Aled Jones
A Welsh choirboy's haunting voice on a Christmas song became an unexpected pop hit, launching a decades-long career in British broadcasting.
Born 1970 (age 56)·Welsh singer, TV presenter and actor·Birthday: December 29·Generation X
Biography
Aled Jones first captured the public's ear not as a presenter, but as a boy soprano with a voice of startling purity. In 1985, his recording of 'Walking in the Air' from the animated film 'The Snowman' soared into the UK Top 5, making the teenage chorister from Anglesey a household name. His voice broke, as all boys' voices do, but rather than fading into nostalgia, Jones adeptly pivoted. He built a second, enduring career as a warm and familiar presence on British television and radio, hosting programmes for the BBC and ITV, and becoming a staple on Classic FM. His journey reflects a rare arc: from child star to respected broadcaster, maintaining a connection to music while evolving into a trusted media figure.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Aled was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aled Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Aled's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a UK Top 5 hit in 1985 with his recording of 'Walking in the Air'.
- Successfully transitioned from a child singing star to a long-running television and radio presenter.
- Has served as a regular presenter for major UK networks including BBC, ITV, and Classic FM.
Did You Know?
He shares a birthday with his son, both born on December 29th.
He voiced the character of 'Bran' in the English dub of the Japanese anime 'The Snow Queen'.
He released an album of hymns in 2020 that reached number one on the UK classical charts.
“That boy's voice is gone, but the music it carried is still here.”
