Bryn Fôn (born 27 August 1954) is a Welsh actor and singer-songwriter.Interview with BBC Cymru
/ref> He also became the first artist to play live on

BBC Radio Cymru BBC Radio Cymru is a Welsh language radio station owned and operated by BBC Cymru Wales, a division of the BBC. It broadcasts across Wales on FM, DAB, digital TV and BBC Sounds. The station broadcasts general factual and entertainment pro ...

in 1977.

Biography

Bryn Fôn was born in

Llanllyfni Llanllyfni () is a village and a community (Wales), community in Gwynedd, Wales. It is in the Historic counties of Wales, historic county of Caernarfonshire. The community consists of the villages of Drws-y-coed, Nantlle, Nasareth, Nebo, Gwynedd ...

Caernarfonshire Caernarfonshire (; , ), previously spelled Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire, was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was located in the north-west of Wales. Geography The county ...

. He attended Ysgol Gynradd Llanllyfni and Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle before going on to study

physical exercise Exercise or workout is physical activity that enhances or maintains fitness and overall health. It is performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardio ...

and

environmental Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, referring respectively to all living and non-living things occurring naturally and the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism ...

studies at college. He began his career in entertainment by taking part in the opera Dic Penderyn in 1977. He formed the musical group Crysbas after leaving college, and Sobin a'r Smaeliaid in 1988. He was voted the ''hunk of the month'' in '' She'' magazine during the 1980s. He began releasing albums with his band under his own name in 1994. He and his band later performed under the name Bryn Fôn a'r Band, releasing music under their own

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product. Labels are most often affixed to packaging and containers using an adhesive, or sewing when affix ...

. He won the song contest Cân i Gymru in 1997, with ''Un Funud Fach''. In his later career, Fôn has concentrated on appearing on stage and also adapted the play '' Blackbird'' for a production by Theatr Bara Caws in which he starred in 2010. At present, he performs with his own band. He is involved with numerous gigs yearly all over Wales, most particularly the Royal Welsh Show and the

National Eisteddfod of Wales The National Eisteddfod of Wales ( Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competito ...

Personal life

A campaign of arson attacks linked to the Welsh language movement began in December 1979, which involved burning down English-owned holiday homes in Wales. Fôn wrote a song belittling the police's unsuccessful attempts to catch those responsible. In 1990, several detectives visited his home and he was arrested along with his partner, Anna, after they discovered a package hidden in a wall on his cottage's land. He was held at the police station in

Dolgellau Dolgellau (; ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the traditional county town of the Historic counties of Wales, historic county of Merion ...

for 48 hours before being released without charge. His C'mon Midffild! co-cast member,

Mei Jones Henryd Myrddin Jones (1953–2021), known professionally as Mei Jones, was a Welsh actor and writer. He was best known for his part as Wali Tomos in the Welsh language sitcom ''C'mon Midffîld!, C'mon Midffild!'' which he also co-wrote. Early li ...

, was arrested at the same time. In January 2011, it was announced that Bryn Fôn was one of a hundred people who had refused to pay their TV licences as part of the

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg The Welsh Language Society (, also often abbreviated to Cymdeithas yr Iaith or just Cymdeithas in English) is a direct action pressure group in Wales campaigning for the right of Welsh people to use the Welsh language in every aspect of their l ...

protests against plans to cut the budget of the Welsh-language TV channel,

S4C S4C (, ''Sianel Pedwar Cymru'', meaning ''Channel Four Wales'') is a Welsh language free-to-air public broadcast television channel. Launched on 1 November 1982, it was the first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speakin ...

, and the plans to transfer control over the channel to the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

.Tudalen Newyddion ar Wefan Golwg360
/ref> Fôn is also politically active in support of the Welsh language, and is a supporter of

Welsh independence Welsh independence () is the political movement advocating for Wales to become a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. Wales was conquered during the 13th century by Edward I of England following the killing of Llywelyn the ...

Fôn is married with two children.

Discography

Albums

Filmography

References

External links

website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fon, Bryn 1954 births 20th-century Welsh male singers Welsh-language singers Welsh male television actors Welsh male stage actors Welsh-speaking actors Welsh language activists People from Llanllyfni Living people 21st-century Welsh male singers 21st-century Welsh male actors 20th-century Welsh male actors Male actors from Gwynedd