Quick Answers
The main actors in the People’s Postcode Lottery TV commercials in 2022 are:
- Jeff Brazier – Host
- Judie McCourt – Announcer
- Ade Adepitan MBE – Charity Ambassador
- Danyl Johnson – Singer
- Melanie Hill – Actress
- Susan Calman – Comedian
The People’s Postcode Lottery holds multiple draws per day and donates a minimum of 32% from each ticket to charity. Over £900 million has been raised for charities and good causes since 2005 from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
Jeff Brazier
Jeff Brazier is an English television presenter, columnist and reality TV star, best known for being the host of People’s Postcode Lottery’s daily draws broadcast on Channel 5 and ITV. He took over from Matt Johnson in 2021.
Jeff Brazier was born on 27 May 1979 in London, England. He first came into the public eye in 2001, when he appeared as a contestant on the reality TV show Shipwrecked. He went on to star in several other reality shows including Celebrity Wife Swap, The Farm and Celebrity Come Dine With Me.
In addition to his TV presenting work, Jeff is also an author and newspaper columnist. He has two children with the late reality star Jade Goody, who sadly passed away in 2009 after battling cervical cancer.
TV Presenting
Since taking over as host of People’s Postcode Lottery in 2021, Jeff Brazier has become a familiar face to viewers who tune in each day for the draws. With his charming and upbeat presenting style, he helps build anticipation and excitement before revealing the winning postcodes.
Prior to joining People’s Postcode Lottery, Jeff garnered plenty of experience hosting shows including The Saturday Show on GMTV in 2008 and 2015’s reality competition programme Bad Building Jobs. He also regularly hosts segments on shows such as This Morning and Loose Women.
Charity Work
As well as presenting the lottery draws, Jeff is an ambassador helping raise awareness of the important charitable work made possible by players. A minimum of 32% from each People’s Postcode Lottery ticket goes to good causes and players have raised over £900 million to date.
Jeff has been able to see first-hand on visits how funding benefits charities and community projects across Great Britain. In 2022, he made a trip to Camley Street Natural Park in London, which has received over £500,000 in funding raised by lottery players.
Judie McCourt
Judie McCourt is an English actress and television presenter best known for being the announcer on People’s Postcode Lottery. Her voice greets viewers at the start of each televised draw and reveals whether entrants have won prizes.
Judie grew up in Liverpool, England and trained at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. She first came into the public eye in 2002 when she made it to the final stages of talent show Pop Idol, ultimately finishing third.
She went on to perform in musical theatre shows and had small roles in TV dramas including Doctors and Hollyoaks. Her presenting experience includes hosting Peak Pursuits on ITV andTransaction CI’s Most Haunted Live.
Stage & Screen Career
After scoring a top three finish on Pop Idol in 2002, Judie McCourt went on to land a record deal and released her debut single “Come Into My World” which reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. She continues to perform and in 2021 appeared as a guest singer with Steps on their What the Future Holds Tour.
On screen, Judie has enjoyed minor roles in popular dramas including The Royal, Emmerdale and Scottish crime series Taggart. She also briefly played Dixie in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks in 2010. More recently she has focused on theatre work, touring with productions of Hairspray, Fame and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
People’s Postcode Lottery
Since 2014, Judie McCourt has been the voice of People’s Postcode Lottery responsible for revealing winning tickets at the start of each televised draw. Her warm and cheerful presence helps give the draws a friendly, community feel.
Judie often announces special draws with larger prizes, helping build excitement and anticipation for players. In February 2022 she revealed the winner of a £3 million jackpot from a special Valentine’s Day draw in Liverpool.
Ade Adepitan MBE
Ade Adepitan MBE is a Paralympic medallist and television presenter who acts as an ambassador for People’s Postcode Lottery, promoting the important work of the charities it supports.
Ade uses a wheelchair as he has polio, which affected him as a child growing up in Nigeria. He moved to the UK when he was 12. A tremendously gifted athlete, he went on to represent Great Britain in wheelchair basketball at three Paralympic Games, winning a bronze medal in 2004.
Since retiring from sport, Ade has enjoyed a successful media career as a freelance presenter and pundit. He is also a leading disability rights advocate.
Paralympics Success
Ade Adepitan competed internationally in wheelchair basketball from 1995 to 2008. He made his Paralympic debut aged just 17 at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
His proudest moment came at the 2004 Athens Paralympics where he was part of the Great Britain team that won bronze – the country’s first ever medal in wheelchair basketball. He also competed at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Ade was made an MBE in 2005 in recognition of his services to disability sport. He has also won European and World Championship medals with Great Britain alongside his Paralympic bronze.
TV Presenting
Since retiring from wheelchair basketball, Ade Adepitan has forged a successful media career. As well as being the face of People’s Postcode Lottery’s charity work, he has presented various BBC television shows.
These include co-presenting the Chelsea Flower Show coverage and featuring in documentary series such as Ade on the Road and Ade at Christmas. He was one of the main presenters for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.
Ade continues to be involved in sports broadcasting, recently covering the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games for Channel 4 and presenting basketball content for BT Sport.
Danyl Johnson
Danyl Johnson is an English singer-songwriter best known for finishing fourth in the 2009 series of talent show The X Factor. He has since performed in theatre shows and continues to release music as an independent artist.
In 2022, Danyl collaborated with People’s Postcode Lottery on a cover version of the song “With a Little Help from My Friends” by The Beatles to help raise money for charities.
The X Factor
Danyl Johnson grew up in Essex, England and attended stage school as a child. He applied for The X Factor in 2009 and impressed judges during the audition rounds with his soulful voice and vocal range.
Assigned to mentor Simon Cowell’s category, Danyl continued to shine in the live finals. His standout performances included renditions of songs like “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” and “Man in the Mirror”.
Ultimately, he finished fourth in the competition behind winner Joe McElderry. However, his cover of “With a Little Help from My Friends” reached number one on the UK iTunes chart.
Performing Arts
After his success on The X Factor, Danyl Johnson signed a record deal with Simon Cowell’s Syco label in 2010 and released his debut album, Danyl Johnson. While a top 20 hit, the album did not produce any major chart hits.
In recent years, Danyl has focused more on stage musicals and theatre work. He appeared in London productions of We Will Rock You and Starlight Express, as well as pantomimes like Aladdin.
He continues to create and release music independently, marketing directly to fans online via platforms like Patreon.
Melanie Hill
Melanie Hill is an English actress with a career in television, film and theatre spanning over 35 years. She is best known for comedy roles in shows like Bread, Playing the Field and Waterloo Road.
In 2022, Melanie appeared in a People’s Postcode Lottery advert celebrating how players have raised over £900 million for good causes to date. She played the role of a charity volunteer rewarded with a dream holiday.
Career Highlights
One of Melanie Hill’s earliest breakthroughs came starring as Aveline Boswell in all six series of BBC sitcom Bread from 1986 to 1991. She is also well known for portraying Kay Mellor in Playing the Field from 1998 to 2002.
Other key TV credits include starring in shows such as Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, The Syndicate, Cracker and three series of Waterloo Road from 2009-2012.
On film, Melanie has appeared in popular titles including Brassed Off, Shirley Valentine, The Borrowers and Stardust.
Recent Work
More recently, Melanie Hill played Cathy Matthews in Coronation Street from 2015-2020. She left the soap after her character embarked on a stalking campaign against love rival Geoff Metcalfe.
In 2022, Melanie competed on ITV’s The Games, coming fifth overall in the women’s competition in sports like javelin and hurdles. She also currently stars as Magda Przybyszewska in BAFTA-nominated comedy series Jerk.
Alongside her People’s Postcode Lottery advert appearance, her acting continues across TV and film.
Susan Calman
Susan Calman is a Scottish comedian, broadcaster and author who appeared in People’s Postcode Lottery adverts from 2018 to 2020. She portrayed overexcited winners receiving giant cheques from presenter Matt Johnson.
A regular face on panel shows and radio, Susan Calman has also competed on various reality TV programmes over the years. She is an advocate for LGBT rights.
Stand up Comedy
After studying law, Susan Calman began her comedy career in 2002, performing stand up at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival. By 2007, she was attracting bigger audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Susan has toured the UK extensively with comedy shows such as Lady Like, Sunny Side Up and The Calman Before the Storm. Her comedy draws on elements of her personal life and relationships.
In 2019, she was the recipient of the National Comedy Award for Best TV Comedian, recognising her appearances on panel shows.
TV & Radio
Aside from stand up, Susan Calman is a regular face on British television. As well as the People’s Postcode Lottery adverts, she has appeared on BBC shows like Strictly Come Dancing, Top Class and Epic Win. She co-presents Radio 4’s Meet David Sedaris.
Susan has been a frequent guest on comedy panel shows too, including QI, Have I Got News for You, Would I Lie To You?, Mock the Week and 8 Out of 10 Cats.
In 2021, she and Clara Amfo hosted a revived series of Never Mind the Buzzcocks on Sky.
Conclusion
The main actors who regularly feature in People’s Postcode Lottery adverts and broadcasts include presenters like Jeff Brazier and Judie McCourt, charity ambassador Ade Adepitan, singer Danyl Johnson and comedians/actresses including Melanie Hill and Susan Calman.
While their roles differ, each helps to inform viewers about the lottery while highlighting the positive impact it makes by raising money for good causes across Britain through player subscriptions. The familiar faces represent the friendly, community driven nature of the lottery.
People’s Postcode Lottery Draw Broadcasts
| Time | Presenter | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 12:30pm | Jeff Brazier | Channel 5 |
| 6:58pm | Jeff Brazier | ITV |
| 9:00pm | Jeff Brazier | Channel 5 |
Daily Draw Format
The televised People’s Postcode Lottery draws follow the same friendly format each time, hosted by presenter Jeff Brazier. Announcer Judie McCourt introduces the show and reveals the winning postcodes.
Each draw features footage of previous winners receiving their prize cheques plus interviews where players discuss the positive impact on their community.
Jeff interacts with audience members in the studio and builds a sense of anticipation before crossing to Judie for the all-important winning postcode reveals. Occasional special draws have larger prizes.
People’s Postcode Lottery Charity Ambassadors
| Ambassador | Charities Supported |
|---|---|
| Danyl Johnson | Mind, Prostate Cancer UK |
| Gabby Logan | Alzheimer Scotland, British Red Cross |
| Ade Adepitan | Salvation Army, NSPCC |
| Carol Vorderman | Bloodwise, Barnardo’s |
In addition to promoting the lottery draws, People’s Postcode Lottery enlists celebrity ambassadors to help raise awareness of the various charities and good causes supported by players.
Names like Danyl Johnson, Gabby Logan and Carol Vorderman visit projects funded by the lottery to see first-hand how the money benefits communities across Britain.
How Players Support Charities
Players of People’s Postcode Lottery pay £10 per month for a chance to win cash prizes while raising money for good causes. A minimum of 32% of each ticket price goes to charities and players have raised over £900 million since 2005.
Supported projects include wildlife conservation, poverty relief, medical research and local community initiatives. Ambassadors promote the work enabled by players who have funded over 11,000 charities and projects so far.
The regular subscription model provides charities with stable, long-term funding they can count on and plan around rather than one-off donations.
Charity Spotlight: Global’s Make Some Noise
Global’s Make Some Noise is People’s Postcode Lottery’s charity partner for 2022. It supports small charities helping disadvantaged people across Britain. Projects funded include mental health programmes, domestic violence support and youth counselling.
In February 2022, Global’s Make Some Noise was highlighted in People’s Postcode Lottery’s weekly TV draws. Funding from players allows the charity to maintain services relied on by vulnerable people in communities nationwide.
Conclusion
While the presenters and announcer play a visible role in People’s Postcode Lottery’s broadcasts, the charities and good causes supported thanks to players are the real stars. The lottery organisers enlist ambassadors to shine a light on this important work.
In total over £900 million has been donated to more than 11,000 life-changing projects across Britain through player subscriptions. The regular funds allow charities to strategically grow their impact in areas like medical research, poverty relief and local community development.