Henry cole father
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Paul Henry
Paul Henry's weathervane-like ability to attract attention was demonstrated in September 2010, when New Idea readers voted him New Zealand's favourite television personality. In an unforgettable acceptance speech — later a YouTube favourite — Henry gleefully read out a 'fan' letter from one viewer, who rained expletives and bad wishes upon him.
Paul Henry Hopes was born in Auckland, after his working class parents emigrated from the United Kingdom. At age 11 Paul and his mother returned to England, after his parents' separation. Transplanted to Bristol, a city "dominated by huge brick nicotine-stained factories", Henry developed "grand ideas of being a famous actor".
As he writes in 2011 bestseller What Was I Thinking, Henry lived his childhood dreams vicariously through celebrities, especially TV and radio stars. At high school Henry did best in drama, winning a scholarship to a local drama school. By now the 15-year-old had scored part-time work at BBC Radio Bristol, where he set about making himself indispensable.
Unsure where to call home, Henry
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Henry Cole (presenter)
British TV presenter and producer
Henry Cole (born 16 February 1964) is an English TV presenter, producer and director. On television he is best known for World’s Greatest Motorcycle Rides, The Motorbike Show, Shed and Buried, and Find It, Fix It, Flog It. Many of these feature Allen Millyard and in the main are produced by his own production company, HCA Entertainment.[1] Cole is also the founder and CEO of bespoke motorcycle manufacturer Gladstone Motorcycles, named after his great uncle Dick "Red Beard" Gladstone.[2]
Early life
Cole was born in February 1964. His great-great-great-great uncle was William Ewart Gladstone, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He was educated at Eton College, where he was a contemporary of Boris Johnson. He was a heroin addict for five years, but has been clean since 1988.[3]
Career
He started as a news cameraman for channels including ITV and TF1 and progressed to making rockumentaries, primarily with heavy rock bands,[4] then directing TV
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Bonkers about bikes, friends with Liz Hurley, TV presenter, world land speed record holder, and former heroin addict. Henry Cole talks about his new memoir, A Biker’s Life: Misadventures on (and off) Two Wheels, as he hits the road to the Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival.
Henry Cole has travelled a long way from Malton, where his father grew up on the edge of the Castle Howard estate, before he was posted to India during the dying age of the British Raj. “Yorkshire to me is God’s own country in a way – great motorcycling and my old man came from there.”
Just don’t mention the Tour de Yorkshire legacy. “I f***ing hate cyclists,” he says. “I get frustrated sometimes with MAMALs. Middle Aged Men in Lycra. But I am one of those admittedly.”
His bicycle is black, and he wears all black on his daily 14-mile circuits to keep fit at 54, so ‘none of my mates see me doing it.’
His memoir is a ‘rollercoaster ride’.
“I started life as a session drummer, then I became a news cameraman, then I went on the road for years with rock and roll bands, then I directed a movie about
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