The TV presenter turned podcaster on causing trouble at school, why he’s geeky about science and how being on TV changed him
Born in Enfield, north London, in 1979, Rick Edwards is a TV presenter turned podcaster, author and radio presenter. A Cambridge University graduate, he studied maths for one year before switching to natural sciences. After graduating, he became a poster boy of mid-noughties hangover TV, as a host on T4 and E4 Music. Since then he has diversified with political shows, quizzes and now BBC Radio 5 Live’s breakfast show and a science podcast, Eureka!, which he co-hosts alongside Dr Michael Brooks. He is married, to the actor Emer Kenny, and they have a baby boy.
Before Bake Off ‘showstoppers’ existed, my mum was churning out impressive cakes. This one, for my eighth birthday, is one of many magnificent creations she produced: it’s a depiction of a moonscape. I’m not entirely sure why she went with blue icing, and it has a union jack flag on it, which is quite patriotic but frankly inaccurate. It is lovely, however, and solid evidence of my interest in space and science stuff. It would have been one of those “close your eyes” cake reveal moments, and while my mum took the photo my dad was making me laugh from behind the camera. I look as if I can’t quite contain myself. This is the face of unvarnished, unadulterated joy.
