Geoffrey Hayes
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Geoffrey Hayes (born 13 March 1942 in Stockport, Cheshire) is an English television presenter and actor, best known as the host of Thames Television's top-rated children's show Rainbow from 1973 to 1992. Before that, he had much other work, including a recurring role in BBC1's police drama Z Cars.
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[edit] After Rainbow
After Rainbow was cancelled, He continued to get work in television and pantomime, but it was not enough to earn a living as an actor, so he took a job working as a stock replenisher for the British supermarket chain Sainsbury's, before becoming a taxi driver, which he is still doing today. Hayes has recently admitted he had not been wise with his money, and had little left by the time Rainbow came to an end. He also starred in a humorous television advert about investing money, making fun of his fall from the top. In 1996, Hayes appeared in the video for "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" by Oasis tribute band, NoWaySis. He replicated the role as a taxi driver, just as Patrick Macnee had done in the Oasis video for "Don't Look Back In Anger".
[edit] Rainbow Revival Rumours
Rumours were rife, during the late 1990s and early 2000s, that Hayes would be working on a new series of Rainbow. However, as yet, nothing has come out of it. Nevertheless, for millions of people who remember the show from their childhood, it remains fondly remembered and in recent years, despite a long absence on television, it has seen a revival in the UK with toys of the shows' puppets being reproduced and sold in shops, as well as a tongue- in-cheek book about the show, co-written by Hayes. He also has writing credits for Rainbow and The Great Pony Raid in 1967.
[edit] Present Day
In 2005, Hayes appeared on the television show This Morning, talking about the heyday of Rainbow, and also appeared in the all-star line up for the video of Tony Christie with Peter Kay 's #1 hit single "Is This The Way To Amarillo?". On 3 April 2006, Geoffrey was seen as a special guest on ITV1's late-night show The Mint. Hayes is a fan of the Scottish football team Dundee United. This has been reported as being the reason that one of his Rainbow co-stars, Zippy was coloured Tangerine (his team's colours), instead of blue.
