Geoffrey Hayes

Who is Geoffrey Hayes?

Geoffrey Hayes is an English television presenter and actor, best known as the host of Thames Television's top-rated children's show Rainbow from 1973 to 1992. Before that, he had much other work, including a recurring role in BBC1's police drama Z-Cars. Hayes also has writing credits for Rainbow and The Great Pony Raid in 1967.

Hayes struggled to find work after Rainbow was cancelled. He continued to work in television and pantomime, but it was not enough to earn a living as an actor, so he took a job stacking shelves for a British supermarket chain, before becoming a taxicab driver, which he is still doing today. Hayes starred in a humorous television advert about investing money, making fun of his fall from the top.

In 1996, Hayes appeared in the video for "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" by Oasis tribute band, No Way Sis. He replicated the role as a taxi driver, just as Patrick Macnee had done in the Oasis video for "Don't Look Back in Anger". Hayes also appeared in the all-star line up for the video of Tony Christie with Peter Kay's single "Is This the Way to Amarillo?".

In 2002, he was a guest panellist on an episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks.