Neil Oliver facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Neil Oliver
Oliver in 2006
Born	(1967-02-21) 21 February 1967 (age 58) Renfrew, Scotland
Citizenship	British
Alma mater	University of Glasgow
Occupation	Television presenter, author, historian
Years active	2002 – present
Children	3

Neil Oliver was born on 21 February 1967. He is a Scottish television presenter, author, and historian. He is well-known for presenting many TV shows about history and archaeology.

Some of his popular shows include A History of Scotland, Vikings, and Coast. He has also written many history books and historical stories.

From 2017 to 2020, he was the president of the National Trust for Scotland. This is a group that helps protect Scotland's heritage. Since 2021, Neil Oliver has also been a presenter for the UK news channel GB News.

Early Life and Learning

Neil Oliver was born in Renfrew, Scotland. He grew up in Ayr and Dumfries. He went to Dumfries Academy for school.

Later, he studied at the University of Glasgow. He earned a special degree in archaeology. After finishing his studies, he worked as an archaeologist for a while. Then, he trained to become a journalist.

His Career in TV and Writing

Neil Oliver first appeared on TV in 2002. This was for a BBC Two show called Two Men in a Trench. In this show, he and another archaeologist, Tony Pollard, explored old British battlefields. They also wrote two books about their adventures.

In 2006, he presented The Face of Britain for Channel 4. He also hosted Scotland's History: The Top Ten for the BBC. Early in his career, he appeared on other popular shows like The One Show and Time Team.

Exploring the Coast

Neil Oliver became a co-presenter for the first series of Coast in 2005. This show explores the coastlines of Britain. He later became the main presenter for several more series.

He also presented Coast Australia in 2013. In 2016, he hosted Coast New Zealand.

History Documentaries

From 2006 to 2018, Oliver presented many history documentaries for the BBC. These included A History of Scotland in 2008. He also presented Sacred Wonders of Britain in 2013.

In 2012, he wrote and presented Vikings. This was a three-part series about the ancient Vikings.

Working at GB News

In April 2021, it was announced that Neil Oliver would join GB News. He now hosts a weekly show there. His show covers current events and includes interviews.

He also wrote a weekly column for The Sunday Times newspaper. He did this from 2016 until 2022.

His Public Views

Neil Oliver has shared his thoughts on several important topics. These are his personal opinions.

On Scottish Independence

In 2014, Oliver spoke about the idea of Scottish independence. This was before a vote on whether Scotland should leave the UK. He said he was "proud of Britain." He preferred things to stay as they were.

He felt that arguments about Scotland leaving the UK were difficult. When he became president of the National Trust for Scotland, some people disagreed with his views. They asked him to step down. In 2020, he again said he was against Scottish independence. He felt that the idea of another vote caused too much worry. He said he sees himself as a British citizen.

On the COVID-19 Pandemic

In 2021, Neil Oliver spoke about how the British government handled the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that "Lockdown is the biggest single mistake in world history."

He also disagreed with giving COVID-19 vaccines to children in the UK. He compared fighting government rules to fighting against Nazi Germany. Because of his strong views, he left a group called These Islands. This group supports the UK staying together.

On Global Governance

In February 2023, Oliver spoke on his GB News show. He talked about a "silent war." He said politicians were trying to gain "total control of the people." He also mentioned the idea of "one-world government."

Some groups, like the Board of Deputies of British Jews, asked GB News to be careful. They felt these ideas sounded like harmful conspiracy theories. In May 2023, Oliver shared an image of Bill Gates. He wrote that Gates was an example of the danger from powerful people who don't care about others.

On Climate Change

In July 2023, Oliver spoke about the "terrifying" temperatures in southern Europe. This was during a heatwave. He said that the news, including the BBC, was trying to scare people about climate change. He claimed they were using ground temperatures instead of air temperatures.

A BBC weather expert, Tomasz Schafernaker, said this was "absolutely not true."

His Personal Life

Neil Oliver lives in Stirling, Scotland. He lives there with his wife and their three children. They also have two Irish Wolfhound dogs.

In 2019, he was listed as a supporter of the Association of Lighthouse Keepers.

He has received special honorary degrees from two universities. In 2011, he got one from the University of Abertay Dundee. In 2015, he received another from the University of Glasgow.

His Works

Television Shows

Books He Has Written

• The Story of the World in 100 Moments (2021)
• Wisdom of the Ancients (2020)
• The Story of the British Isles in 100 Places (2018)
• Master of Shadows (2015)
• Vikings (2012)
• A History of Ancient Britain (2011)
• A History of Scotland (2009)
• Amazing Tales for Making Men Out of Boys (2008)
• Coast from the Air (2007)
• Not Forgotten (2006)
• Castles and Forts (with Simon Adams and Tony Pollard) (2006)
• Two Men in a Trench II: Uncovering the Secrets of British Battlefields (with Tony Pollard) (2003)
• Two Men in a Trench: Battlefield Archaeology – The Key to Unlocking the Past (with Tony Pollard) (2002)