Famed comedian John Bishop is a father of three sons and shares them with his wife, Melanie Bishop whom he has been married to since 1993.
John is a Liverpool-born comedian and actor, known for his charity work. He was working as a sales rep until 2006 when he left his job to become a full-time comedian. Within three years he was playing in sold-out arenas.
The much-loved British star’s fans were hit with a piece of tragic news in July 2021 when he was involved in an accident but was unhurt, while driving in Wales. He had crashed his Land Rover Discovery after swerving to avoid another driver who had swerved to avoid a “big chicken”.
In December 2022, Bishop starred as Vic in the pantomime Mother Goose opposite Ian McKellen in the title role at the Duke of York’s Theatre in London’s West End before touring the UK and Ireland until April 2023.
Throughout his career, he has been with one woman who is his wife, Melanie Bishop, and the duo has expanded their family. Here’s everything we know about John Bishop’s wife and children.
Who is John Bishop?
John Bishop was born on November 30, 1966, at the Mill Road Hospital in Liverpool, United Kingdom.
His parents are Kathy Bishop (formerly called Kathleen Hackett), and Edward “Ernie” Bishop. The couple are from nearby Huyton.
His mother, Kathleen, is a housewife and his father, Edward, is a laborer.
He is not an only child to his parents. He has an older brother, footballer Eddie, and two older sisters, Kathy and Carol.
John and his siblings grew up mostly in the Cheshire towns of Runcorn and Winsford, attending Murdishaw West Primary School and Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy (formerly called Brookvale Comprehensive School).
He briefly studied English at Newcastle Polytechnic and gained a BA in Social Science from Manchester Polytechnic. He later became a medical representative for the pharmaceutical company Syntex, where he worked until leaving in 2006 to pursue his comedy career full-time at the age of 40.
By profession, John Bishop is an English comedian, presenter, and actor, who has starred in many high-profile TV shows, including Doctor Who, where he starred as Dan Lewis.
The comedian has had his shows include John Bishop’s Britain, John Bishop’s Only Joking, and The John Bishop Show. He is also a regular panelist on Have I Got News For You and League Of Their Own.
Broadcast on W, the TV channel formerly known as Watch, the first set of episodes saw the comedian interview the likes of James Corden, Charlotte Church, and Lenny Henry.
John is a keen footballer and played for non-league teams Hyde and Southport.
The comedian can often be found going on tour with his stand-up act.
How did John Bishop become famous? John worked as a pharmaceutical rep before becoming a stand-up comedian in 2000.
His television debut came on the Irish comedy show The Panel.
He then won the role of Rob Fitch in E4 teen drama Skins for seasons three and four.
Who is John Bishop’s wife, Melanie?
Melanie Bishop is the wife of one of the celebrated actors, John Bishop.
The couple met at college in Manchester and married in 1993 when he was 27 years old.
The pair have been together happily for 3 decades and still going strong.
In the early days of his marriage, he says he was a blunt, unemotional Northerner who was unable to express his feelings to his wife Melanie.
However, after 7 years together, the pair split in 2000 for 18 months, which is when John started his comedy career.
When the couple separated he took up stand-up comedy and started talking about the split during his stage routine.
John made his stand-up debut, having chanced upon an open-mic night at The Frog And Bucket comedy club in Manchester.
They reunited after she turned up to one of his gigs and heard him telling jokes about her.
They went on to get their relationship back on track with the help of some Relate counselling. John previously told with heart-warming honesty how stand-up and relationship counseling saved his marriage.
The couple then became parents and he assumed the traditional male role, providing for Melanie and their sons through a well-paid job in pharmaceutical sales.
How many children does John Bishop have?
Away from his work, Comedian and presenter John Bishop is a father.
He has three kids – all sons – whose names are Joe Bishop, 29, Luke Bishop, 27, and Daniel Bishop, 25.
He shares his sons with his wife of 30 years, Melanie Bishop.
John has a family home based in Northwich, Cheshire.
In May 2018, John revealed he is “massively proud” of his sons.
He said in his acceptance speech for the Celebrity Ally Award at the British LGBT Awards: “Like all parents we have problems with them.
“One of my sons has a tattoo on his ankle that was meant to be Africa but looks like Australia, one of my sons mumbles and one of my sons is a gay man. I’ll be honest, there’s been loads of nights when me and my wife have sat up and worried and worried and worried. What are we going to do if he doesn’t stop mumbling?”
He also spoke about his son’s sexuality on The Graham Norton Show, saying: “Having a gay son is just like having a son. Of the top ten things that I even think about him, being gay isn’t even on there. He’s just another son.”
Who is Joe Bishop and what condition does he have?
Born in 1994, Joe Bishop is the eldest son of actor-comedian, John Bishop and his wife, Melanie.
When Joe was 15, he caught a virus and developed Cogan’s syndrome. It’s an autoimmune disease that attacks – among other things – ear tissue.
This health condition has led to the deterioration of his hearing and progressive deafness.
Joe reportedly lost 60% of his hearing overnight.
The father and son duo appeared in a documentary together, John & Joe Bishop: Life After Deaf.