The former model launched her career in her native England as a VJ for MTV and host of several children's variety programs. After earning raves from across the pond, Deeley set her sights on making it big on American soil. In 2006, Deeley was tapped to host a dancing competition series from "American Idol" (Fox, 2002- ) creators called "So You Think You Can Dance?" Interacting with the show's contestants and playing up to the viewers every week not only showcased Deeley's effervescent charm, it helped propel her career in the States as one of the country's favorite and most-watched television personalities.
Catherine Elizabeth Deeley was born on Oct. 23, 1976 in Birmingham, England. The future star spent her childhood playing the clarinet with a local youth concert band and dreaming of a career in television. Deeley made her first steps towards the public eye when she entered a regional modeling competition for the BBC's "The Clothes Show" (1986-2000), which landed her a contract at age 16 with Storm, one of the U.K.'s leading modeling agencies. The agency attempted to persuade the aspiring model to leave school, but a determined Deeley completed her education at Bishop Vesey's Grammar School in Birmingham before becoming a fulltime model at 18. With her outgoing and bubbly personality, Deeley quickly tired of modeling and decided to pursue her dreams of working in television. In 1997, she began appearing on MTV UK as a VJ. The following year, Deeley made her debut as co-host of the family variety program "SM: TV Live" (ITV, 1998-2003). Her breakthrough role on the popular Saturday kids show earned Deeley a BAFTA Children's Award for Best Presenter in 2001. The blonde beauty also earned a significant adult following as evidenced by her No. 7 rank on FHM magazine's sexiest women list that same year.
In 2002, Deeley was brought on to host "CD: UK Hotshots" (ITV, 1998-2006), the "SM: TV Live" spin-off program that featured in-studio performances and interviews with pop acts. She established herself as a host of various reality programs in the U.K., from the look-a-like talent contest "Stars in Their Eyes" (ITV, 1990- ), to the music competition series "Fame Academy" (BBC, 2002- ). Deeley moved to the United States in 2006 after landing a hosting position on the Fox reality hit "So You Think You Can Dance?" The British personality was brought in for the second season after original host Lauren Sanchez left the show. "So You Think You Can Dance?" was the brainchild of "American Idol" creators Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, and aimed to find the best dancers in the country. Week after week, Deeley's affable and quick-with-a-quip personality made the contestants feel at ease and millions of viewers fall in love with her.
Deeley's success with "You Think You Can Dance?" elevated Deeley's career in the U.S., which included red carpet correspondent duties for "Good Morning America" (ABC, 1975- ) as well as hosting "New Year's Eve Live" (Fox, 2006-07) specials from Times Square. Deeley eventually made her U.S. acting debut on Disney Channel's teen comedy series "Shake It Up!" (2010- ) in 2011. She guest-starred on the show as a school vice principal who secretly worked as a professional dancer. Meanwhile, her duties on "So You Think You Can Dance?" earned Deeley Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program in 2011 and 2012.