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Olly Smith

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Olly Smith
Olly Smith at MasterChef Live 2009
Born (1974-09-18) 18 September 1974 (age 50)
Darlington, County Durham, England, UK
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)British TV presenter, wine expert, columnist and author.
SpouseSophie[1]
Children2[1]

Olly Smith (born 18 September 1974) is a British TV presenter, wine expert, columnist and author.

Education

Smith attended Charterhouse School on a music scholarship.[1] He was a chorister at King's College, Cambridge, and gained a Master's degree in English Literature at Edinburgh University.[1]

Family background

His brother is the comedian and writer Will Smith.[2] Smith was born in Darlington, County Durham and grew up in Jersey.[3] As a child he was a chorister in the Choir of King's College, Cambridge.[4] He lives in Sussex with his family.[5]

Writing

Smith is the drinks columnist for the Mail on Sunday's YOU magazine.

He has written five books, Eat & Drink: Good Food That’s Great to Drink With[6] in 2010, Wine: Both Barrels[7] in 2012, Behind Enemy Wines[8] in 2013, Drinking For Chaps in 2018, and Fizz in 2019.[1] His sixth book, Home Cocktail Bible, was published in November 2021.

Smith previously wrote for film and TV including Pingu, Wallace and Gromit and Charlie and Lola.[5]

Television

Smith regularly appears as a drinks expert on BBC1's Saturday Kitchen[9] and has recently appeared on Pointless Celebrities, Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel and Question of Sport.

He presented two series of Ale Trails for the Travel Channel in 2016 and 2017 and in September 2014 presented a four-part series Last Taste of Summer, which aired on This Morning.[10][11]

In 2011, he presented a ten-part series for Channel 4 entitled The Secret Supper Club.[12] and in 2010, he hosted the short-lived Iron Chef UK.

Outside of the UK, he presented a documentary series about Chilean wine, Uncorking the South, for Canal 13.[citation needed]

He is also a voice-over artist, narrating Chic Eats for The Discovery Channel, performing voices for ITV show The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers as well as writing and presenting Dude, Where's My Title? for BBC Radio 4. He also performed alongside Roger Moore in The Fly Who Loved Me Christmas cartoon for UNICEF.

In February 2022, Smith won an episode of Celebrity Mastermind; his specialised subject was the 1987 British black comedy film Withnail and I.[13]

Podcast

Smith’s popular drinks podcast A Glass With is in its tenth series with a celebrity guest in each episode. Previous guests include Pink, Kylie Minogue, Sting and Trudie Styler and actor Sam Neill. The format sees Smith share a glass with his guest while chatting informally around a variety of subjects. The podcast is produced by Pod Monkey in the UK and has attracted sponsorship from Majestic Wine, Inter Rhône, Babylonstoren, Regal Rogue Vermouth and The Wine Society.

P&O Cruises

Smith is a 'Food Hero' for P&O Cruises and has a group of award winning Glass House wine bars across the fleet including its newest flagship cruise ship, Iona.

Awards

In 2011, Smith was named by Off Licence News among the top 75 most influential people in the UK wine trade.[14]

  • Best Drinks Writer – Great British Food Awards 2019, 2017 & 2016
  • United Kingdom Vineyards Association Communicator of the Year 2012[15]
  • Roederer Awards Finalist for International Columnist of the Year 2012[16]
  • Wines of Portugal Journalism Award 2012[17]
  • International Wine & Spirits Communicator of the Year Award 2009 [18]
  • Drinks Business Young Achiever of the Year Award 2009 [19]

Patron

Smith is a patron of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and The Drinks Trust.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Smith, Olly, (born 18 Sept. 1974), wine columnist and TV presenter; wine expert, Saturday Kitchen, since 2007 | WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO". www.ukwhoswho.com. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U292889. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4.
  2. ^ "Olly Smith on Twitter: "@tvpeanuts Yes I am related to Will Smith! I'm delighted to reveal that he is my brother, do follow him @willsmithuk"". Twitter.com. 2011-04-28. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  3. ^ Reporter (7 September 2014). "My favourite holiday Olly Smith". sundaypost.com. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Cambridge Corn Exchange to host The Three Wine Men". Cambridge Independent. 2017-11-17. Retrieved 2019-06-11.
  5. ^ a b "About". Olly Smith. 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  6. ^ "Eat & Drink, signed copy". Olly Smith. 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  7. ^ "Wine: Both Barrels, signed copy". Olly Smith. 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  8. ^ "Behind Enemy Wines, signed copy". Olly Smith. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  9. ^ "BBC Saturday Kitchen". Olly Smith. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  10. ^ "Last Taste of Summer". Olly Smith. 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  11. ^ "Iron Chef UK", Wikipedia, 2021-01-30, retrieved 2021-03-12
  12. ^ "The Secret Supper Club - All 4". Channel4.com. 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  13. ^ "Celebrity Mastermind". ollysmith.com. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  14. ^ Off Licence News, 16 May 2011, Top 75 Most Influential People in Wine
  15. ^ "Olly wins Communicator of the Year!". Olly Smith. 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  16. ^ "Louis Roederer Wine Writers Awards | finalists". Theroedererawards.com. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  17. ^ "Olly wins Journalism Award!". Olly Smith. March 2012. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  18. ^ "IWSC Communicator of the Year 2009 announced at Vinitaly Gala opening night" (PDF). Tizwine.com. April 2009. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  19. ^ "Drinks Business Awards 2009". Thedrinksbusiness.com. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
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