Dominik_Diamond

Dominik Diamond

Paul Dominik Diamond (known as Dominik Diamond) is a television and radio presenter and newspaper columnist from Arbroath, Scotland. He is best known as the original presenter of Channel 4's video gaming programme GamesMaster, as host of The Dominik Diamond Breakfast Show on Xfm Scotland and columnist of The Daily Star. He was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at a young age and now funds charity support projects to aid fellow sufferers.

Early life

Diamond first attended Strathallan School in Forgandenny, Perthshire. He then went on to study drama at Bristol University, also attended by Little Britain star David Walliams. Walliams and Diamond were part of a comedy troupe called "David Icke and The Orphans of Jesus", in which they were also joined by Simon Pegg (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz). Walliams & Diamond fell out after Walliams appeared as a guest on Diamond's Paramount show "Dom'n'Kirk's Night O Plenty" - after which Diamond said that Walliams and co-Little Britain star Matt Lucas were "complete arseholes". Diamond has not spoken to Walliams since, yet still refers to him as a "comic genius".

Pegg appeared on Diamond's Xfm Scotland Breakfast Show as a guest while promoting Hot Fuzz and revealed that seeing Diamond do stand-up comedy at Bristol University inspired him to do it as a career.

Television & publications

An avid Celtic fan, Diamond had a column in the football monthly FourFourTwo when it launched in 1994. Diamond co-hosted sports programme Live and Dangerous in 1997, and When Games Attack, aired in 2004. Since 1996, he writes a twice-weekly column in the Daily Star and had a regular column in the monthly magazine PC Zone until the August 2006 edition. Diamond's biggest role on television to date came on Channel 4 computer and video game show Gamesmaster, which ran from 1992-1998, however was notably absent during the show's second season, which he recently attributed to a disagreement with the show's then-sponsors, McDonald's. He went on to present the short-lived BBC Scotland panel show Caledonia McBrains in 2002.

In 2006, Diamond filmed Five documentary, Crucify Me. During filming, he took part in the live annual Holy week re-enactment of the crucifixion at San Pedro Cutud. However, he backed down at the last minute, breaking into tears. He also has featured on Discovery Real Time programme, Rubble Trouble, which charts the development of his house extension.

In July 2006, he appeared in the satirical quiz show spoof, "Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive" where his career was parodied.

He is a regular host of What The Papers Say on BBC2, a round-up of the week's newspapers.

Radio career

Diamond hosted the debut of Fantasy Football League on BBC Radio Five Live at least one season before it appeared on BBC TV. Diamond presented Sportscall on BBC Radio Five Live in the 1990s and occasionally hosted the station's phone-in football show 6-0-6.

Xfm Scotland

Diamond most recently presented "The Dominik Diamond Breakfast Show" during weekdays 6 till 10 on Xfm Scotland. Numerous traits previously used on Gamesmaster were shown on the show, such as frequently "pushing the boundaries" with use of words which would not normally be used on air at that time of day. He was named Scottish Radio Presenter of the Year for his efforts at the 2007 XTrax Scottish Radio Awards. Diamond also received a nomination for a Sony Radio Award in 2007 as UK Radio Music Personality of the Year. Dominik's departure was first announced on 9 June 2007 when The Sunday Herald newspaper reported that Diamond had asked for a pay rise following his Sony Radio Award nomination. GCap Media bosses denied this, and Dominik aired his last show on 22 June 2007. Dominik was replaced on Xfm Scotland on 4 July 2007 by Julyan Sinclair.

Diamond would frequently include producer Scott Shaw and news presenter Marisa de Andrade throughout the show, most notably a segment named "Fib Of The Day". The segment involved each of the three making an ambiguous - and sometimes near unbelievable - statement about a news issue of the day (where only one was genuine). Listeners would then text in which of the three statements they believed were true.

The A.M's

After declaring that Meg White of The White Stripes was "rubbish" at drumming, Diamond challenged Xfm news presenter Marisa de Andrade to learn to play the drums in the five days that the breakfast show took place. This would culminate in the entire breakfast team playing together as a whole, with Scott Shaw playing bass guitar and Diamond on guitar and vocals. The station followed de Andrade's progress throughout the week, and, as promised, the trio were recorded playing a special cover of The White Stripes' "7 Nation Army". The song was distributed on the Xfm website under the band name, "The A.M's".

Towards the beginning of UK Music Week 2007, the week which would mark a year since the band's creation, The A.M's announced through Xfm that they would be releasing their debut single on Nineteen Percent Records. The single, a double a-side of two of the band's own songs, "Billy the Dancer / Isobel Campbell", was released on 21 May 2007.

The band most recently played a number of homecoming shows at numerous small venues in Glasgow. All three members of the band (and manager) have all now left Xfm Scotland, yet continue to play around the country. Prior to Diamond leaving, it was announced on the band's MySpace page that they would be playing at Wickerman Festival in Dumfries, Scotland on 21 July 2007.

Present work with Talk 107

On 27 June 2007, RadioToday.co.uk announced that Diamond had joined Talk 107 to cover a number of programmes over the summer months. He also stood in for James Whale on talkSPORT in July.

From 13 October 2007 Diamond presented the Dominik Diamond Breakfast Club on Talk 107. He was joined by Marisa de Andrade who worked with him on Xfm Scotland.

In January 2008 Dominik took over Talk 107 Drive, again with Marisa de Andrade.

In April 2008 following a station revamp the show became 'Diamond and de Andrade'.

Dominik has since left Talk 107 as of Friday 25 July due to exhaustion. However, Marisa de Andrade has stayed at the station on the 'Drive Time' slot, with Dominik being replaced with Mark Donaldson (or 'Donkey' as he is known within the industry), the stations 'Sport Editor'

Personal life

Diamond and his partner, Phoebe, have three children, Molly, Charlie and Honor. Diamond has never kept his presenting and personal lives separate, as he frequently refers to his family on his show.