Chris Rea
Biography
Christopher Anton Rea (4 March 1951 – 22 December 2025) was an English rock and blues singer and guitarist from Middlesbrough. A "gravel-voiced guitar stalwart", known for his slide guitar playing, Rea has recorded twenty-five solo albums, two of which topped the UK Albums Chart. Described as "rock's ultimate survivor", given his recovery from several bouts of serious illness, Rea was "a major European star by the time he finally cracked the UK Top 10" with his single "The Road to Hell (Part 2)". The album, The Road to Hell (1989), topped the album chart, as did its successor, Auberge (1991). His many hit songs include "I Can Hear Your Heartbeat", "Stainsby Girls", "Josephine", "On the Beach", "Let's Dance", "Driving Home for Christmas", "Working on It", "Tell Me There's a Heaven", "Auberge" and "Julia". He also recorded a duet with Elton John, "If You Were Me". Rea was nominated three times for the Brit Award for Best British Male Artist: in 1988, 1989 and 1990. He has never toured the United States, where he is best known for the 1978 single "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, earning him a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist in 1978. A decade later, "Working On It" topped the Mainstream Rock chart. He has sold more than 40 million records worldwide. Christopher Rea was born on 4 March 1951 in Middlesbrough in the North Riding of Yorkshire to an Italian father, Camillo Rea (died December 2010) originating from Arpino in the Province of Frosinone, and an Irish mother, Winifred K. Slee (died September 1983), as one of seven children. His family were of the Roman Catholic faith. The name Rea was well known locally thanks to his father's ice cream factory and café chain. When he was twelve, he worked clearing tables in the coffee bar and making ice cream in the factory. He wanted to improve the business, but his ideas got no support from his father. After leaving, he was replaced by one of his brothers. At that time he wanted to be a journalist and attended St Mary's College, Middlesbrough. ... Source: Article "Chris Rea" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For & Full Filmography20 Titles
Drama Series - 1964, 16 episodes • as Self
The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.
Drama Series - 1998, 16 episodes • as Self
Michael Parkinson returns for a second run of his iconic talk show.
Drama Series - 1987, 16 episodes • as Self
An outstanding performance featuring brilliant storytelling, high stakes drama, and unforgettable character arcs.
Drama Series - 1982, 16 episodes • as Self
An outstanding performance featuring brilliant storytelling, high stakes drama, and unforgettable character arcs.
Drama Series - 1975, 16 episodes • as Self
A French variety show.
Drama Series - 1996, 16 episodes • Main Cast Role
TFI Friday was an entertainment show broadcast on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2000. The show was produced by Ginger Productions, written by Danny Baker and hosted by Chris Evans, for the first 5 series. The final series was hosted by a number of guest presenters. It was broadcast on Fridays at 6pm from 9 February 1996 to 22 December 2000, with a repeat later that night. The title officially stood for "Thank Four It's Friday", but was widely understood to mean "Thank Fuck It's Friday" and was a reference to the popular phrase "Thank God it's Friday". The show's theme tune was Ron Grainer's theme from Man in a Suitcase, in keeping with Evans's frequent use of 1960s television themes in his work.
Drama Series - 1993, 16 episodes • as Self
Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its cancellation in 2011. Created and hosted by double-act Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, it uses the panel show format but with the comedians' often slapstick, surreal and anarchic humour does not rely on rules in order to function, with the pair apparently ignoring existing rules or inventing new ones as and when the mood takes them.
Drama Series - 1981, 16 episodes • as Self
An outstanding performance featuring brilliant storytelling, high stakes drama, and unforgettable character arcs.
Drama Series - 1982, 16 episodes • as Self
Sketch comedy show starring Kenny Everett.
Drama Series - 1987, 16 episodes • as Self
An outstanding performance featuring brilliant storytelling, high stakes drama, and unforgettable character arcs.
Drama Series - 1977, 16 episodes • as Self
An outstanding performance featuring brilliant storytelling, high stakes drama, and unforgettable character arcs.
Drama Series - 1977, 16 episodes • as Self
The biggest night in the British music calendar, the BRIT Awards celebrate the biggest successes in music & promote new talent.
Drama Series - 1979, 16 episodes • as Self
Marti Caine presents a star studded variety show in which she performs comedy material, sings and dances alongside special guests.
Movie - 1999, 2h 15m • as Harry Sterndale
Harry Sterndale, a failed photographer, is given a diagnosis of cancer and told that he has only three months to live. After thinking things over, he decides that since he is dying anyway, he will kill or destroy all the people that ever crossed or hurt him during his life - after all, he will be dead anyway long before he can come to trial and get his just desserts from society. Harry hires an assassin to finish himself off in style, and even has time to fall in love with Jill. However, there's just one small problem with Harry's master plan - the cancer diagnosis is totally inaccurate and now he's got a hitman on his trail and several policemen wanting to talk to him about some murders...
Movie - 2006, 2h 15m • as Self
Two DVD set that follows singer/songwriter Chris Rea as he embarks on his last tour as a solo artist, having been forced off the road due to health issues. Disc One features 17 tracks performed live including 'On The Beach', 'Road To Hell', 'Til The Morning', 'Heartbeat', 'That's The Way It Goes' and more. Disc Two features a documentary about the tour, including exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.
Movie - 1985, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Get back to the Boogie-Woogie/R&B roots with the boys performing classic cover tunes such as "Poor Boy Boogie," "Saturday Night," "Let's Talk It Over," "All Night Long," "Baby Please Don't Go," "Chicken Shack Boogie," and "You Never Can Tell." Also included: a 30-minute documentary, The Making of 'Willie and The Poor Boys'.
Movie - 1993, 2h 15m • as Self
Now recognized as one of the best electric guitars ever designed, Leo Fender's Stratocaster is a vital ingredient of American popular culture. Its completely unconventional design and construction have rendered it the most copied of all modern electric guitars. This documentary celebrates 40 years of the history of the Fender Stratocaster.
Movie - 2017, 2h 15m • as Self
Chris Rea made on of his last concerts before he was to sick to sing at the Baloise Session in late october 2017. And the Track list was: 1) The Last Open Road, 2) Happy on the Road, 3) Josephine, 4) Easy Rider, 5) Julia, 6) Money, 7) Looking for the Summer, 8) Stony Road, 9) The Road Ahead, 10) Stainsby Girls 11) On the Beach.
Movie - 2002, 2h 15m • as Self
"Dancing Down The Stony Road" DVD includes a superb 75-minutes documentary about recording "Stony Road" album, one short 23 min live/interview featurette from Cologne and a collection of Chris Rea paintings. Rea's understanding of how the blues evolved from the Delta up to Chicago is a revelation.
Movie - 2014, 2h 15m • as Self
This English singer and guitarist is quite familiar with Montreux, having come four times but never in the past twelve years. After a decade of recording, it was the late 1980s that saw him earn popularity across Europe. He had been touring with a local group, Magdalene, replacing David Coverdale. Then he also quit Magdalene to record the album "Whatever Happened to Benny Santini?" in 1978. "Fool (If You Think It’s Over)" was a huge hit, nominated for the Grammy for song of the year. Rea’s European success was confirmed by "Auberge", and then "God’s Great Banana Skin" in 1992. In 2009, Rea had sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. His return to Montreux is a major event, and will of course take place at the Stravinski.