Editing Johnny Ball (section)

==Early life==
Ball was born in [[Bristol]] and attended [[Kingswood, South Gloucestershire|Kingswood]] Primary School on the eastern edge of the city.<ref name=sussex>[http://www.sussexlife.co.uk/education/johnny_ball_on_why_the_right_teacher_really_does_make_all_the_difference_1_3780737 Johnny Ball "Why the Right teacher really does make a difference"] Retrieved 7 November 2015</ref> Later in his childhood the family moved to [[Bolton]], then part of [[Lancashire]], where he attended Bolton County Grammar School. He left formal education with two [[O-Level]]s, one in mathematics<ref>{{YouTube|cq-fasUmOcw|Johnny Ball – "Past Imperfect, Future Fantastic" – Wrexham Science Festival 1 of 4}}</ref> and one in geography. He was called up for [[national service]] and spent three years in the [[Royal Air Force]]. He was posted to Wales as a radar operator and was later sent to Germany to monitor the Hamburg-Berlin air corridor.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://uk.style.yahoo.com/johnny-ball-wants-national-service-return-114326209.html? | title= TV presenter Johnny Ball wants return of National Service for 'floundering kids' | work=Yahoo! | first=Danny | last=Thompson | date=28 November 2020 | access-date=31 January 2022}}</ref>

Ball began his entertainment career by working as a [[Redcoats (Butlins)|Butlin's Redcoat]], and was an entertainer in northern clubs and [[cabaret]]. He was nicknamed Johnny after [[John Ball (footballer, born 1925)|John Ball]], who played for [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] from 1950 to 1958 and the name stuck.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Alex |first1=Michael |title=FEATURE: Why 1980s children's TV legend Johnny Ball is still 'thinking of numbers' ahead of Dundee University talk |url=https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/local/dundee/980009/feature-why-1980s-childrens-tv-legend-johnny-ball-is-still-thinking-of-numbers-ahead-of-dundee-university-talk/ |website=The Courier |date=19 September 2019 |access-date=2 November 2019}}</ref>