# Paul Ross
**Paul Ross** (John Paul Ross; born 1956) is an English television and radio presenter, journalist and media personality, known in the United Kingdom for daytime television work such as [The Big Breakfast](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-big-breakfast) and This Morning and for a long career in radio, currently hosting the overnight talkSPORT program Extra Time with Paul Ross.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/104077/paul-ross) • [2](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/paul-ross/umc.cpc.5ge4hlp9yh5qbp1i4fkwuwxvn) • [3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956, Romford, Essex, England; birth name John Paul Ross[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/bio/) |
| Family | Son of Martha Ross; elder brother of Jonathan Ross, with siblings Miles, Simon, Adam, and Liza Ross[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/104077/paul-ross) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/bio/) |
| Signature television roles | Producer of The Word (1990–1995) and its editor for two series; host of The Big Breakfast; showbiz correspondent on This Morning[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/) • [3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) |
| Radio career | GLR, Virgin Radio, LBC, BBC Radio London, BBC Radio Berkshire, Talk Radio, talkRADIO, talkSPORT[3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) • [6](https://media.info/people/paul-ross) |
| talkRADIO launch | Launched the new talkRADIO with his Full Set Breakfast program in March 2016[3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) |
| Current show | Extra Time with Paul Ross, the talkSPORT overnight show, simulcast on sister station Talk[3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) • [7](https://talk.tv/play/talkradio/catchup/timesradio) |
## Family background
Paul Ross is the son of Martha Ross, an actress and film extra whose television appearances included a long-running role as a market stallholder on the BBC soap opera [EastEnders](https://www.edgepedia.org/eastenders).[8](https://quickmag.co.uk/story-of-jonathan-ross-equal-famous-brother-paul/) He is the elder brother of the broadcaster [Jonathan Ross](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonathan-ross), and his other siblings are Miles, Simon, Adam, and Liza Ross.[1](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/104077/paul-ross) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/bio/) According to a Guardian profile of Jonathan Ross, all five siblings work in the media, and the Ross children were encouraged to audition for television commercials as children.[9](https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/profiles/jonathan-ross-chattering-class-359391.html)
**Marriages.** He has been married to Jackie Skinner since 29 May 2004 and was previously married to Kerensa Jane Bunce from 1991 to 2003, with five children from that marriage.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/bio/)
## Early career
Ross trained as a journalist, and much of his early television experience involved covering and editing popular news and current affairs stories.[10](https://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Paul_Ross) He began his career at [London Weekend Television](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-weekend-television) in the 1980s as a researcher and producer, working on programs including The Six O'Clock Show.[3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) His editing credits also include The London Programme (1988, two episodes) and A Stab in the Dark (1992).[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/)
## The Word and 1990s television
**The Word.** In the early 1990s Ross was editor of [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4)'s youth program The Word, described by one reference site as the "outrageous Channel 4 yoof show," for two series; his IMDb credits list him as a producer of the show from 1990 to 1995.[10](https://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Paul_Ross) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/) The Guardian later called The Word "controversial" in summarizing his career.[11](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/nov/24/radio)
From the 1990s onward he became a regular face on British television, appearing on programs including The Big Breakfast, which he hosted, and [Sky One](https://www.edgepedia.org/sky-one)'s Jeopardy! game show, and making regular appearances on This Morning as their showbiz correspondent.[3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) His game show and panel appearances listed by UKGameshows include Celebrity Fit Club, Comic Relief Does Fame Academy, No Win, No Fee, You Don't Say, and Splash!, among others.[10](https://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Paul_Ross)
**Acting and comedy credits.** On screen he played Mr. Sit Up Britain in [Bridget Jones's Diary](https://www.edgepedia.org/bridget-joness-diary) (2001) and appeared as himself in episodes of Mongrels (2010–2011) and [Rob Brydon](https://www.edgepedia.org/rob-brydon)'s Annually Retentive (2007), alongside guest appearances on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and [Blankety Blank](https://www.edgepedia.org/blankety-blank).[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/) • [12](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/paul_ross/)
## Radio career
Ross has been involved in radio since the late 1990s, presenting shows on stations including GLR, Virgin Radio, LBC, and BBC Radio London, where he presented the [Breakfast](https://www.edgepedia.org/breakfast) show alongside Jo Good, Gaby Roslin, and [Penny Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/penny-smith).[3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) He also presented breakfast radio for national station Talk Radio.[10](https://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Paul_Ross) Media.info records him as a presenter at BBC London and at BBC Radio Berkshire until 1 April 2016.[6](https://media.info/people/paul-ross)
**The Ross brothers on air together.** In November 2003 LBC signed Ross to present its Saturday morning show from the new year, taking over from Matthew Wright. The Guardian framed the signing as a head-to-head battle, since Jonathan Ross was then hosting Saturday mornings on [BBC Radio 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-radio-2): from January 2004, between 10 am and 1 pm, the two brothers would compete for London listeners. Paul's first show featured his mother Maureen and brothers Miles, Adam, and Simon live in the studio.[11](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/nov/24/radio) The same report noted that his appearance on [Comic Relief](https://www.edgepedia.org/comic-relief)'s Celebrity Fame Academy had brought him to a wider audience, and that his rendition of the [Frank Sinatra](https://www.edgepedia.org/frank-sinatra) classic "That's Life" got him kicked out of the academy.[11](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/nov/24/radio)
**talkRADIO and talkSPORT.** Ross launched the new talkRADIO with his Full Set Breakfast program in March 2016, shortly after leaving BBC Radio Berkshire.[3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) • [6](https://media.info/people/paul-ross) A review in The Independent of the station's first day described him as a fluent and experienced broadcaster and criticized comments he made about two women on air that morning.[13](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/talkradio-review-breakfast-show-boor-paul-ross-proves-hard-to-stomach-a6949176.html) He is listed as a presenter at Talk since 21 March 2016 and at talkSPORT.[6](https://media.info/people/paul-ross)
He now presents the overnight show Extra Time with Paul Ross on talkSPORT during the week, a show simulcast on the sister station Talk, covering sports and news stories in the early hours; listings place it in the 12 am to 4 am slot on Talk.[3](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi) • [7](https://talk.tv/play/talkradio/catchup/timesradio)
## Distinctive traits
UKGameshows' trivia records that he likes early mornings, owns a copy of every Frank Sinatra record ever made, and once hosted a talk show with [Natasha Kaplinsky](https://www.edgepedia.org/natasha-kaplinsky) as his sidekick.[10](https://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Paul_Ross)
## References
1. [Paul Ross, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/104077/paul-ross)
2. [Paul Ross, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/ca/person/paul-ross/umc.cpc.5ge4hlp9yh5qbp1i4fkwuwxvn)
3. [Name Droppers Ep. 4: Paul Ross, Acast](https://shows.acast.com/name-droppers/episodes/name-droppers-paul-ross-the-swiss-army-knife-of-british-medi)
4. [Paul Ross Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/bio/)
5. [Paul Ross (III), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0743738/)
6. [Paul Ross, media.info](https://media.info/people/paul-ross)
7. [Talk Web Player, Talk](https://talk.tv/play/talkradio/catchup/timesradio)
8. [Beyond Wossy: The Story of Jonathan Ross and His Brother Paul, Quick Mag](https://quickmag.co.uk/story-of-jonathan-ross-equal-famous-brother-paul/)
9. [Jonathan Ross: Chattering class, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/profiles/jonathan-ross-chattering-class-359391.html)
10. [Paul Ross, UKGameshows](https://www.ukgameshows.com/ukgs/Paul_Ross)
11. [Brotherly battle as Ross joins LBC, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2003/nov/24/radio)
12. [Paul Ross (I), British Comedy Guide](https://www.comedy.co.uk/people/paul_ross/)
13. [TalkRADIO, review: Breakfast show boor Paul Ross proves hard to stomach, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/talkradio-review-breakfast-show-boor-paul-ross-proves-hard-to-stomach-a6949176.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Broadcasting and journalism › Broadcast organizations and stations › Broadcasters as people › Broadcast journalists and news presenters › British broadcast journalists and news presenters*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license