Dominik Diamond
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Dominik Paul Diamond (born 31 December 1969) is a Scottish television, radio presenter and newspaper columnist. He is best known as the original presenter of
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
's
video gaming Video is an electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving visual media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, which were quickly replaced by cathode-ray tube (CRT) syst ...
programme ''
GamesMaster ''GamesMaster'' was a British television programme which originally aired on Channel 4 from 1992 to 1998. In 2021, it returned for a new series on YouTube and E4. It was the first UK television programme dedicated to video games. Dominik Di ...
'', as host of ''The Dominik Diamond Breakfast Show'' on XFM Scotland and as a columnist for the '' Daily Star''. After moving to
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
in 2009, he has hosted radio shows for stations in
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Halifax and
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
, where he was host of the Morning Show on
Jack FM Jack FM is a radio network brand that is licensed by Sparknet Communications, with the exception of the European Union where it is licensed by Oxis Media. It plays an adult hits radio format, format, in most cases not using disc jockey, DJs. F ...
from 2015 to 2018.


Early life

Born in
Arbroath Arbroath () or Aberbrothock ( ) is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the Subdivisions of Scotland, council area of Angus, Scotland, Angus, Scotland, with a population of 23,902. It lies on the North Sea coast, some east-northeast of ...
, Scotland, Diamond attended
Strathallan School Strathallan School is a private boarding and day school in Scotland for boys and girls aged 5-18. The school has a campus at Forgandenny, a few miles south of Perth. School roll The school has 73 full-time staff, and 18 part-time staff. It h ...
in
Forgandenny Forgandenny (Scottish Gaelic ''Forgrann Eithne'', 'Over-Bog of Eithne' n ancient female Gaelic name is a small village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, located four miles south of Perth, Scotland, Perth. Perth is a 20-minute bus ride from Forg ...
,
Perthshire Perthshire (Scottish English, locally: ; ), officially the County of Perth, is a Shires of Scotland, historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore, Angus and Perth & Kinross, Strathmore ...
. He then went on to study drama at
Bristol University The University of Bristol is a public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Bristol, which had ...
, where he was a contemporary of
David Walliams David Edward Williams (born 20 August 1971), known professionally as David Walliams (), is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television personality. He is best known for his work with Matt Lucas on the BBC sketch comedy series '' Little ...
and
Simon Pegg Simon John Pegg (; born 14 February 1970) is an English actor, comedian and screenwriter. He came to prominence in the UK as the co-creator of the Channel 4 sitcom ''Spaced'' (1999–2001), directed by Edgar Wright. He and Wright co-wrote the ...
. Diamond, Walliams and Pegg were part of a comedy troupe called "David Icke and The Orphans of Jesus". Walliams and Diamond fell out after Walliams appeared as a guest on Diamond and his friend (and ''GamesMaster'' commentator) Kirk Ewing's
Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...
show ''Dom'n'Kirk's Night O Plenty'' – after which Diamond said that Walliams and co-''Little Britain'' star
Matt Lucas Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English actor, comedian, writer and television host. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series ''Little Britain (TV series), Little Britain'' (2003–2006) ...
were "complete arseholes" on the show. In a 2007 interview Diamond said that he had not spoken to Walliams since, whom he described as both a "comic genius" and a "twat."


Television and publications

Diamond's biggest role on television came presenting 6 series of
Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. It is state-owned enterprise, publicly owned but, unlike the BBC, it receives no public funding and is funded en ...
's computer and video game show ''
GamesMaster ''GamesMaster'' was a British television programme which originally aired on Channel 4 from 1992 to 1998. In 2021, it returned for a new series on YouTube and E4. It was the first UK television programme dedicated to video games. Dominik Di ...
'', which ran from 1992 to 1998. Diamond did not present the show's third series, following disagreements with the show's creators about Diamond's desire to pursue business opportunities outside ''GamesMaster'' and the appointment of
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
as the show's sponsor. He went on to present the short-lived
BBC Scotland BBC Scotland is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Scotland. Its headquarters are in Glasgow, employing approximately 1,250 staff as of 2017, to produce 15,000 hours of television and radio programming per year. BBC Scotla ...
panel show ''Caledonia McBrains'' in 2002. In 2006, Diamond filmed a Five documentary, ''Crucify Me''. During filming, he took part in the annual Holy Week re-enactment of the crucifixion at San Pedro Cutud in the Philippines. However, he backed down at the last minute, breaking into tears. He also has appeared on the
Discovery Real Time Discovery Real Time was a British television channel owned by Discovery Networks UK focused on educational and learning content. History It was originally launched on 9 March 1992 as The Learning Channel, United Kingdom's version of the Ameri ...
programme, ''Rubble Trouble'', which charts the development of his house extension. While residing in
Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
from 2002 to 2004, he trained and worked as a bus driver with the local transport company Brighton and Hove Bus Company, recording his thoughts and feelings for a documentary to be shown on UK television Channel 5. Similarly to Diamond, many celebrities have worked for Brighton and Hove Bus Company, some of which are named on the front of the city's buses. Diamond's autobiography, ''Celtic & Me: Confessions From The Jungle'', was published in the UK by Black & White Publishing in August 2010. The book is a combination of media memoir and the story of Diamond's life as a fan of Celtic Football Club. In 2015, he became one of 44 financial backers for the short film '' Autumn Never Dies''.


Radio

Diamond launched XFM Scotland with ''The Dominik Diamond Breakfast Show'' on XFM Scotland in January 2006. On 27 June 2007, RadioToday.co.uk announced that Diamond had joined Talk 107 to cover a number of programmes over the summer months. From 13 October 2007 Diamond presented the Dominik Diamond Breakfast Club on Talk 107. In January 2008 Dominik took over Talk 107 Drive with Marisa de Andrade. In April 2008, following a station revamp, the show became known as ''Diamond and de Andrade''. Diamond left Talk 107; the station closed in December 2008. He hosted The Dominik Diamond Show Mon–Fri 6–11pm on Q107 in Toronto. After a stint hosting on new music station Radio 96.5 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Diamond returned to the Toronto market in March 2014, replacing Dean Blundell as host of the morning show on 102.1 The Edge. From September 2015 to November 2018 he was the Morning Show host on 96.9
Jack FM Jack FM is a radio network brand that is licensed by Sparknet Communications, with the exception of the European Union where it is licensed by Oxis Media. It plays an adult hits radio format, format, in most cases not using disc jockey, DJs. F ...
in Calgary. In April 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown, Dominik started a live-stream channel on Twitch.


Personal life

Diamond is a lifelong fan of
Celtic F.C. The Celtic Football Club, commonly known as Celtic (), is a professional Association football, football club in Glasgow, Scotland. The team competes in the Scottish Premiership, the top division of Scottish football league system, Scottish ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Diamond, Dominik 1969 births Living people Alumni of the University of Bristol British radio DJs Scottish emigrants to Canada Scottish television presenters Scottish radio presenters People from Arbroath People educated at Strathallan School Canadian radio hosts