Jamie Cullum, the acclaimed jazz musician, is set to appear as a guest mentor on the fourth series of Channel 4's The Piano, which premieres on Sunday, July 12 at 9pm. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Mika, the show searches for the UK's best amateur piano players. Alongside Cullum, guest mentors include Jools Holland and Hiromi.
Early Career and Success
Cullum, now 46, was born in Essex and grew up in Wiltshire. He produced his first album, Heard It All Before, in 1999 at age 20 with just £480 and only 500 copies made. Since then, he has released multiple albums, performed worldwide, and amassed numerous awards. He also fronts The Jazz Show With Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2.
Marriage to Sophie Dahl
Cullum has been married to supermodel Sophie Dahl since 2010, and the couple has two daughters. Sophie began her career as a teenage fashion model, discovered by British Vogue, and became renowned for her curves, sought after by top designers. She has since become a successful author, journalist, and TV presenter.
Speaking to Red in 2020, Cullum shared how they met: “We just really hit it off. I thought, 'Man, that is a cool woman,' but I didn’t really entertain anything else. We were both in relationships and she wasn’t living in the UK, so we were just friends at first. Then, a couple of years later, she moved back here and that’s when our friendship became something else. We had a very immediate connection. While we both worked in a public way, our lives were purposefully quite private.”
Famous Family Connection
Sophie Dahl is the granddaughter of the late author Roald Dahl, known for children's classics such as Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr Fox, and The BFG. Sophie is said to have been the inspiration behind The BFG. Roald Dahl was born in Cardiff to Norwegian parents and served in the Royal Air Force. His first children's book, The Gremlins, was published in 1943. He also wrote macabre adult short stories. Roald died in 1990, before Sophie met and married Cullum.
Height and Public Perception
Cullum, who stands at around 5ft 4in, has described himself as “short.” In 2019, he released the album Taller, which he acknowledged as ironic. Speaking to The Mirror, he said: “It is something I’ve been gently teased about my whole life, particularly when I married a taller woman. But I’ve taken something that could be my vulnerable spot and used it to say something.” His wife Sophie is 6ft tall.
