Jay McGuiness

Born on July 24, 1990, in Newark, Nottinghamshire, England, Jay McGuiness pursued his passion for performing from a young age. He attended the Charlotte Hamilton School of Dance and later the Midlands Academy of Dance and Drama. In 2010, McGuiness rose to prominence as a member of the Anglo-Irish boy band The Wanted. The band achieved significant global success, including two UK number-one singles, “All Time Low” and “Glad You Came,” from their debut album. During his time with The Wanted, he also featured in music videos like “The Wanted: All Time Low” (2010), “The Wanted: Heart Vacancy” (2010), and “The Wanted: Glad You Came” (2011). The band supported artists such as Justin Bieber and Britney Spears on tour. In 2013, he was a producer for the TV series “The Wanted Life,” providing an inside look at the group’s journey.

Following The Wanted’s hiatus in 2014, McGuiness diversified his career. In 2015, he competed on and won the 13th series of BBC’s “Strictly Come Dancing” with professional dancer Aliona Vilani. His jive performance in week three earned him the highest week three score in the show’s history at that time, receiving the first 10 of the series. The couple ultimately won the Glitterball trophy. In 2020, his “Pulp Fiction” jive was voted the greatest “Strictly” dance of all time in an audience poll. His acting career developed with his West End debut in 2018 in “BIG! The Musical” at the Dominion Theatre, where he played the lead role of Josh Baskin. He continued his musical theatre journey, starring in “Sleepless – A Musical Romance” (2020) and taking the lead role of Bob Wallace in the touring musical version of “White Christmas” (2022). In 2024, he took on the role of Ben in the play “2:22 A Ghost Story” and currently stars as William Shakespeare in the UK tour of “& Juliet.”

Beyond performing, McGuiness is a recognized conservationist and environmentalist. He was named PETA’s Sexiest Male Vegetarian Celebrity in 2013. In February 2024, he released his debut fantasy novel, “Blood Flowers,” published worldwide by Scholastic. This novel explores themes of “love, witchcraft, betrayal and murder,” with underlying messages about poverty, class divide, and addiction, marking a new chapter in his creative endeavors.