Want to know where Pat Sharp’s screen journey has taken him? Thrillz has the story.
Pat Sharp is a British television and radio presenter with a career spanning decades. He’s appeared on the small screen many times over the years, whether hosting the BBC’s long-running weekly music programme Top of the Pops or participating ITV’s hit reality series I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!
Sharp has built an incredibly successful career since he made his television debut in the ’80s, and still has a loyal fan base to this day. Viewers have seen him turn his hand to everything from hosting a celebrity dinner party to taking part in comedy panel shows. But what’s he best known for?
In this post, we’ll look back at some of his biggest, most memorable TV appearances.
How Fun House Helped Pat Sharp Become a Children’s TV Icon
Many Brits discovered Pat Sharp on the unforgettable children’s programme, Fun House. As Fun House’s presenter, Pat Sharp was a fun, likeable presence who genuinely seemed to enjoy the fast-paced games and lively studio atmosphere. And, of course, his blonde mullet remains one of the most recognisable hairstyles from that era of British television.
Fun House hit screens in February 1989, and ran for more than a decade until it ended in late December 1999. Sharp was, of course, joined by the bubbly twins Melanie and Martina Grant as he presided over a series of children’s games.
Fun House featured everything young viewers of the time could want: a catchy theme tune, gallons of gunge, and a mix of unpredictable challenges. And years later, of course, Sharp would take part in some bizarre challenges himself as a contestant in the jungle on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
Fun House helped Pat Sharp to became a regular fixture of children’s television, and this success led him to join another hit ITV show in 1992 …
What’s Up Doc? and Saturday Morning Television
Long before Pat Sharp entered the Jungle in I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, he co-presented What’s Up Doc? with Andy Crane and Yvette Fielding.
Batman fans may remember What’s Up Doc? as the show that first broadcast Batman: The Animated Series in the UK. But it also included various other popular cartoons, including Taz-Mania and the wildly subversive Animaniacs.
What’s Up Doc? also featured a variety of larger-than-life characters across its three-year series, including wolf puppets Bro and Bro (who starred in a spin-off series). What’s Up Doc? also incorporated phone-in games that allowed viewers to participate in on-screen challenges, a common feature on ’90s television.
Pat Sharp’s Time on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!
One of the biggest television appearances in Pat Sharp’s career, though, came in 2011 when he set up camp in an Australian jungle.
Sharp was one of 13 celebrities who appeared on series 11 of ITV’s I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, hosted by beloved duo Ant and Dec. He entered the jungle on the third day along with ’80’s pop star Sinitta.
Sharp’s jungle campmates included former Emmerdale star Lorraine Chase, Olympian Fatima Whitbread, Corrie star Antony Cotton, and TOWIE hunk Mark Wright. McFly bassist Dougie Poynter went on to win the show on 3rd December 2011, while Wright finished second. Fatima Whitbread scored third place.
Sharp was a welcome addition to the show for fans who’d grown up watching him on television and those who listen to him regularly on the radio. He made a strong impact on the long-running reality series, and spent around 10 days in the jungle with his campmates.
How Many Bushtucker Trial Challenges Did Pat Sharp Complete in the Jungle?
During his time on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, Pat Sharp took part in three Bushtucker Trial challenges. First came Head Trip, in which he won 11 stars to feed himself and his campmates.
Sharp’s next Bushtucker Trial was Bushman’s Bungalow. He entered a strange shack separated into multiple rooms, with stars hidden in each. Sharp had to navigate the rooms, find stars to win meals, and watch out for cockroaches, snakes, and rats.
Sharp’s final Bushtucker Trial was Fill Your Face Extreme, alongside Fatima Whitbread. This is one of the most difficult types of jungle challenge to watch on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! The two stars slipped their heads inside plastic bubble helmets, before a range of creatures (including scorpions and spiders) joined them.
Fill Your Face Extreme was an endurance test: Pat Sharp and Fatima Whitbread competed to see who could keep their head inside the bubble for the most time and win stars for their campmates. But when they drew in Fill Your Face Extreme, Sharp and Whitbread had to compete in a tiebreaker. Whitbread won, though she soon discovered a cockroach lurking inside her nose. A stunned Ant and Dec watched as it was removed.
How Did Pat Sharp Feel About His Time in the Jungle?
Despite not winning the show, Pat Sharp appeared to enjoy his time in the jungle. He told Digital Spy soon after leaving his campmates and the jungle behind that he was “quite sad to be out” as he “liked all of the people in there.”.
He also discussed how he’d love to be “both Ant and Dec” by hosting his own series, and that he’d be willing to bring back Fun House due to the “huge call on the internet to do an adult version”.
Pat Sharp’s Other Most Notable TV Guest Appearances
Pat Sharp has taken part in many shows across diverse genres throughout his career. He appeared on a celebrity edition of Come Dine with Me alongside Michael Barrymore, Anthea Redfern, and Jenny Powell.
Sharp has also featured on Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, in which he and fellow stars helped contestants win a cash prize. Other appearances include Celebrity Squares with a number of other TV stars, and Channel 4’s The Games.
During The Games, Pat Sharp competed in numerous Olympic-style activities alongside such stars as Boyzone’s Shane Lynch, former Blue Peter presenter Katy Hill, and Emmerdale actress Linda Lusardi. He was titled the People’s Hero in recognition for his efforts on the show.
Whether braving the challenges of the Australian jungle, presenting hit kids’ shows, or making a welcome guest appearance, Pat Sharp has proven himself to be a popular presence on British television across the decades. Long may it continue.