Reggie Yates (born 31 May 1983) is an English-Ghanaian actor, television presenter and radio DJ, best known from his roles as Rastamouse, Leo Jones in Doctor Who, and for his work at the BBC in radio and television - presenting various shows for BBC Radio 1 with Fearne Cotton – as well as hosting the ITV2 reality show Release the Hounds. Since 2015, he has co-presented the primetime BBC One game show Prized Apart, alongside Emma Willis. He is also the host of the BBC Three show Reggie Yates' Extreme Russia and Extreme South Africa.

Biography

Yates' parents, Felicia Asante and Reginald "Jojo" Yates, were both born in Ghana; however, his paternal grandfather Harry was the son of an English accountant, George Yates, who worked in the gold mining industry. Harry Yates' wife Dorothy, who was married to him in a customary marriage, was also of mixed race: her father was an English colonial administrator, A. G. Lloyd, while her mother Sarah was a farmer and trader.

Yates grew up in north London, and attended Central Foundation Boys' School in Cowper Street, Islington. A large photo of him, as with other famous ex-pupils, adorns a wall of fame at the school. He then attended City & Islington Sixth Form College in on Goswell Road, Islington. Yates has an older sister named Cerise, and another sister around 12 years younger.

In January 2015, Yates announced his engagement to model girlfriend Tia Ward. They had been dating for two years.

Yates is a fan of Arsenal.


Charity
Yates' charity work with UNICEF and The Commonwealth Games took him to Jamaica to find out about the sport and education work that UNICEF is doing there.