Edwina Currie facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Edwina Currie
Currie in 2014
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health
In office 10 September 1986 – 16 December 1988
Prime Minister	Margaret Thatcher
Preceded by	John Major
Succeeded by	Roger Freeman
Member of Parliament for South Derbyshire
In office 9 June 1983 – 8 April 1997
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Mark Todd
Personal details
Born	Edwina Cohen (1946-10-13) 13 October 1946 (age 78) Liverpool, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	Ray Currie ​ ​ (m. 1972; div. 2001)​ John Jones ​ ​ (m. 2001; died 2020)​
Children	2, including Debbie
Residences	Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, England
Alma mater	St Anne's College, Oxford (MA) London School of Economics (MA)

Edwina Currie (born 13 October 1946) is a British writer and TV personality. She used to be a politician. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Conservative Party. She represented South Derbyshire from 1983 to 1997. For two years, she also served as a Junior Health Minister. She left this role in 1988.

After losing her MP seat in 1997, Edwina Currie started a new career. She became a successful writer and appeared on many TV and radio shows. She is known for sharing her strong opinions. Today, she works as an author and media personality.

Early Life and Education

Edwina Currie was born in Liverpool, England. Her family was Orthodox Jewish. She attended the Liverpool Institute High School for Girls. There, she was the Deputy Head Girl.

After high school, she went to St Anne's College at the University of Oxford. She studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Later, she earned a Master of Arts degree in economic history. She got this degree from the London School of Economics.

Political Journey

Edwina Currie started her political career in local government. From 1975 to 1986, she was a Birmingham City Councillor. This means she was elected to help run the city of Birmingham.

In 1983, she decided to run for the national parliament. She was a candidate for the Conservative Party. She won the election and became the MP for South Derbyshire.

In September 1986, she was given a bigger role. She became a Junior Health Minister. This meant she helped make decisions about health in the country.

Life as an MP After Being a Minister

After her time as a minister, Edwina Currie continued as an MP. In 1991, she was the first Conservative MP to appear on the TV show Have I Got News for You. This was a popular comedy news quiz. She appeared on the show again in 1993.

She was the MP for South Derbyshire for 14 years. However, in the 1997 general election, she lost her seat. Many other Conservative MPs also lost their seats that year.

After Parliament

Currie at Manchester Pride, August 2016

After leaving Parliament, Edwina Currie tried to return to politics. She tried to become a candidate for the European Parliament in 1999, but she was not chosen.

In 2021, she ran for a local council seat in Whaley Bridge. This is where she lives. She was challenging another former MP, Ruth George. Edwina Currie did not win this election.

Other Work and Media Appearances

Books She Has Written

Edwina Currie is a published author. She has written six novels, which are fictional stories. Some of her novels include A Parliamentary Affair and A Woman's Place.

She has also written four non-fiction books. These books are based on facts and real events. One of her non-fiction works is Diaries 1987–92.

On TV and Radio

Since 1997, Edwina Currie has been a familiar face in the media. From 1998 to 2003, she hosted her own radio show. It was called Late Night Currie on BBC Radio 5 Live. She also presented a TV show called Currie Night.

She has appeared on many reality TV shows. In 2004, she was on Hell's Kitchen with chef Gordon Ramsay. She also competed on Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes in 2006.

Edwina Currie has shown her knowledge on quiz shows. She was the first woman to win Celebrity Mastermind in 2004. Her special topic was the life of Marie Curie. She also won All Star Family Fortunes in 2009. She appeared on Come Dine with Me twice.

In 2011, she took part in Strictly Come Dancing. She was paired with professional dancer Vincent Simone. They were the first couple to leave the competition. In 2014, she joined I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and finished in fourth place. In 2020, she was part of the BBC Two series Pilgrimage: Road to Istanbul.

Her Personal Life

Edwina Currie married Ray Currie in 1972. They had two daughters, Debbie and Susie. They separated in 1997 and divorced in 2001.

In 2001, she married John Jones. He was a retired detective. They met when he was a guest on her radio show. John Jones passed away in 2020.

Edwina Currie currently lives in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire.

Helping Others and Other Interests

Edwina Currie has supported several charities. In 2004, she cycled across Poland to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

She is a patron of the British Heart Foundation. In 2005, she helped a campaign to raise awareness about heart disease in women. She also became a patron for MRSA Action UK, a charity that helps patients affected by hospital superbugs.

In 2011, she became the President of the Tideswell Male Voice Choir.

Music She Has Released

In 2009, Edwina Currie was part of a TV show called Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway. For the show, she teamed up with Declan Donnelly and two other celebrities. They released a cover version of the Wham! song "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go".