Biography
Having carved out a career as an English actor, comedian, and television host chiefly through appearances on British screens, Bradley Walsh turned to vocal performance later in his life. Born in 1960 and raised in Watford, a town lying just north of London, he showed strong athletic ability while at school. As a young adult he enjoyed a brief spell as a professional footballer with low-division side Brentford FC, only for ankle injuries to cut the stint short. Following a string of modest-paying roles, he entered television in 1994 by hosting the weekly National Lottery draw. Game-show work followed, most prominently on Wheel of Fortune, before he moved into acting. His screen debut came as a supporting player in Lock, Stock…, the short-lived series spun off from Guy Ritchie's crime comedy-drama Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Subsequent parts in the soap operas Night and Day and Coronation Street led to a lead role in the crime drama Law & Order: UK, which he held for five years. He also resumed game-show duties as presenter of the highly popular The Chase.
At age 56 in 2016, Walsh released his first album, Chasing Dreams. Drawing on the style of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby, he interpreted classic vocal-pop standards and demonstrated a credible voice marked by a warm, mellow, slightly smoky timbre. Issued by Sony and arranged and produced by Steve Sidwell, the record included a title track co-written by Walsh himself. After Chasing Dreams became the second-highest-selling U.K. debut album of 2016, he returned to the studio for the follow-up, When You're Smiling. The 2017 release again featured songs associated with his idols alongside selections from musical theater.
At age 56 in 2016, Walsh released his first album, Chasing Dreams. Drawing on the style of Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, and Bing Crosby, he interpreted classic vocal-pop standards and demonstrated a credible voice marked by a warm, mellow, slightly smoky timbre. Issued by Sony and arranged and produced by Steve Sidwell, the record included a title track co-written by Walsh himself. After Chasing Dreams became the second-highest-selling U.K. debut album of 2016, he returned to the studio for the follow-up, When You're Smiling. The 2017 release again featured songs associated with his idols alongside selections from musical theater.
Albums
