Jesse Frederick Joseph Yates (20 December 1918 – 9 April 1993) was a British television presenter and producer. He was the creator, presenter and producer of Yorkshire Television’s religious programme Stars on Sunday for which he gained the nickname 'The Bishop'.
Born in Tyldesley, Lancashire, his family moved to Llandudno when he was five. After leaving school, Yates worked as a cinema organist Yates was born into a showbusiness family; his mother booked his stage acts. After the war he directed documentary films, joined BBC Television as a freelance designer and joined the BBC on the production side in 1949. He was involved with programmes, such as Come Dancing, The Good Old Days and the Miss World competition. In later life he lived in the village of Rowen, Near Conwy in Wales.
In 1968 he became head of children’s programmes for Yorkshire TV. The following year he began hosting Stars on Sunday. Yates would introduce the show seated at an electric organ - on which he occasionally performed in a tremulous manner - placed in front of a stained-glass window. One of his many charming observations was, "We can't see round the bend in the road, but God can." The programme attracted many special guests, including Harry Secombe, Dame Anna Neagle, Gracie Fields and Dorothy Squires. He was quoted as wanting stars to appear on the programme as this is what he thought would persuade viewers to tune-in. At the end of the series viewing figures had risen from 600,000 to seven million.
He was married to actress and author Elaine Smith (whose stage name was Helene Thornton and wrote under the pseudonym Heller Torren) from 1958 to 1975. His TV career ended in 1974 when it was revealed that he had been having an affair with young actress Anita Kay, although he was separated from his wife at the time. Despite this, amid the ensuing furore Yates had to be smuggled from Yorkshire Television's studio complex in Leeds in the boot of a motor car. His contract with the company was terminated.
Yates, who lived in North Wales, was also in demand as an after-dinner speaker. In 1976 he made an appearance on the panel of the new television show New Faces. However, towards the end of his life it was reported in the media that Yates was in financial difficulties, with a small pension from Yorkshire Television as his sole income. It was also stated that he was no longer on speaking terms with the television presenter Paula Yates, who was then believed to be his daughter. He had an interest in antiques.
After his death, a DNA test revealed that Paula, claimed to be his daughter by his wife, Elaine, was actually fathered by television presenter Hughie Green.