Bradley Walsh has cemented himself as one of the UK's top presenters, but in his early career he found himself in a completely different profession.
The 63-year-old is currently ranked as Britain's richest solo TV presenter after amassing an impressive £18.6million fortune. Bradley first stepped in the spotlight in 1997 presenting Wheel of Fortune and has gone onto present The Chase, Odd One In, Cash Trapped and the new BBC Gladiators reboot, which set to air later this year.
As well as presenting, Bradley got his first acting role in 2004 as Danny Baldwin in Coronation Street before starring as DS Ronnie Brooks in Law & Order: UK, from 2009 until 2014. The game show host also starred as Graham O'Brien in Doctor Who from 2018-2022, so it's no surprise Bradley has built up quite the financial empire.
However, before finding fame on TV, Bradley had a very different career outside of showbiz. Prior to his television career, Bradley was a professional footballer starting his career at Wormley Rovers.
Bradley signed for Brentford in late 1979 and also played for Barnet on loan, also playing for Tring Town, Boreham Wood, and Chalfont St Peter. He made five Southern Football League appearances in the 1979–80 season.
In the end, his sporting career didn't work out after he broke both of his ankles at the age of 22 in 1982. After his heartbreak, Bradley took some time out before embarking on a career in presenting.
Back in 2012, the TV star told Sky Sports: "I've done some fantastic things in my life and had some fantastic jobs, but football was my life. When I got injured it was a real shame. I'd fractured one ankle and recovered. I was supposed to be playing Plymouth Argyle on the Saturday and I fractured the other ankle.
"A lot of my mates are still playing or are involved, people like Wally Downes, Paul Walsh and Clive Allen and all them lads and I still know them all."
Although his professional career as a footballer is behind him, Bradley has said he'd still love to be involved in the sport.
He revealed: "But I wish I had taken my badges now and I would still be involved in football. I would love to try and coach a youth team now, because they don't play in the streets anymore."
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