Who is Jaki Graham? Career, marriage and the special reason why she signed up for Celebrity MasterChef 2025
I don’t know about you but, even though I am more of an oven cooking than haute cuisine type of person, I can’t get enough of Celebrity MasterChef.
Watching familiar faces sweat it out in the kitchen shouldn’t be so appealing, but it just is.
This year’s iteration of the show brings together a stacked cast of celebs ready to battle it out though various cooking challenges in the hopes of emerging as the victor (and presumably never having their cooking skills questioned ever again).
Among the cast is one Jaki Graham. Below, we unpack who she is, her career, 4o-year (!!) marriage and…basically everything you need to know.
Who is Jaki Graham?
Jaki Graham is a successful British singer-songwriter who broke through to renown in the 1980s.
Hailing from Birmingham, she has toured major venues in the UK and graced the UK Top 10 many times.
How old is Jaki Graham?
Jaki Graham was born on 15 September 1956, making her 69 years young.
She is a Virgo, a notoriously focussed, efficient, and organised star sign associated with high achievers.
What is Jaki Graham famous for?
Jaki Graham was scouted and signed to the major record label EMI Records in 1983.
She broke through shortly after, with a cover of The Spinners’ “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” with David Grant in 1985. The song reached the UK Top 5.
Over the next two years, her singles such as “Round and Around” and “Set Me Free” entered the Top 20 a further five times.
In the 1990s, she had further success after cover of the Chaka Kan song “Ain’t No Body” reached the top spot on the US Billboard Dance Songs chart.
Is Jaki Graham married?
Jaki Graham is married to Tony Ormsby. The couple met at school and were childhood sweethearts, marrying in 1976.
They’re still together to this day, and will celebrate their 50th anniversary next year, having just celebrated their 49th anniversary in September 2025.
However, Tony has struggled with ill-health and, in 2014, Jaki opened up about Tony’s harrowing experience of major heart surgery, saying: “He almost died four times in the operating theatre.”
Thankfully, Tony now seems to be recovered and well.
Tony is the brother of ex-Aston Villa footballer Brendan Ormsby.
Jaki and Tony have two children: Natalie who was born in 1981 and Ryan who was born in 1993.
Why did Jaki Graham sign up for Celebrity MasterChef
Opening up about why she wanted to join Celebrity MasterChef, Jaki explained that the timings coincided with the 40th anniversary of her debut album.
“I wanted to do Celebrity MasterChef because it’s the 40th anniversary of my debut album, so it’s a special year! I wanted to get involved in some new adventures and I’ve come here to learn,” she said.
Celebrity MasterChef airs on BBC One and iPlayer.
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