ASHLEY HAMES

Critically acclaimed TV presenter, director and radio DJ Ashley Hames has constantly pushed the boundaries of television, presenting some of the grittiest and most daring programmes and documentaries of the past decade.

On Bravo's Sin Cities - four series about erotic culture that sold to more than 30 countries worldwide - he captured the rock n' roll decadence of gonzo television-making at its rawest and most visceral, travelling the globe and reporting on the most bizarre and often shocking forms of sexual entertainment.

The series was so popular that the cult hero presented Sin Cities Unleashed, which consisted of edited highlights from the first two series of Sin Cities.

And in Man's Work, Hames put his neck on the line to give a unique insight into some of the world's most demanding and dangerous jobs. The show caused a stir with nail-biting scenes, which saw the presenter lost at sea on an Alaskan crab-fishing expedition wondering if he'd ever make it back to Blighty, training with the Colombian anti-narcotics police and turning his hand to crime scene cleaning and football management.

The controversial presenter earned his stripes presenting Channel 4's Bad Trip, his travelogue from Texas, a classic example of his no-holds-barred presenting style which featured a Playboy model, a homeless alcoholic and even saw the star involved in a terrifying bar brawl.

And his popular books, Sin Cities - Adventures of a Sex Reporter and Confessions of a Sex Reporter detail some of these extreme experiences on the frontline of documentary making, and would make a tomato blush.

He also played a starring role in Bullrun: Cops, Cars and Superstars and filmed and edited a documentary about cocaine for Channel 4's launch of supplementary channel 4Later, as well as directing E4's Posh Rock, a series about wealthy teenagers in Cornwall.

And the man who started out as L!VE TV's News Bunny and producer of Topless Darts has become a mainstream hit as co-host of Channel Five's Top Trumps and is now firmly entrenched as TalkSPORT's news and entertainment reporter.

A much-loved figure on the UK poker circuit, he also provides poker commentary for PKR and is currently writing a new book.

With a unique style that is honest, edgy and wry, Ashley is the very definition of cult.