100 Greatest Britons facts for kids

100 Greatest Britons was a TV show on the BBC in 2002. It was based on a public vote to find out who people in Britain thought were the most important Britons in history. The show had special episodes about the top ten people. After each episode, viewers could vote again. The series ended with a big discussion and a final list of the top ten. Many living people were on the list of 100, but all of the top ten were people who had already passed away.

The Public Vote: Who Did People Choose?

The public vote included many interesting people. Some were famous for their actions, like Guy Fawkes, who was involved in a plot against the Parliament of England. Others were leaders, like Oliver Cromwell, who helped create a new government in Britain.

People also voted for Richard III, a king from a long time ago, and James Connolly, an Irish leader who fought for change. Thomas Paine was chosen for writing important ideas during the American Revolution. Even modern figures like John Lydon, a singer, and Enoch Powell, a politician, made the list.

Interestingly, actor Michael Crawford was ranked very high at 17th place. Diana, Princess of Wales, was seen as a more important historical figure than famous scientists like Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, and even the famous writer William Shakespeare by those who voted.

Some people from outside Britain were also included, like the Irish musicians Bono and Bob Geldof, who are known for their charity work. Most of the top 20 people (16 of them) were from England. However, Elizabeth I had Welsh family roots. Sir Ernest Shackleton and Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, were Anglo-Irish, meaning they had both English and Irish heritage from a time when all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom. Alexander Fleming, who was ranked 20th, was Scottish.

Only 13 of the 100 greatest Britons were women. Sixty of the people on the list had lived in the 20th century. The highest-ranked living person was Margaret Thatcher, who was placed 16th. Ringo Starr was the only member of The Beatles not to be on the list.

For a while, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was at the top of the poll. This was largely because students from Brunel University strongly supported him. However, in the last week of voting, Sir Winston Churchill received many more votes and ended up in first place.

The Final List

The BBC's original ranked list is no longer on their website. However, other sources have kept the full list.

There was a small question about whether Richard Burton (at number 96) was the famous actor or the explorer. The BBC later confirmed it was the actor.

Top 10 Greatest Britons

Here are the top 10 people chosen in the "100 Greatest Britons" poll:

Rank	Name		What They Are Known For	Advocate	Ref.
1	Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965)		He was the Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. He led Britain during World War II when the country faced a planned invasion. He also won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953.	Mo Mowlam, British politician.
2	Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806–1859)		A brilliant engineer who designed the Great Western Railway, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and famous ships like the SS Great Britain'. He helped change public transport and engineering during the Industrial Revolution.	Jeremy Clarkson, TV presenter.
3	Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997)		She was the first wife of Charles III and the mother of William, Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. She was admired for her charity work and helping others.	Rosie Boycott, journalist and feminist activist.
4	Charles Darwin (1809–1882)		A biologist and naturalist who developed the theory of evolution through natural selection. He wrote the famous book On the Origin of Species.	Andrew Marr, journalist and TV presenter.
5	William Shakespeare (1564–1616)		A famous poet and playwright. He wrote plays like Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet. Many people think he is the greatest writer in the English language.	Fiona Shaw, actress and theatre and opera director.
6	Isaac Newton (1642–1727)		A brilliant physicist, mathematician, and astronomer. He discovered universal gravitation and the laws of classical mechanics (how things move). His book Principia is one of the most important science books ever.	Tristram Hunt, historian.
7	Elizabeth I (1533–1603)		She was the Queen of England and Ireland from 1558 to 1603. Her reign brought peace and she led England to victory against the Spanish Armada. This time is known as the Elizabethan era.	Michael Portillo, journalist and politician.
8	John Lennon (1940–1980)		A singer, songwriter, musician, and member of the famous band The Beatles. He is one of the most famous and influential pop artists of all time, known for his music and his work for peace.	Alan Davies, comedian and actor.
9	Horatio Nelson (1758–1805)		A famous naval commander in the Royal Navy, especially during the Napoleonic Wars. His victory at the Battle of Trafalgar was very important in stopping a planned invasion of Britain.	Lucy Moore, historian.
10	Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658)		He was the first Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1653 to 1658. He led the army during the English Civil Wars against King Charles I.	Richard Holmes, military historian.

See also

In Spanish: 100 Greatest Britons para niños

• Greatest Britons spin-offs
• Historical rankings of prime ministers of the United Kingdom