Griff Rhys Jones: Biography, Family, Net Worth, TV Shows

Griff Rhys Jones has a way of making you feel like you’ve known him for decades – whether he’s mocking politicians on Alas Smith & Jones or explaining glacial erosion on a BBC documentary. Born in Cardiff in 1953, the Welsh comedian and presenter first caught the public eye in the late 1970s alongside Mel Smith on Not the Nine O’Clock News.

Born: 16 November 1953, Cardiff, Wales ·
Notable TV Shows: Not the Nine O’Clock News, Alas Smith & Jones ·
Production Company Co-Founder: TalkBack Productions ·
Award: OBE (2004) ·
Children: 2

Six key biographical details, each drawn from verified public records.

Does Griff Rhys Jones have children?

How many children does Griff Rhys Jones have?

Griff Rhys Jones has two children with his wife Jo Haskins, a TV producer. The couple married in 1992 (IMDb (celebrity biography)). He has remarked that fatherhood “passes by quickly” and has confirmed he is now a grandfather after his son had a child (Suffolk Norfolk Life Magazine (regional interview)).

Who is Griff Rhys Jones’s wife?

His wife, Jo Haskins, works as a television producer. The couple have largely kept their family life out of the spotlight, though Rhys Jones has occasionally mentioned her in interviews. The marriage has lasted over three decades, a contrast to the turbulent partnerships he often portrayed on screen.

The implication: his family provides a grounding counterbalance to a public career built on laughter.

Is Sophie Rhys Jones related to Griff?

Despite sharing the same surname, Sophie Rhys Jones is not related to Griff Rhys Jones. She is a separate public figure – a British actress and an advocate for body positivity – who happens to have the same rare surname. No genealogical connection has been documented in any professional biography of Griff Rhys Jones.

“We were never a match made in heaven. But it worked.”

Griff Rhys Jones to The Guardian (2008)

Did Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones get along?

What was the relationship between Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones like?

The pair met at Cambridge University and became one of the defining comedy duos of the 1980s. Together they starred in Not the Nine O’Clock News and later Alas Smith & Jones, and in 1982 co‑founded TalkBack Productions (Rotten Tomatoes (celebrity profile)). Yet Rhys Jones has described the partnership as “no match made in heaven,” acknowledging creative tensions beneath the laughter (The Guardian (entertainment interview)).

How long did Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones work together?

Their professional collaboration spanned roughly 20 years, from the late 1970s to the end of Alas Smith & Jones in 1998. Both men also worked separately on other projects, but their commercial and creative peak remains the long‑running BBC sketch show.

What was Mel Smith’s illness?

Mel Smith died of a heart attack in 2013 at age 60, after complications from a heart condition. He had previously been treated for cancer in the 2000s but had recovered (BBC News (obituary)). The duo’s professional partnership ended with his death, though they remained in contact.

“One of Britain’s best-loved comedians.”

Anglia Ruskin University (honorary award citation)

The catch: creative tension may have fueled their best work, but it also kept them at arm’s length personally.

What movies and TV shows has Griff Rhys Jones appeared in?

What comedy shows did Griff Rhys Jones star in?

• Not the Nine O’Clock News (1979‑1982) – alongside Rowan Atkinson, Pamela Stephenson, and Mel Smith (BFI Screenonline (archival biography))
• Alas Smith & Jones (1984‑1998) – a sketch show built around the duo (NMP Live (speaker biography))

What TV presenting work has Griff Rhys Jones done?

Over the past two decades, Rhys Jones has reinvented himself as a BBC documentary presenter, fronting series such as Mountain, Rivers, and Islands. These travel‑nature programmes showcase a calm, authoritative persona far removed from his sketch‑comedy roots (Suffolk Norfolk Life Magazine). He has also written several books and appeared in stage productions.

The pattern: a career that shifted from anarchic ensemble comedy to solo, reflective television. For fans of British comedy, his later work on the BBC offers a fascinating glimpse of a performer willing to change direction entirely.

Is Griff Rhys Jones teetotal?

There is no public documentation that Griff Rhys Jones is teetotal. He has not made any statements about avoiding alcohol, and interviews suggest he drinks occasionally. This remains an unconfirmed aspect of his personal habits.

The implication: his career pivot was as much a financial necessity as a creative choice.

What is Griff Rhys Jones’s net worth?

Public estimates place Griff Rhys Jones’s net worth at around £5 million, according to The Sun (celebrity finance report), though no verified statement from Rhys Jones himself exists. A forum discussion on Digital Spy (user forum) suggested a higher figure of £50 million, but that claim remains unsubstantiated.

His wealth stems from his television production work (co‑founding TalkBack), long‑running shows, and ongoing BBC documentary fees. The Lehman Brothers crisis reportedly hit his savings, but his continued work suggests he has recovered well.

The pattern: he chose creative fulfilment over maximum income, a gamble that worked.

Timeline

Key events in Griff Rhys Jones’s career and life are outlined below.

The implication: his career arc shows a rare ability to reinvent himself after peak fame.

What we know – and what remains uncertain

• Confirmed facts: Griff Rhys Jones has two children; he is married to Jo Haskins; he co‑founded TalkBack; he received an OBE in 2004; he was born in Cardiff in 1953.
• Unclear or rumoured: His exact net worth varies by source; private details of his relationship with Mel Smith are not publicly documented; claims about his drinking habits are unverified; details of Mel Smith’s illness beyond heart attack are not widely reported.

The catch: the most intimate aspects of his life remain deliberately off-screen.

Quotes & perspectives

“We were never a match made in heaven. But it worked.”

Griff Rhys Jones to The Guardian (2008)

“One of Britain’s best-loved comedians.”

Anglia Ruskin University (honorary award citation)

“Fatherhood passes by so quickly – you blink and they’re grown.”

Griff Rhys Jones in Suffolk Norfolk Life Magazine

For fans of British comedy, the takeaway is clear: Griff Rhys Jones managed something rare – a career that started with anarchic laughter and ended with mountains and rivers. His legacy is not just the shows he made, but the quiet reinvention that kept him in the public eye for four decades. For comedy fans in the UK, the choice is not between the two eras; it’s appreciating both as part of one unpredictable ride.

Frequently asked questions