# Ryan Swain (presenter)

Ryan Swain (born 24 February 1990) is an English radio presenter, DJ, actor, comedian and skateboarder.
Swain is known for broadcasting on radio, hosting live events and festivals and for his charity work and fundraising. He owns the Ryedale Skate School and is also a coach for Skateboard GB as well as a mental health campaigner and advocate for neurodiversity.
He won the first BBC 'Make a Difference' Award in the together category with BBC Radio York in October 2022. He also won the "York Community Pride – Person Of Year Award" for his contribution to his local community. In 2022 he was the runner-up of the Inspirational Individual Of The Year and Yorkshire Media Personality of the Year Award in the Yorkshire Choice Awards which was won by ITV's Gaynor Barnes. He was honoured on 2 February 2023 with The Everyone Active Outstanding Achievement Award in the Ryedale District Sports Awards for being a key figure in the rebuilding of Malton & Norton Skate Park. The award was presented to him by Paralympic swimmer Maisie Summers-Newton.
He has formerly presented on local radio station YorkMix Radio. As well as York's Minster FM

## Career
### Presenting & DJin

Swain started his career as a coat style entertainer at Flamingo Land Resort in North Yorkshire. He was the first and resident host of the theme park's "Party In The Park" concerts. He progressed to become a weekend presenter on York's Minster FM.
He has also hosted shows on YorkMix Radio, Coast & County Radio and YO1 Radio which was formerly called Vale Radio.
He has hosted for Clubland at the Clubland Weekender at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and Clubland On The Beach. event at Redcars Majuba Beach
In 2018, he hosted The Only Fools and Horses Annual Convention at Hull for the first time. He hosted and switched on Scarborough's Christmas Lights in November 2019 with Coronation Street star Chris Gascoyne and singer, songwriter Twinnie-Lee Moore.
In February 2020, Swain hosted rapper The Game at Rainton Arena in Houghton Le Spring. After the show he was invited backstage to meet him.
In March 2020, he went on a UK tour with the newly formed supergroup Boyz On Block consisting of 90's boy band members Abz Love, Dane Bowers, Shane Lynch and Ben Ofoedu hosting for them across Mecca Bingo halls around the country.
Swain occasionally MCs over the sets of live DJs and groups at events and has MC'd live for N-Trance, Ultrabeat, Andy Whitby, Café Mambo, Ian van Dahl, Switch Disco, Rui da Silva, and Angie Brown.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Swain hosted his own version of the TV game show Play Your Cards Right online which was initially set up to entertain NHS staff and keyworkers. He would broadcast daily on Instagram live and be joined by a different celebrity guest. Game show legend Michael Barrymore, Natalie from Cascada, Lee Ryan, Jenny Powell, Majestic, Tamer Hassan, Keith Duffy, Natasha Hamilton, Michelle Heaton and Britain's Got Talent star Kojo Anim were amongst some of the stars who appeared on the show. Swain got his special "Nice Two Metre, Two Metre Nice" catchphrase from the broadcasts mimicking the famous cathphrase of Bruce Forsyth who formerly presented the television version of the show.
In 2021, Swain was a regular lunch mate on Steph's Packed Lunch on Channel 4 which was hosted daily by Steph McGovern.
In January 2022, Swain became the official host and face of No Limits Bingo at Majestic Bingo Ltd presenting and touring with the brand's Clubingo franchise.
Swain is the mainstage host of the Yorkshire Balloon Fiesta. he also hosts and DJs Autumn Lights UK which tours the country's showgrounds.
Swain is a multi-genre DJ heavily influenced by clubland and trance anthems. He is known best for his mash-up mixes. He has played at festivals, live events and nightclubs across the UK. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Swain helped to raise over £25,000 for various charities from doing DJ sets virtually.

### The Yorkshire Grinch

In November 2024 Swain started a tribute act to The grinch calling himself The Yorkshire Grinch.
He decided to take up the role after being compared to his hero, Jim Carrey, since childhood. Being quoted the “real-life Grinch” by the New York Post.
He has visited hospitals, SEN groups and community hubs spreading festive mayhem. His character tells jokes, eats onions "like a maniac", and 'swallows sugar glass light bulbs' like the real thing.

## Personal life

Swain lives in Malton, North Yorkshire. Swain had major heart surgery at the age of 4 to cure a patent ductus arteriosus.
He did his schooling from Norton Community Primary School and later his secondary education from Norton College. He was expelled from high school at the age of 15 due to his ADHD and behaviour. He then went on to study at Scarborough Pupil Referral Unit. After school he went on to study musical theatre and drama at Westwood Performing Arts Campus at Yorkshire Coast College.
He is a vegetarian and has been since 2020. Swain has identical twin daughters in who were born in April 2015. He is also visual artist and makes art as a hobbyist. A piece of his artwork titled "Carnivore Of Colours" was entered in to the Ashurst Emerging Art Prize 2021 in London. In March 2021 it was announced he was a finalist in the Uni-ball Posca Artist Of The Year Awards.

## Skateboarding

Swain is a skateboarding enthusiast. He is also a commentator, broadcaster and MC for action sports events and demonstrations in skateboarding. In May 2012 he skateboarded a record breaking 54.4 miles in 5 hours raising money and awareness for a charity called Louby's Lifeline which supports Brain Tumour Research.
He took a short break from skateboarding, but picked up the sport again during the COVID-19 pandemic after his mental health plummeted.

### Rescue the Ramp Campaign

In March 2021, Swain started and set up a campaign in a bid to repair and save the "iconic" half-pipe at his local skate-park. Appealing to the two town councils that co-ran the skate park on Norton Road in Malton to invest in repairing other parts of the local amenity, which is "in a state of disrepair." He got famous skateboarders such as Tony Hawk, Bam Margera, Danny Way, Bucky Lasek, Andy Macdonald, Christian Hosoi, and Pro BMX star Jamie Bestwick to support the campaign. The ramp is one of nine of its kind in the UK and it is the only one in the north of England which is outdoors and free to use.
In June 2021, Swain and his campaigners led a team of volunteers to the skatepark to carry out works which they had been given permission to carry out by Norton Town Council by vote at their last meeting. Members of the scheme which was named #RescueTheRamp, successfully stripped back the structure in preparation for a sanding down and repainting refurbishment in the next stage of the project. Swain secured a sponsorship deal with Habito mortgage brokers for £15,000 which at the time were also the sponsor of Team GB in Skateboarding at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games.
The second phase of the scheme, which would see work carried out to resurface the structure, was rejected by the council on 19 July 2021, prompting outrage from campaigners. A petition was set up by Swain to help save the regeneration of the Malton, and Norton skatepark, following uncertainty about the plans going ahead. In August 2021 the skatepark was temporarily closed due to concerns about the condition of some of the equipment on the park.
In December 2021, Swain was asked to meet Keane Duncan to discuss supporting a motion which was getting submitted to Ryedale District Council calling for councillors to support Norton Town Council to reopen the skate park and renovate the half pipe. It was due to be discussed at a full council meeting (Thursday, 2 December) but was cancelled hours before the meeting was set to take place due to COVID-19 concerns.
On 8 March 2022, an extraordinary meeting of Norton Town Council members voted to appoint a contractor, King Ramps, to repair and resurface the smaller ramps. On 21 March 2022, work started on site repairing the park. Norton and Malton skate park officially reopened to the public on Monday 25 April 2022 – after a safety inspection from RoSPA on the restored site.
On Monday 16 May 2022 at the first annual meeting for the newly elected members of Norton Town Council, there was a motion put in place to vote for the approval of the halfpipe repairs. The vote was approved with 8 members voting in favour and 3 abstentions with Swain and fellow campaigners winning their campaign.
On Thursday 16 June 2022, the Rescue the Ramp campaigners, led by Swain, attended a Policy and Resources Meeting at Ryedale District Council to vote and find out if the campaign to restore the half-pipe at Norton and Malton Skate Park was successful. Councillor Keane Duncan and Dinah Keal proposed the funding, which was then seconded by the council during the meeting. The vote was a unanimous yes and was voted through awarding Swain and the campaigners £50,000.
In August 2022, Swain and King Ramps started repair work on the iconic halfpipe.
On Monday 26 September 2022, the ramp at Norton skatepark was given the official go ahead by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

### 100 Mile Challenge

In 2022, Swain Skateboarded 100 miles throughout May in support of Cancer Research UK, in a bid to raise money and awareness for the 'Wheel 100' appeal. He completed his challenge in 12 hours and 27 minutes over a period of 3 days on Sunday 15 May 2022 raising £891 the charity.

### Ryedale Skate School

in June 2023 Swain started a skateboarding school in North Yorkshire. Swain is a Skateboard GB Coach.
Since starting the skate school in 2023 he has taught over 700 pupils, helping young people learn how to skateboard safely, use facilities correctly and develop their skills as well as their own mental health and well-being.
The skate school has visited skateparks in Malton, Thornton-le-Dale, Kirkbymoorside, Filey, Scarborough, Thirsk and Rotherham as well as schools across the region.
Swains goal is to train and coach skaters of all capabilities individually and professionally but also get them ready for national competitions and qualifiers within the UK skate scene.
The skate school has donated lessons, equipment and skateboards to local children and funded free places to lessons to those families who have been affected by the cost of living crisis. In July 2024 the bereaved family of local boy Harry Taylor Robinson funded places and were supporters of Skatefest 2024 which Swain and his fiancé Samantha Cook organised, the event was in loving memory of Harry.

### Skatefest

Swain co-organised the free one-day event, which featured professional action sports riders from around the UK, competitions, live bands and music, street art demonstrations, free skate lessons, artisan stalls, and food and drink at Malton & Norton Skatepark in July 2024. The event was in memory of Harry Robinson who passed away in September 2020 when he was only 14 years old.

## Guinness World Record attempts

On 14 December 2022 Swain announced he was aiming to set a new world record officially in 2023 for the Guinness World Records in Skateboarding in the hope of travelling 300 miles or more in less than 24 hours – whilst raising money and awareness for Mind (charity). Swain skated 90 miles in adverse weather conditions, getting caught in 15 mph winds and torrential rain on 8 May 2023. He raised over £5,000 for the mental health charities Mind, Andy's Man Club and Next Steps Mental Health Resource Centre before a hamstring injury forced him to stop less than 12 hours into the attempt. He added after the set back that he intended to try the challenge again at a later date.

## ADHD and mental health

Swain is also a mental health campaigner, advocate and fundraiser. He has Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and has campaigned for more awareness of the condition. Since his diagnosis he has focused on raising both money and awareness and creating content around mental health and wellbeing, the Law of attraction (New Thought) and ADHD.
In March 2017 he was a special guest on The Chrissy B Show to speak about ADHD and how he had channelled it into his career as a comedian and entertainer.
During ADHD Awareness Month in October 2021 he announced that he was planning a countrywide motivational speaking tour to raise awareness of ADHD. The tour, called 'ADHD & Me', which is a motivational and educational talk and touring show aimed at all age groups but mainly young people, which is encouraging people to speak out about their mental health disorders.

## Charity work

In December 2019 he raised more than £1,750 for the York charity SASH and Simon On The Streets in Leeds by re-enacting a rough sleep. He also sold personal artwork, spending 24 hours on the streets.
During the COVID-19 pandemic he live streamed his performances and DJ sets across charity pages and groups on Facebook, helping to raise over £25,000 for various NHS Charities.
Swain was nominated for the Inspirational Individual Of The Year award in the Yorkshire Choice Awards 2022 in recognition of his charity work in his local community, the NHS and for mental health awareness he has raised.

## Awards

* Phoenix Newspaper Award for People's Choice – Winner (2018 and 2020)
* Yorkshire Gig Guide Grassroots Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution – Winner (2018)
* National Choice Award – Winner (2019)
* Yorkshire Media Personality Of The Year – Finalist (2018)
* Yorkshire Choice Awards – Inspirational Individual Of The Year – Finalist (2022)
* The York Press Community Pride Awards - Person Of The Year - Winner (2022)
* BBC Make A Difference – Together Award – Winner (2022)
* Everyone Active – Outstanding Achievement Award – Winner (2023)
* National Diversity Awards – Positive Role Model – Nomination (2024)