Best was born in San Jose, California, the son of English model Angie Best, and George Best, a footballer from Northern Ireland.[1] He was raised in Los Angeles, where he became a model in his mid-teens.[2] His father, George Best, was a football legend.[3] Calum Best is a patron of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics ("Nacoa"), a UK charity providing support to children affected by a parent's drinking. He moved to the UK when he was 21.[2]

Career[edit]

Best has taken part in the Reality TV shows Fool Around With on E4 and The Match on Sky One. In 2005 and 2006 he was featured in ITV's Celebrity Love Island, winning the second series on August 28, 2006. Around this time he played himself in the final episode of ITV's Footballers' Wives.[citation needed]

In September 2006, Best appeared in the ITV2 series Calum, Fran and Dangerous Danan, in which he was seen travelling with Paul Danan and Fran Cosgrave from Texas to Los Angeles on America's U.S. Route 66.

In late 2006, Best launched a men's fragrance called "Calum", stating "I had all the input into the smell. I chose the smell, I chose the bottle, I chose the packaging, the whole thing",[4] the product is being made by Jigsaw ESL.[5]

Calum went on to launch his second fragrance, called "Best". After that success, Jigsaw ESL also manufactured his third fragrance called "Day and Night".

In 2008, Best appeared on RTÉ's Livin' With Lucy. Later that year, he featured in MTV's Totally Calum Best. The show detailed Best's attempts to remain celibate for fifty days.[6]

In 2009, he appeared as a guest judge in reality television show Paris Hilton's British Best Friend, in which he tested the contestants' flirting abilities. In November 2009, he presented the BBC TV Documentary Brought up By Booze: A Children in Need Special, which highlighted the plight of children brought up by alcoholic parents. Best drew upon his relationship with his own father in the making of the programme, which the BBC described as a 'raw and often distressing journey'.[7]

In 2010, Best appeared in Channel 4's Come Dine With Me, where he dined with Janice Dickinson, Samantha Fox and presenter Jeff Brazier.[8]

Best filled in a spot for Ian Wright on Live from Studio Five on January 8, 2010. On October 2, 2010, Best appeared as a celebrity on All Star Family Fortunes along with Denise Welch, who was on the opposing team.[citation needed]

Calum hosted via webcam an Online bingo session at Bingocams UK on April 20, 2012.[9]

In 2012, he won Celebrity Bainisteoir, managing Moy Davitts of Mayo.[10][11]

In January 2015, he took part in the Channel 5 reality series Celebrity Big Brother.[12] He came third.[13] In 2016, Best was a member of the cast of the E! series Famously Single, which follows eight single celebrities in their search for love.

On January 3, 2017, he returned to compete on the nineteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother as an All-star.