Jordan North left BBC Radio 1 after 10 years on their airwaves and is now working on an unprecedented project.
In addition to taking over from Roman Kemp at the Capital FM breakfast show, he has led his first documentary, which addresses the topic of vaping.
The BBC program, Jordan North: The Truth About Vaping, features the 34-year-old discussing his habit and examining its impact on his health.
The episode, which is accessible for viewing on BBC iPlayer, marks a new direction for Jordan.
‘I haven't really attempted this sort of thing before, I assure it’s not preachy, I just wanted to learn more about it!’ he wrote on X.
Here, we examine his career thus far, his motivation for wanting to present a documentary on vaping, and his romantic life…
Vaping documentary
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Jordan started smoking when he was 16 and decided to start vaping a few years ago to help him reduce his cigarette consumption. The strategy succeeded with Jordan cutting down to about five per day, but now he faces a new issue – the amount he vapes.
‘Everyone said it was healthier, but now there’s plenty of conflicting opinions,’ he summarized in the documentary. Describing himself as a ‘clueless’ vaper, he wanted to find answers for people like him. In 2023, one in seven 18-24-year-olds – half of them never smoked cigarettes.
Jordan learns about a dark side of the habit with around 45 million illegal vapes being sold last year. He discovered that many vapes contained toxic metal lead – high levels of exposure in young people can negatively affect the development of the brain and nervous system, according to The World Health Organisation. He also found that they can contain more nicotine than a cigarette.
After visiting a scientist, Jordan was concerned about the amount of chemicals entering his body.
As research is in its infancy, we currently can’t be sure of what vaping does to the body, but after meeting other vapers with health issues and talking to experts, Jordan decided he wanted to quit vaping.
‘The risks feel pretty real for me right now. I really don’t want to be vaping any longer. I don’t want to be attached to this little stick in my head,’ he concluded.
Jordan’s career
Although this is Jordan’s first documentary as he was waiting for a subject that he was passionate about exploring, he has successfully completed numerous other exciting projects throughout his career.
He started his career on the radio on regional stations, including Sunderland’s Spark FM, and Preston FM before winning a competition which landed him on The Hits Radio.
His breakthrough came in 2014 when he secured freelance cover presenter roles on BBC Radio 1. His dedication paid off and by 2017 Jordan had his own Sunday show.
Outside of his main job he has been hosting the podcast Help I Sexted My Boss with friend and etiquette expert William Hanson since 2018. The pair offer their unique perspectives to advise listeners on modern-day problems. The award-winning podcast is currently in its 12th series!
Jordan entered the TV industry by signing up for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, which took place in a Welsh castle in 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions. He ended up in second place, with Giovanna Fletcher just edging him out for the crown.
Despite facing challenges like being trapped in a snake-filled coffin, showered with bugs, and eating a sheep’s penis, he stayed positive – mostly thanks to his ‘happy place’ – Turf Moor – the home ground of Burnley FC. He gained many fans due to his kind nature.
After his time on reality TV, Jordan felt motivated to take more chances. ‘I used to reject a lot of opportunities and say no to things because I preferred to stay in this safe, comfortable lane,’ he told us. ‘Now I’m like, “Let’s do it. If it goes wrong it goes wrong.” I’ve just got more confidence.’
He has certainly done that with appearances on Celebrity Big Brother: Late and Live, Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway, and a role presenting Top of the Pops. He also has his new position at Capital FM starting next month.
‘Getting to host Capital Breakfast has always been a dream of mine and it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I simply couldn’t turn down,’ he said about the upcoming job.
Capital’s Chris Stark, who was also previously on Radio 1, is ‘excited’ to be reunited with his former colleague, along with fellow breakfast show presenter Sian Welby.
Mysterious love life
When he entered the I’m A Celeb castle, he revealed that he was single.
‘I am single at the moment. But that is not the reason why I am going in,’ he shared.
After his success on the show, there was more interest in his romantic life, but he has made a deliberate effort to keep it out of the public eye.
He told the Mirror: ‘I’ve always tried to keep things pretty private. It’s sometimes quite unnerving when people are asking about your personal life but you know what, it’s part and parcel of the job.’
Jordan has also talked about being at a different life stage than his friends. ‘How do all of my friends have kids, yet the biggest life decision I’ve ever made is going from skinny jeans to a slim fit?’ he asked.
On his podcast, Jordan did provide another glimpse into his personal life, when he confessed to once being tied up with a dressing room cord after a listener asked if he was kinky.
‘He regrets that now,’ co-host William told Metro.co.uk.
Jordan North: The Truth About Vaping is on BBC Three at 9pm and is available on BBC iPlayer now.
