Gyles Brandreth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gyles Brandreth
|
|
|---|---|
Brandreth in 2022
|
|
| Lord Commissioner of the Treasury | |
| In office 11 December 1996 – 2 May 1997 |
|
| Prime Minister | John Major |
| Preceded by | Michael Bates |
| Succeeded by | Graham Allen |
| Member of Parliament for City of Chester |
|
| In office 9 April 1992 – 8 April 1997 |
|
| Preceded by | Peter Morrison |
| Succeeded by | Christine Russell |
| Chancellor of the University of Chester | |
| Assumed office 17 March 2017 |
|
| Preceded by | The Duke of Westminster |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 March 1948 Wuppertal, Germany |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
Michèle Brown
(m. 1973) |
| Children | 3, including Aphra |
| Relatives |
|
| Residences | Barnes, London, England |
| Education | New College, Oxford (BA) |
Gyles Brandreth (born 8 March 1948) is a well-known British person. He has many talents! He is a broadcaster, a writer, and was once a politician. You might have seen him on TV or heard him on the radio. He has also worked as a journalist, author, and theatre producer.
Gyles was a presenter on Good Morning Britain in the 1980s. He is often seen on the game show Countdown and the BBC's The One Show. On the radio, he frequently appears on Just a Minute.
From 1992 to 1997, Gyles was a Member of Parliament (MP). This means he was elected to represent the people of City of Chester in the House of Commons. After his time in politics, he went back to working in media. He has written many books, both fiction and non-fiction. He also gives talks as a public speaker.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gyles Brandreth was born on March 8, 1948, in Wuppertal, West Germany. His father was working there for the Allied Control Commission. When Gyles was three, his family moved to London.
He went to school at the Lycée Français in South Kensington and Bedales School in Hampshire. Later, he studied Modern History and Languages at New College, Oxford. While at Oxford, he was very active. He led the Oxford University Dramatic Society and was President of the Oxford Union. He also wrote for the university magazine Isis.
Television Appearances
_(52728574205).jpg)
Gyles Brandreth is famous for his many TV appearances. He has been on the game show Countdown over 300 times! He often sits in the Dictionary Corner. He also appeared on Good Morning Britain. He was known for his collection of colourful jumpers. Some of these were sold for charity in 1993.
In 2004, Gyles hosted a game show called Public Opinion. He also appeared in a funny sketch on That Mitchell and Webb Look. This sketch made fun of his Countdown appearances. In 2009, he hosted Knowitalls on BBC Two. He even made a quick appearance as himself in the sitcom The IT Crowd.
Gyles is a frequent guest on BBC panel shows. He has been on QI eight times and Have I Got News for You six times. He also helps out on The One Show. In 2019, he won two episodes of Richard Osman's House of Games.
He has appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox with different famous friends. These include Sheila Hancock, Maureen Lipman, Joanna Lumley, and Susie Dent. In 2020, Gyles and Sheila Hancock took over from Timothy West and Prunella Scales in Great Canal Journeys. They explored canals in England.
Radio Shows
Gyles Brandreth has presented shows on London's LBC radio since 1973. He is a regular guest on the funny BBC Radio 4 show Just a Minute. He also shared his ideas on being a government minister on The Westminster Hour. From 2003 to 2005, Gyles hosted the Radio 4 comedy game Whispers.
In 2006, he co-wrote and appeared in the Radio 4 comedy Living with the Enemy. In 2010, he made a documentary about his great-great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Brandreth. This ancestor invented a medicine called "Brandreth's Pills." Gyles also hosted the Radio 4 comedy show Wordaholics.
Podcasts
In April 2019, Gyles started a podcast called Something Rhymes with Purple. He hosted it with Susie Dent, who is an expert on words. The podcast talked about interesting English words and where they came from. It also explored the origins of popular phrases. This podcast finished in July 2024.
In September 2023, Gyles started another podcast called Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth. On this show, he interviews famous people. They talk about their first memories and experiences. Guests have included Judi Dench, Björn Ulvaeus, and Miriam Margolyes.
Writing Career
.jpg)
Since the 1970s, Gyles Brandreth has written many books. He has written for both adults and children. His books cover topics like Scrabble, words, puzzles, and jokes. He also wrote for Games & Puzzles magazine. He wrote a book about the actor John Gielgud.
In 1999, he published his diaries from his time as a politician. This book was called Breaking the Code. In 2004, Gyles published a book about the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. It was called Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage. In 2005, he wrote another book about the royal family. This one was about Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.
Gyles has also written a series of seven mystery novels. They are called The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries. In these books, the famous writer Oscar Wilde solves crimes with Arthur Conan Doyle.
Gyles performs in one-man comedy shows too. These include The One-to-One Show and Word Power. He has also written a book about the English language and grammar called Have You Eaten Grandma?.
Time in Politics
Gyles Brandreth was a Conservative MP for City of Chester. He served from 1992 to 1997. In 1992, he tried to pass a "Plain Language Bill." This bill aimed to make legal documents easier to understand.
He also proposed a law that became the Marriage Act 1994. This law allowed civil marriages to take place in more locations. In 1995, he became a junior minister. His role was a whip, which means he helped make sure other MPs voted with their party.
Gyles has shared stories about his time in Parliament on BBC radio shows. These include Brandreth on Office and The Brandreth Rules. In 2014, he was one of many public figures who signed a letter against Scottish independence. In 2016, he said he would vote for the UK to stay in the European Union. However, he accepted the result when the UK voted to leave (known as Brexit).
Gyles and George Knitwear
Gyles Brandreth is famous for his colourful and funny jumpers. He has designed and worn them throughout his career. He worked with artist George Hostler to create many jumper designs. They produced these under their brand, Gyles & George.
Gyles has a special room in his London home just for his jumpers! He says he has one for almost every occasion. For example, he has a jumper with a green frog that he wore to meet princes. He also has sweaters with corgis and crowns for royal events. He wore a jumper with a steam train when talking about rail strikes. He even wore one that said "The End" when Boris Johnson resigned. He has a Scrabble-themed jumper too, which he wears as president of the Association of British Scrabble Players.
When he was an MP, he wore lounge suits instead of his novelty jumpers. But he once famously told another MP that "the joy of a woolly jumper is that you can take it off at will. Whereas the blight of a woolly mind is that you're lumbered with it for life".
In 2020, Gyles partnered with American designer Jack Carlson. They brought back the Gyles & George brand. They have re-released many of his original designs. One famous jumper says "I'm a Luxury" and was worn by Diana, Princess of Wales. Another says "What the **** is going on?". They also have a popular collection of sweaters based on the Signs of the Zodiac.
Many famous people have worn Gyles & George jumpers. These include Joanna Lumley, Elton John, and Keith Richards. In 2023, the Petersfield Museum had an exhibition about Gyles & George and Gyles's own jumper collection.
Other Activities
Gyles Brandreth is a former European Monopoly champion. He is also the president of the Association of British Scrabble Players. He organized the first British National Scrabble Championship in 1971.
In 1987, Gyles kissed Cheryl Baker on screen for three minutes and 33 seconds. This was longer than the record for the longest onscreen kiss at the time!
He is a popular after-dinner speaker. He once held the world record for the longest continuous after-dinner speech, which lasted twelve-and-a-half hours. He did this for charity. With his wife, he started a Teddy bear museum. It was in Stratford-upon-Avon for 18 years. Then it moved to Wimbledon, London, and later to Newby Hall in Yorkshire.
Gyles is a supporter of the National Piers Society. He is also vice-president of the charity Fields in Trust. In 2014, he received an honorary degree from the University of Chester. In 2017, he became the university's chancellor. Since 2015, he has been the president of the Oscar Wilde Society.
Personal Life
Gyles Brandreth met his wife, Michèle Brown, at Oxford University. They got married on June 8, 1973. Their friend, actor Simon Cadell, was a witness. They have lived in Barnes, southwest London, since 1986.
Gyles and Michèle have three children. One of their children is Aphra. She was elected as an MP for Chester South and Eddisbury in 2024.
