Christian Jessen

Dr Christian Jessen

Born Christian Spencer Jessen
(1977-03-04) 4 March 1977
London, United Kingdom
Nationality British
Education MBBS
Alma mater Uppingham School
University College London
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Television Embarrassing Bodies
Doctor Doctor
Supersize vs Superskinny
Partner(s) Rogerio Barreto
Website http://www.drchristianjessen.com

Christian Spencer Jessen (born 4 March 1977)[1] is a British doctor and television presenter, best known for presenting Channel 4 programmes such as Embarrassing Bodies (2007–2015) and Supersize vs Superskinny (2008–2014).

Education

Jessen was educated at Uppingham School, a co-educational independent school situated in the small market town of Uppingham in Rutland, followed by University College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, both constituent colleges of the University of London in Central London, where he received his MBBS degrees in 2000.[2]

Career

Jessen studied medicine as an undergraduate at University College London, graduating in 2000.[2] He holds a MSc degree in sexual health, and has a particular interest in HIV and malaria, which were the focus of his work for two years in Kenya and Uganda.[2]

As well as his television career, Jessen is a doctor with Doctorcall at 121 Harley Street, central London, and has worked privately in the UK oil and gas industry - as well as for the Australian, New Zealand and Canadian immigration services.[3] Jessen also provides occupational health for London Underground and Virgin Trains. An advocate for HIV education and testing, in 2015, he was named National HIV Testing Week Ambassador.[4]

Television

From 2007 to 2015, Jessen co-presented Embarrassing Bodies alongside Pixie McKenna and Dawn Harper. The show has had a number of spin-off series including Embarrassing Teenage Bodies, Embarrassing Bodies: Kids and Embarrassing Fat Bodies.[5]

Another spin off was set in Australia in 2013 called Embarrassing Bodies Down Under, which Jessen co-hosted with Brad McKay, Ginni Mansberg, and Sam Hay.[6]

He presented Channel 4's Supersize vs Superskinny series from 2008 until 2014.

In 2012, Jessen appeared as the health and fitness expert in Hotel GB. He was the winner of popular culinary show ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’[7] and has appeared as a celebrity contestant on ‘The Weakest Link’. He was also the winner of the BBC show Antiques Mastermind.

He was Jack Osbourne’s doctor during the filming of Finding God and also featured in Harley Street, a documentary.[8] Other television appearances include ‘Sex in Court’ and ‘The Wright Stuff’

In 2012 and 2014, he co-presented the Stand Up to Cancer telethon alongside Davina McCall and Alan Carr.

In 2014, he produced and starred in a documentary series for television called Undercover Doctor: Cure Me I’m Gay.[9] In the series, Jessen investigates gay cures.[10]

In 2015, he was asked to meet with executives at Channel 4, the producers of Embarrassing Bodies, after allegations that he offered drugs to a stranger on a dating app, Grindr.[11][12] In an appearance on ‘Loose Women’, Jessen performed a live HIV test on a woman and drew criticism for not wearing protective gloves. Jessen defended his actions and called for more understanding on how the HIV virus spreads.[13]

Writing

Jessen wrote the accompanying book Supersize vs Superskinny: Take Control of Your Weight, and later wrote Can I Just Ask based on the medical questions he gets asked. Jessen contributes to newspapers and magazines such as the Evening Standard, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Daily Express, FHM, Attitude, Closer and Arena.

He is the author of Dr Christian’s Guide to Growing Up,[14] a book aimed at children and adolescents dealing with question about puberty and sexuality.[15] He has also written the books, Can I Just Ask?,[16] Dr Christian’s Guide to You[17] and Dr Christian’s Guide to the Tricky Stuff.[18]

Personal life

Jessen's father is German.[19] Jessen is gay; his partner Rogerio Barreto, is Brazilian.[20][21][22] The couple live near the River Thames in south London.

Jessen has an interest in antique bronzes; in 2010, he won a celebrity edition of the quiz show Antiques Master with this as his specialist subject. He is also knowledgeable about and collects anything from the European Empire period 1800-1820, reflecting his fascination with the mindset of Napoleon.

He has stated that he has muscle dysmorphia.[23]

Jessen is an atheist and a humanist. He is a patron of the British Humanist Association, a British charity which campaigns for secularism, equalities, and human rights.[24]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2007-2015 Embarrassing Bodies Presenter Formerly Embarrassing Illnesses
2007 Doctor, Doctor Himself 1 episode
Sex In Court Judge
2008–2009 Embarrassing Teenage Bodies Presenter Embarrassing Bodies spin-off
2008–2014 Supersize vs Superskinny Presenter
2009, 2010 Angela and Friends Himself 17 episodes, weekly "Health and Medicine" segment
2010–2011 Embarrassing Bodies: Kids Presenter Embarrassing Bodies spin-off
2010 One Born at Christmas Doctor 6-part One Born Every Minute spin-off
The Ugly Face of Beauty Presenter
2011 Supersize vs Superskinny Kids Presenter Supersize vs Superskinny spin-off
Stephen Fry's 100 Greatest Gadgets Himself TV documentary
Mongrels Himself One episode
A Night with the Stars Himself TV documentary
2011— Embarrassing Fat Bodies Presenter Embarrassing Bodies spin-off
2012 Hotel GB Health and fitness expert
2012, 2014 Stand Up To Cancer Presenter Live charity telethon
2012 Drugs Live: The Ecstasy Trial Presenter Two part live documentary
2013, 2014 Embarrassing Bodies Down Under Himself Embarrassing Bodies spin-off
2014 Undercover Doctor: Cure Me I'm Gay[25] Presenter
Guest appearances

References

  1. ↑ "Twitter / Dr Christian Jessen: It's my birthday today! I". Twitter.com. 2010-03-03. Retrieved 2011-01-07.
  2. 1 2 3
  3. ↑ "Dr Christian Jessen (biography)". Archived from the original on 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  4. ↑ "Dr Christian Jessen and Mayor of Lambeth promote HIV Testing Week". Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  5. ↑ Channel 4, Embarrassing Bodies, Health, Dr Jessen, Advice, Doctor, Profile, from channel4.com/bodies
  6. ↑ Embarrassing Bodies Down Under recap: Are Aussies really as unhealthy as the Brits? - Sydney Morning Herald - published 29 October 2013
  7. ↑ "Episode 20, Series 19, Ready Steady Cook - BBC Two". BBC. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  8. ↑ "London's hottest doctor on sexual health, size zero and David Cameron". 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  9. ↑ "Undercover Doctor: Cure Me, I'm Gay - All 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  10. ↑ Cosslett, Rhiannon Lucy (2014-03-21). "Dr Christian Jessen: 'The public's thirst for gory medical things is insatiable'". the Guardian. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  11. ↑ Jefferies, Mark (2015-07-19). "Christian Jessen to meet with C4 bosses after admitting 'stupid' drug use boasts". Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  12. ↑ Reporter, Ashley Percival Entertainment; UK, The Huffington Post (2015-07-20). "Dr Christian Speaks Out After Making Drugs Claims On Gay Dating App". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  13. ↑ Reporter, Ashley Percival Entertainment; UK, The Huffington Post (2015-11-30). "Dr Christian Explains Why He Didn't Wear Gloves For 'Loose Women' HIV Test". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  14. ↑ "Dr Christian's Guide To Growing Up". Goodreads. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  15. ↑ "Welcome to the Official website of Dr Christian Jessen". www.drchristianjessen.com. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  16. ↑ Jessen, Christian (2010-11-01). Can I Just Ask?: The 250+ Curious Questions that Off-Duty Doctors Are Most Often Asked. Hay House, Inc. ISBN 9781848504233.
  17. ↑ Jessen, Dr Christian (2016-05-05). Dr Christian's Guide to You. Scholastic UK. ISBN 9781407165455.
  18. ↑ Jessen, Christian (2015-01-01). Dr Christian's Guide to Dealing with the Tricky Stuff. Scholastic UK. ISBN 9781407153926.
  19. ↑ Room 101, s15 e6
  20. ↑ "Dr Christian Jessen on Being a Gay Doctor". Ditch the Label. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  21. ↑ Laws, Roz (10 May 2009). "Dr Christian Jessen reveals what shocks him". Sunday Mercury. Retrieved 31 May 2009.
  22. ↑ Jill Foster (2010-07-10). "Dr Christian Jessen: Being a scared, vain control freak almost cost me my life". London: Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-01-07.
  23. ↑ I weigh 14 stone but in my head I'm a 7 stone weakling
  24. ↑ "Dr Christian Jessen". British Humanist Association. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  25. ↑

External links

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