Louie Spence (born 6 April 1969) is an English

dancer Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

choreographer Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which Motion (physics), motion or Visual appearance, form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A chor ...

and

television presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces or hosts television show, television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. It is common for people ...

, best known for the TV show ''

Pineapple Dance Studios Pineapple Dance Studios is a dance studio complex, performing arts school, and associated dancewear, clothing, and eyewear brand, based in London, England. Origin Pineapple Studios was founded by former model Debbie Moore, who had started dan ...

''. He was a professional dancer in his youth, performing in West End

musicals Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movement ...

including ''

Miss Saigon ''Miss Saigon'' is a sung-through musical theatre, stage musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera ''Madama Butterfly'', and similarly tells th ...

'', ''

Cats The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

'', and '' Closer to Heaven''. ''Pineapple Dance Studios'' was sold around the world and has aired on the US network

Ovation The ovation ( from ''ovare'': to rejoice) was a lesser form of the Roman triumph. Ovations were granted when war was not declared between enemies on the level of nations or states; when an enemy was considered basely inferior (e.g., slaves, pira ...

since 28 September 2014.

Early life and education

Spence was born in

Ponders End Ponders End is the southeasternmost part of Enfield, London, Enfield, North London, north London, England, around Hertford Road west of the Lee Navigation, River Lee Navigation. It became Industrial suburb, industrialised through the 19th centur ...

, Enfield in the north of Greater London and grew up in Braintree, Essex. He attended

Notley High School Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form is situated in Braintree in Essex, England. The school was built in the early 1970s. Notley High School was an 11-18 school with sixth form until 1992, when the sixth was closed and all sixth form pupil ...

before moving on to the

Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, also known simply as Italia Conti, is a drama school based in Woking, Woking, England. It was founded by the English actress Italia Conti in 1911. Italia Conti offers courses in acting, musical theatre, ...

Career

Dance

Spence performed in the West End as part of the award-winning original cast of ''

''. He went on to perform in ''

'' and '' Closer to Heaven'', and performed with a number of pop acts including the

Spice Girls The Spice Girls are an English girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Mel B ("Scary Spice"), Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"), Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"), Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"), and Victoria Beckham ("Posh Spice"). They have sold over 10 ...

Take That Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singer ...

and

Björk Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct voice, three-octave vocal range, and eccentric public per ...

Television

From 2004 to 2006, Spence was a judge and mentor on Trouble TV's ''Bump'n'Grind''. Shortly after, Spence became a judge on the television series ''

Cirque de Celebrité ''Cirque de Celebrité'' is a celebrity reality television show broadcast on Sky One. The show features celebrities training for and then performing various circus acts. The winner of the series of 2006 was Grace Adams-Short. A second series ...

'' on

Sky1 Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non- terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989 ...

from 2006 to 2007 and the American version '' Celebrity Circus'' for

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

in 2008. In 2009, Spence was artistic director of the Covent Garden

when he appeared on a docu-soap ''

'' beginning 14 February 2010 which was a huge hit. However, after initially indicating that a second series would be produced, Sky1 reverted this decision, due to failing to come to terms with studio owner Debbie Moore. Spence was then given his own

series, ''

Louie Spence's Showbusiness ''Louie Spence's Showbusiness'' is a docusoap follow-up series to the hit show ''Pineapple Dance Studios''. After initially indicating that a second series of ''Pineapple Dance Studios'' would be produced, Sky1 reverted this decision due to faili ...

'' in 2011; however, with the loss of the brand name, the show failed to take off and was cancelled after one series. In 2011, Spence shot his own TV show in New York City for the

OWN OWN may also refer to: *Old West Norse, a North Germanic language *'' Once Was Not'' (2005), an album by Cryptopsy * One Warrior Nation, what The Ultimate Warrior calls his fans *Oprah Winfrey Network, a U.S.-based cable and satellite television c ...

network owned by

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...

. On 3 December 2011, it was announced Spence would become a new judge on the ITV show ''

Dancing on Ice ''Dancing on Ice'' is a British television series broadcast from 2006 to 2014 and then from 2018 to 2025. It was presented by Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern. Other previous hosts include Phillip Schofield and Christine Lampard. The series ...

'' with

Robin Cousins Robin John Cousins MBE (born 17 August 1957) is a British former competitive figure skater who was BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1980. He was the 1980 Olympic champion, the 1980 European champion, a three-time World medalist (1978– ...

Katarina Witt Katarina Witt (, ; born 3 December 1965) is a German former figure skater. A two-time Olympic champion, Witt is regarded as one of the greatest ladies' singles figure skaters of all time. Her Laureus profile states that "she is remembered mos ...

and Karen Barber. On 22 August 2013, Spence entered the ''

Celebrity Big Brother ''Celebrity Big Brother'' or ''Big Brother VIP'' is an adaptation of the '' Big Brother'' reality television series. It is the celebrity version of its parent franchise ''Big Brother'', the celebrity version airs in several countries, however, t ...

'' house to participate in the twelfth series. On the first day, he was chosen to be a 'Cult celebrity' meaning he had the power to nominate housemates for the first eviction. Throughout his time in the house, Spence survived three evictions, however he was evicted two days before the final. Beginning on 1 February 2015, Spence took part in the second series of reality programme '' The Jump'' and was eliminated on Day 2. In August 2018, Spence took part in ''

Celebs on the Farm Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group due to the attention given to them by mass media. The word is also used to refer to famous individuals. A person may attain celebrity status by having great w ...

'', and was eliminated on day 9.

Autobiography

On 29 September 2011, Spence released his autobiography, ''Still Got It, Never Lost It!'', which was published by

HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...

Filmography

;Television ;Guest appearances *''

Harry Hill's TV Burp ''Harry Hill's TV Burp'' (also referred to as ''TV Burp'') is a British television comedy clip series, written and hosted by comedian Harry Hill, and produced by Avalon Television for ITV. The show's format sees Hill take a comedic look tow ...

'' (13 March 2010) – Guest *''

Celebrity Juice ''Celebrity Juice'' is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on ITV2 between 24 September 2008 and 15 December 2022. The show was written and presented by Leigh Francis in the role of his alter ego Keith Lemon. The format for th ...

'' (18 March 2010, 25 March 2010, 21 April 2011, 19 April 2012) – Panelist *''

Friday Night with Jonathan Ross ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' is a British chat show presented by Jonathan Ross and broadcast on BBC One between 2001 and 2010. The programme featured Ross' take on current topics of conversation, guest interviews (usually three per show ...

'' (23 April 2010) – Guest *''

Justin Lee Collins Good Times ''Justin Lee Collins: Good Times'' is a British comedy chat show hosted by comedian Justin Lee Collins Justin Lee Collins (born 1974) is a former actor and radio and television presenter from Bristol, England.

'' (14 June 2010) – Guest *''

Top Gear Top Gear may refer to: * "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission Television * ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme * ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the ori ...

'' (27 June 2010) – Guest *'' Alan Carr: Chatty Man'' (4 July 2010) – Guest *'' Shooting Stars'' (17 August 2010) – Guest *''

8 Out of 10 Cats ''8 Out of 10 Cats'' (stylised as ''8 out of 10 CATS'') is a British comedy panel show that aired from 3 June 2005 to 17 January 2021. It was first broadcast on Channel 4 from 2005 to 2015, then More4 from 2016 to 2017, and finally E4 from ...

'' (24 September 2010, 28 October 2011, 22 June 2012, 29 October 2012) – Panelist *'' Chris Moyles' Quiz Night'' (8 November 2010, 26 December 2011) – Panelist *''

The Alan Titchmarsh Show ''The Alan Titchmarsh Show'' is a British daytime chat show presented by Alan Titchmarsh. It was first broadcast on ITV on 3 September 2007 until 14 November 2014 and aired on weekday afternoons. The show's main focus is the "Best of British" th ...

'' (25 November 2010, 15 March 2011, 24 October 2011, 29 February 2012, 4 March 2013) – Guest *''

Benidorm Benidorm ( , , ) is a municipality in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Known as the “New York City, New York of the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean”, Benidorm has been a tourist destinatio ...

'' (26 December 2010) – Marvin *''

Big Fat Quiz of the Year ''The Big Fat Quiz of the Year'' is an approximately annual British television programme broadcast in the last or first week of the year on Channel 4. The show is a comedy panel game in the style of a pub quiz. Three teams of two celebrities, mo ...

'' (3 January 2011) – Guest *''

That Sunday Night Show ''That Sunday Night Show'' is a British television Talk show, chat show presented by Adrian Chiles and was first broadcast on ITV (TV network), ITV on 9 January 2011. Each episode was 30 minutes long. In each episode, Chiles was joined by three ...

'' (6 February 2011, 30 October 2011) – Panelist *''

Let's Dance for Comic Relief ''Let's Sing and Dance'', formerly known as ''Let's Dance'', is a British television programme shown on BBC One, featuring celebrities performing famous dance routines to raise money for the charities Comic Relief and Sport Relief. The programme ...

'' (12 March 2011, 10 March 2012) – Panelist and guest *''

Loose Women ''Loose Women'' (known as ''Live Talk'' from 2000 to 2001) is a British talk show that broadcasts on ITV weekdays from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. The show focuses on a panel of four female presenters who interview celebrities, talk about aspects of ...

'' (28 March 2011, 29 September 2011, 16 January 2012, 2 July 2012, 23 October 2012) – Guest *'' Would I Lie to You?'' (23 September 2011) – Panelist *''

The Jonathan Ross Show ''The Jonathan Ross Show'' is a British comedy chat show presented by Jonathan Ross. It was first broadcast on ITV on 3 September 2011 and airs on Saturday evenings following the conclusion of Ross' BBC One chat show, ''Friday Night with Jona ...

'' (24 September 2011) – Guest *''

Never Mind the Buzzcocks ''Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' is a British comedy panel game show with a pop music theme. It has aired on Sky Max since September 2021, having originally aired between November 1996 and January 2015 on BBC Two. The original series was first host ...

'' (3 October 2011) – Panelist *''

The Sarah Millican Television Programme ''The Sarah Millican Television Programme'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British comedic television show hosted by comedian Sarah Millican. The show's central theme is a comical review of television programming (particularly British tel ...

'' (5 April 2012) – Guest *''

Mad Mad World ''Mad Mad World'' is the second studio album by Canadian rock singer Tom Cochrane, originally released in 1991 in Canada and in the United States on February 17, 1992. The first single from the album, "Life Is a Highway", became a hit in late 19 ...

'' (11 August 2012) – Panelist *''

Celebrity Wedding Planner ''Celebrity Wedding Planner'' is a British reality television series that premiered on Channel 5 on 6 January 2012. The series revolves around brides-to-be handing over the planning of their wedding to a surprise celebrity or celebrity pairing ...

'' (20 August 2012) *''

Russell Howard's Good News ''Russell Howard's Good News'' is a British comedy and topical news television show which was broadcast on BBC Three between 2009 and 2014, and on BBC Two between 2014 and 2015. Hosted by comedian Russell Howard, it offered his commentary on th ...

'' (11 October 2012) – Guest/Cameo *''

All Star Family Fortunes ''Family Fortunes'' is a British television game show based on the American game show ''Family Feud''. The programme ran on ITV from 6 January 1980 to 6 December 2002. A celebrity version, '' All Star Family Fortunes'', followed from 2006 to ...

'' (13 January 2013) – Contestant *'' Tipping Point: Lucky Stars'' (14 July 2013) – Contestant *'' Backchat'' (11 December 2013) – Guest *''

Britain's Got More Talent ''Britain's Got Talent'' (often abbreviated to ''BGT'') is a televised British talent show competition, and part of the global ''Got Talent'' franchise created by Simon Cowell. Presented by Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly (colloquially ...

'' – Multiple guest appearances *''

Celebrity Come Dine with Me ''Come Dine with Me'' is a British reality series that has aired on Channel 4 since 10 January 2005 and is narrated by Dave Lamb. Format The original format features five amateur chefs who live in the same town or area, who each host a three-co ...

'' (27 December 2013) – Contestant *''

Fake Reaction ''Fake Reaction'' is a British television comedy panel game shown on ITV2 that ran for two series from 3 January 2013 to 6 March 2014 presented by Matt Edmondson with regular team captains Joe Swash and Ellie Taylor. Production A pilot edition ...

'' (9 January 2014) – Panelist *'' Draw It!'' (19–26 May 2014) – Contestant *'' A Question of Sport: Super Saturday'' (21 June 2014) – Guest *'' The Chase: Celebrity Special'' (1 November 2014) – Contestant *''

Pointless Celebrities ''Pointless'' is a British television quiz show produced by Banijay Entertainment subsidiary Remarkable Entertainment for the BBC and hosted by Alexander Armstrong. In each episode, four teams of two contestants attempt to find correct but ob ...

'' (15 & 29 November 2014) – Contestant *''

Through the Keyhole ''Through the Keyhole'' is a British comedy panel game show created by the TV producer Kevin Sim and originally presented by David Frost, Sir David Frost in the studio and Loyd Grossman on location. The location presenter explores celebrities' h ...

'' (26 December 2014 & 2015) – Celebrity homeowner/panelist *'' The Big Fat Anniversary Quiz'' (2 January 2015) – Guest *''

Mel and Sue Mel Giedroyc (born 5 June 1968) and Sue Perkins (born 22 September 1969), known collectively as Mel and Sue, are an English comedy double act. They are known for hosting the BAFTA Award-winning BBC One cookery series '' The Great British ...

'' (13 February 2015) – Guest *''

Safeword In BDSM, a safeword is a code word, series of code words or other signal used by a person to communicate their physical or emotional state, typically when approaching, or crossing, a physical, emotional, or moral boundary. Some safewords are use ...

'' (6 August 2015) – Guest *'' Celebrity Fifteen to One'' (28 August 2015) – Contestant *'' Who's Doing the Dishes?'' (10 September 2015) – Celebrity cook *'' A Place in the Sun: Winter Sun'' (16 January 2017) *''

The Crystal Maze ''The Crystal Maze'' is a British game show devised by Jacques Antoine, based upon his format for the French game show '' Fort Boyard'', and produced for Channel 4. The programme focuses on teams of contestants, a mixed group of men and women, ...

'' (23 January 2017) Stand up to Cancer Special – Contestant *''

Celebrity Money for Nothing ''Money for Nothing'' is a British consumer television series, hosted on a rotational basis by Sarah Moore, Jacqui Joseph and JJ Chalmers, and formerly by Jay Blades and EJ Osborne. It airs on BBC One. Earlier series are available for viewing on ...

'' (September 2017) – *'' Tenable All Stars'' Christmas Special (26 December 2019) - Contestant

References

External links

Louie Spence's Official websiteLouie Spence at Pineapple Dance Studios
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Spence, Louie 1969 births Living people English male dancers English choreographers English television personalities English LGBTQ dancers English LGBTQ broadcasters English gay entertainers Gay dancers LGBTQ choreographers People from Braintree, Essex People from Ponders End 21st-century English LGBTQ people