Jason John Manford was born on 26 May 1981 in Salford, the son of Sharon (née Ryan) and Ian Manford, an NHS courtroom stenographer and trade union shop steward. His maternal grandmother was an Irish Catholic from Dublin. He grew up in a terraced house in Whalley Range, Manchester, with his four siblings, attending St Margaret’s Primary School and Chorlton High School (then Oakwood High School).

While working as a glass collector at a Manchester comedy club, Manford stepped in to cover for a missing act at 17, launching his stand-up career. Fellow comedian Peter Kay encouraged him to study media and performance at the University of Salford.

He became a household name as team captain on Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats (2007–2010) and briefly hosted BBC One’s The One Show in 2010. He currently hosts The Answer Run with Jason Manford on BBC One and BBC Two, a fast-paced daytime quiz show, now in its third series.

Manford lives with his second wife, Lucy Dyke, and has six children in total across two marriages. He remains active in musical theatre, pantomime, and stand-up comedy alongside his TV presenting work.