PAUL CRONE
Paul Crone is an accomplished after-dinner speaker, master of ceremonies, broadcaster, and actor. He's also one of the most friendly and recognised faces in the North West.
For more than 15 years Paul Crone has been one of the most familiar faces on Granada TV, which broadcasts across the north west of England.
In a broadcasting career which started way back in 1982 when many newspapers were still printed in Latin, Paul was taken on by the Lancashire Evening Post mainly out of sympathy.
Subsequent jobs in radio and TV were also heavily down to grovelling but Croney seems to have done ok, and still for some unknown reason seems to have struck up a very special relationship with Granada viewers.
Paul has helped raise nearly £50,000 for the region's four cancer centres. His charity appeals in the summer have become a familiar sight on the TV as Croney whizzes around the region getting members of the public to part with their hard-earned cash!
He has worked for numerous organisations and charities and his speciality is the 'charity auction.' Paul uses his own unique style and brand of humour to provide an excllent 45 minutes entertainment at what can be an excruciatingly tedious part of a charity ball or evening. But beware, Croney can get money out of anyone!
Croney has assisted numerous charities including the Wallness Children's Charity for the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Wish Upon a Star, The Warrington Peace Centre, and the Variety Club of Great Britain.
A section of Croney's time is also taken up with various public relations interests.
With two Royal Television Society Awards, the RNLI's Fundraiser of the Year Award, a Christie's Gold Award and 7 Granada TV charity appeals to his name, Croney has raised over a quarter of a million pounds for good causes. He's run the London Marathon, travelled the region in a motorised skip, a three-wheeled speedboat, an SAS desert buggy and slogged his way round the region armed with his bucket and a dodgy pair of trainers.
BIOGRAPHY
980-84
Reporter, Lancashire Evening Post.
1985-
TV Presenter, Granada Television
1999-2001
Presenter, Century Radio
Paul Crone is one of the best-known faces and voices in the North West.
He is known for his versatility and ability to turn his hand to just about any facet of broadcasting.
His credits include producing, directing and presenting over half hour documentaries.
Famous for his many TV charity appeals, which have raised thousands of pounds, Croney has been a stalwart on Granada Television’s nightly news programme, Granada Reports for over 15 years.
In 2001 Paul finished a stint on Century 105.4FM as a lunchtime talk show host with his daily live show The Crone Zone.
No one on the station has yet beaten his 98% RAJAR increase of listeners.
TV CREDITS
Hollyoaks
The Sooty Show
The Tribe [C4]
Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights 1 & 2
It’ll Be Alright on the Night
TV Nightmares
Britain’s Most Haunted Houses.
STAGE CREDITS
Baron Hardup-Cinderella, 1998, Tameside Hippodrome.
Widow Twankey-Aladdin, 2000, Southport Theatre.
Wishee Washee-Aladdin, 2001, Albert Halls, Bolton.
Idle Jack-Dick Whittington 2002,Albert Halls, Bolton.
TV APPEALS
Granada Tonight Gladrags Appeal 1996-collected 70,000 items of clothing for charity shops in the northwest.
Granada Tonight Summer Spectacle Campaign 1997-collected 72,000 pairs of second-hand spectacles to distribute in Uganda, Africa.
Granada Tonight Cashflow Appeal 1998-collected £20,000 in foreign currency to build water wells in Ghana, Africa.
Granada Tonight Treasure Trove 2000 Appeal-collected second-hand and unwanted jewellery to provide vital life-saving equipment for the RNLI. Total raised was £15,000.
London Marathon 2000-raised £11,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust by running 26.2 miles.
Granada Reports Sound as a Pound Appeal 2002 which raise £58,000 for the region’s four cancer centres.
In 2003 Croney walked 260 miles round the region in 3 weeks collecting a staggering £148,000 for the North West Air Ambulance and the North Wales Air Ambulance.
Royal Television Society’s North West Reporter of the Year 1996 and special award for broadcasting in 2003.
RNLI’s Fundraiser of the Year 1999
Water Aid-Special Fundraising Award 1999