or the answers they gave? Are there any amusing stories you can tell?

Hi Jillyanne!

I loved doing that show! The jeopardy was excruciating and I made sure I never saw the answers, only the questions so I wouldn't slip up with any pronunciation, which can happen when you are filming four shows a day! The contestants were cracking - and whether they were playing for a couple of grand or the full jackpot, the moment they faced the safes at the end was a corker.

I would sweat along with them because I had no idea where the cash was stashed. There was much deliberation between the contestants but no one fell out to my knowledge. We filmed in real time and let them thrash out the answers between them. I guess the best show was when a young couple proposed after hitting the jackpot. I felt like Cilla. And not for the first time!

DellBoy wrote:You are a lucky man to have covered beauty contests, and to have worked with the lovely Melinda Messenger!! What was Melinda like to work with?

As Melinda always says to me, 'I'm not just a nice pair of boobs, Richard, I've got a lovely bum, too!' Mel and I worked together back in 2003 and stay in touch. We made a cracking pair, every pun intended, because we genuinely rolled about laughing on stage and off. We saved each other's bacon more than once on a live show with no autocue. I wouldn't want to rush to present an item on the milking of a dog's anal gland with a vet again but it was a great gig and paid for my kitchen.

Southampton my Home wrote:Hiya, do you support a football team? As you were born in Hampshire think very carefully how you answer this, you could be lynched!!

I only enjoy the game when the nation is whipped up, like the World Cup. I've only seen one match in my life from the stands and that was at Pittodrie, the home ground of Aberdeen, of course. Alex Ferguson was the manager back then so you can imagine how long ago it was!

North End Mam wrote:Good to see you here Richard, I read Woman's Own and follow your column which is one of my favourite parts of the magazine. That part of your career must seem very different to presenting TV and radio programmes. Which do you prefer?
How much time does it usually take you to prepare your column? Who have you most enjoyed interviewing?

I love working every side of the desk and have done for nearly twenty years. Radio is a terrific medium and I love the intimacy of it; the columns are a great caper and are generally fed by what I am doing behind the scenes on the box and I chase the interviews myself - just like Saint Mike! But there is nothing like live telly. It's a spectacular sport and you are paid for when it goes wrong not for when it goes right!

half pint wrote:Hi. Your career has been very much in the public limelight. I am sure there must have been times things have not gone quite right, maybe an embarrassing moment or three. Can you please tell us about one or two of them?? Thanks.

I have been shamed so many times on TV I can't even begin to count. Once, on a red carpet, I called Simon Cowell's partner by his ex girlfriend's name. It won't surprise you to know that we lost that gem quickly in the edit! Not that he held it against me…

Sorry again for forgetting to do this, thanks for your patience!