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Gyles Brandreth

Gyles Daubeney Brandreth (born 8 March 1948) is a British broadcaster, writer and former politician. He has worked as a television presenter, theatre producer, journalist, author and publisher.

Gyles Brandreth
Brandreth in 2022
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
In office
11 December 1996 – 2 May 1997
Prime MinisterJohn Major
Preceded byMichael Bates
Succeeded byGraham Allen
Member of Parliament
for City of Chester
In office
9 April 1992 – 8 April 1997
Preceded byPeter Morrison
Succeeded byChristine Russell
Chancellor of the University of Chester
Assumed office
17 March 2017
Preceded byThe Duke of Westminster
Personal details
Born (1948-03-08) 8 March 1948 (age 76)
Wuppertal, Germany
Political partyConservative
Spouse
Michèle Brown
(m. 1973)
Children3
Relatives
EducationNew College, Oxford (BA)

He was a presenter for TV-am's Good Morning Britain in the 1980s, and has been regularly featured on Channel 4's game show Countdown and the BBC's The One Show. On radio, he makes frequent appearances on the BBC Radio 4 programme Just a Minute.

In 1992, Brandreth was elected to the House of Commons as the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of Chester constituency. He served until he was defeated in 1997, and resumed his career in the media. He has written both fiction and non-fiction books, and makes appearances as a public speaker.

Early life edit

Brandreth was born on 8 March 1948 in Wuppertal, West Germany, where his father, Charles Brandreth, was serving as a legal officer with the Allied Control Commission.[2] He is the great-great-great-grandson of Benjamin Brandreth.[3] He has stated that he is a descendant of Jeremiah Brandreth.

He moved to London with his parents at the age of three and was educated at the Lycée Français in South Kensington, and Bedales School in Petersfield, Hampshire, where he befriended Simon Cadell.[4]

Brandreth studied Modern History and Modern Languages at New College, Oxford,[5] where he met Rick Stein.[2] While at Oxford, he directed the Oxford University Dramatic Society and was President of the Oxford Union[5] in Michaelmas term, 1969, and was a regular contributor to the university magazine Isis. He was described in a contemporaneous publication as "Oxford's Lord High Everything Else".[6][full citation needed] Christopher Hitchens suggested that Brandreth "set out to make himself into a Ken Tynan. Wore a cloak."[7]

Television edit

Brandreth has appeared in the Dictionary Corner on the game show Countdown more than 300 times, including Carol Vorderman's final edition in 2008, making more appearances than any other guest. He appeared on TV-am's Good Morning Britain. He was known for his collection of jumpers, of which some were sold in a charity auction in 1993.

Brandreth hosted the short-lived game show Public Opinion in 2004.[8] In 2006, he appeared on the television series That Mitchell and Webb Look, on the fictional game show "Numberwang", satirising his appearances in Countdown's Dictionary Corner. In 2007, he guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio play I.D.. From July to August 2009, he hosted the game show Knowitalls on BBC Two. In April 2010, he appeared on BBC Radio 4's Vote Now Show. He made a cameo appearance as himself in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd, in the episode "The Final Countdown".

A frequent guest on BBC television panel shows, he has appeared on eight episodes of QI and six episodes of Have I Got News for You. He has appeared in episodes of Channel 5's The Gadget Show, and is a contributor to the BBC's early evening programme The One Show.

He appeared on Room 101 in 2005, while Paul Merton was host, successfully banishing the Royal Variety Performance and the British honours system into Room 101, saying that he would never accept an honour himself.[9] In 2013 he clarified that position, stating that he had "no fundamental objection to the honours system", and that he selected the honours system for Room 101 because he could "tell funny stories about it".[10]

In October 2019, Brandreth appeared in series 3 of Richard Osman's House of Games, winning two of the five episodes.

Also in 2019, Brandreth appeared on series 1 of Celebrity Gogglebox alongside Sheila Hancock.[11] In 2020 and 2021, Brandreth returned for Series 2 and 3, alongside Maureen Lipman.[12] In 2022, he appeared in the series with Joanna Lumley and Carol Vorderman.[13][14] In 2023, he returned with Lumley for Series 5, as well as Susie Dent.

In 2020, Brandreth and actor Sheila Hancock replaced Timothy West and Prunella Scales in a two-episode series of Great Canal Journeys, travelling down the River Thames.[15] In the first episode Timothy West gave the two novice canal boaters a crash course in barging.[16] They went down the Staffordshire Waterways in 2021 for another two-episode series.[17]

On 16 October 2021, Brandreth appeared as a celebrity contestant on Beat the Chasers in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital.[citation needed]

On 24 October 2022, Brandreth appeared on Bargain Hunt: BBC 100th Birthday Special to commemorate the BBC's 100th Anniversary. His team mate was Tony Blackburn.[citation needed]

Radio edit

Brandreth has presented programmes on London's LBC radio at various times since 1973, such as Star Quality. He frequently appears on BBC Radio 4's comedy panel game Just a Minute.[2] He has appeared on several episodes of Radio 4's political programme The Westminster Hour, explaining his thoughts on how to make the most of being a government minister. From 2003 to 2005 Brandreth hosted the Radio 4 comedy panel game Whispers.

In 2006, Brandreth appeared in the Radio 4 comedy programme Living with the Enemy which he co-wrote with comedian Nick Revell, in which they appear as a former Conservative government minister and a former comedian. In 2010 he broadcast a Radio 4 documentary about his great-great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Brandreth, the inventor of a medicine called "Brandreth's Pills". He is the host of the Radio 4 comedy panel show Wordaholics, first aired on 20 February 2012. He appeared on the Radio 4 programme The Museum of Curiosity in August 2017, to which he donated a button that was once owned by a famous actor.

In April 2019, Brandreth began co-hosting a podcast titled Something Rhymes With Purple alongside friend and colleague Susie Dent.[18] The podcast discusses aspects of the English language such as historic or unusual words and their origins, as well as the origins of popular phrases and sayings.

Writing edit

Since the 1970s, Brandreth has written books for adults and children about Scrabble, words, puzzles and jokes, and co-founded the Games & Puzzles magazine. He wrote an authorised biography of actor John Gielgud, and lipogrammic reworks of Shakespeare. In the 1980s, Brandreth wrote scripts for Dear Ladies, a television programme featuring Hinge and Bracket.[19] Brandreth created the stage show Zipp!, which enjoyed success at the Edinburgh Festival and had a short run in the West End.[20]

In 1999, he published diaries chronicling his days as a politician between 1990 and 1997, called Breaking the Code.[21]

In September 2004, Brandreth's book on the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage was published.[2] In July 2005, he published a second book on the royal family, entitled Charles and Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair, which concerns the three-decade love affair between the then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.[2]

In 2021, following the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Brandreth wrote, "The duke showed me great friendliness over 40 years but royalty offer you friendliness, not friendship, and you have to remember the difference."[22]

Brandreth has written a series of seven works of historical fiction called The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries, in which Oscar Wilde works with both Robert Sherard and Arthur Conan Doyle.[23]

Brandreth has written and toured in a number of comedic one-man shows, including The One-to-One Show in 2010–2011, Looking for Happiness in 2013–2014 and Word Power in 2015–2016.[24]

Brandreth has written a book entitled Have You Eaten Grandma?, about the English language and correct grammar.[25]

Politics edit

Brandreth was a Conservative MP, representing the City of Chester, from 1992 to 1997. He proposed a private member's bill which became law as the Marriage Act 1994. In 1995, he was appointed to a junior ministerial position as a Lord of the Treasury, with his role being essentially that of a whip.[26][27]

He broadcast reminiscences of his parliamentary career on BBC radio as Brandreth on Office and The Brandreth Rules in 2001, 2003 and 2005.[citation needed]

In August 2014, Brandreth was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.[28] In May 2016, Brandreth told The Spectator that he was likely to vote for the UK to stay in the European Union in the following month's referendum on the issue.[29] In 2019, Brandreth confirmed that he had voted to remain, but accepted the result of the referendum and believed that the government had to "get Brexit done".[30]

Gyles and George Knitwear edit

Brandreth is known for the colourful, humorous jumpers he has designed and worn throughout his career. He has stated on the BBC that "it's all I'm really known for."[9] Collaborating with artist and knitwear designer George Hostler, Brandreth created hundreds of jumper designs that appear in books he and Hostler authored and produced under their knitwear label, Gyles & George.[31]

Brandreth has a room in his London home devoted to his jumpers, and claims to have one for almost every occasion. To name just a few examples: he has a knitted jumper emblazoned with a green frog that he has worn for appointments with princes (Philip and Charles); on other royal occasions, he has worn sweaters featuring corgis and crowns. He has appeared on television talking about rail strikes wearing a jumper that features a steam locomotive, and wore a sweater bearing the words "The End" on the day Boris Johnson resigned. And he has a Scrabble-themed jumper which he wears in his capacity as president of the Association of British Scrabble Players.[32][33]

To strike a more serious note, he wore lounge suits rather than novelty jumpers when serving in Parliament, though he has stated: "The first time I spoke in the House of Commons, I heard John Prescott on the bench opposite me muttering 'woolly jumpers ha ha ha.' He could see I was thrown and he carried on. Eventually I had to pause and point out to Mr Prescott 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."[34]

In 2020, Brandreth partnered with American designer Jack Carlson to revive the label for the 21st century, with Gyles & George joining Carlson's collective of brands, Blazer Group. They have collaborated to re-release many of Brandreth's original designs, including a jumper with the words "I'm a Luxury" across the front, famously worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, and another featuring the words "What the **** is going on?" (the back reads: "Don't ask me"). They have also released a popular collection of sweaters themed around the Signs of the Zodiac.[31][35]

Aside from Brandreth himself, the brand's models and prominent customers have included Joanna Lumley, Floella Benjamin, Hugh Bonneville, Jane Asher, Elton John, Pete Davidson, Ziwe Fumudoh, Blanca Miro, Dwyane Wade, Keith Richards, and Diana, Princess of Wales.[34]

In 2023, the Petersfield Museum opened an exhibition dedicated to Gyles & George and Brandreth's personal collection of jumpers.[36][37]

Other activities edit

 
Brandreth awarding a degree to a student at a 2017 graduation ceremony of the University of Chester in Chester Cathedral

Brandreth is a former European Monopoly champion,[38] and president of the Association of British Scrabble Players,[39] having organised the first British National Scrabble Championship in 1971. Since 2015 he has been the president of the Oscar Wilde Society, which was founded in 1990.[40]

He is an after-dinner speaker and held the world record for the longest continuous after-dinner speech, twelve-and-a-half hours, done as a charity stunt. With his wife, he founded a Teddy bear museum. Located in Stratford-upon-Avon for 18 years, it was relocated to the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, London.[41] In 2016, the museum moved to Newby Hall in Yorkshire.[42] He is a patron of the National Piers Society and vice-president of charity Fields in Trust (formerly the National Playing Fields Association).

In 2014, Brandreth was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt) from the University of Chester.[43] In December 2016, he was named the university's chancellor,[44] and officially took the role in March 2017.[citation needed]

Personal life edit

Brandreth met his future wife, Michèle Brown, at Oxford. Five years later, with Brown working as a television reporter and Brandreth in theatre, the couple decided to have a "quiet wedding". They were married at Marylebone Register Office on 8 June 1973, with actor Simon Cadell, Brandreth's best friend from school, as a witness.[45] The couple have lived in Barnes, southwest London, since 1986.[46][47]

They have three children, including Aphra, a former Conservative councillor in Richmond.[48] She is deputy chair of the Conservative Women's Organisation and was the party's unsuccessful candidate for Kingston and Surbiton at the 2019 United Kingdom general election.[49][50] In October 2023, Aphra was selected as a parliamentary candidate again for the next general election, this time for the constituency of Chester South and Eddisbury.[51]

Brandreth is a vegetarian, and stopped drinking alcohol in 1997 to lose weight.[47]

Selected bibliography edit

Non-fiction edit

Fiction edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Gyles Brandreth". Desert Island Discs. 14 January 2011. BBC Radio 4. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Gyles Brandreth Biography". bookbrowse.com. Retrieved 10 August 2013.
  3. ^ Brandreth, Gyles (2013). The 7 Secrets of Happiness: A Reluctant Optimist's Journey. New York, NY: Early Bird Books. p. v. ISBN 9781480467033.
  4. ^ "Gyles Brandreth On Writing Oscar Wilde And The Candlelight Murders". Shots. 2007. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Gyles Brandreth (New College, 1967)". alumni.ox.ac.uk. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  6. ^ Cherwell Guide 1972
  7. ^ Farndale, Nigel (2 June 2010). "An audience with Christopher Hitchens". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
  8. ^ "Public Opinion". UK Game Shows. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Room 101 with Gyles Brandreth". BBC. 5 October 2005. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021.
  10. ^ ChatPolitics (30 August 2013), Gyles Brandreth on Tony Blair, the monarchy, and 'Just A Minute', archived from the original on 12 December 2021, retrieved 7 August 2016
  11. ^ "Curtis Brown". www.curtisbrown.co.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Lloyds Bank sponsors Channel 4's Celebrity Gogglebox in first ever TV sponsorship | Channel 4". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  13. ^ Manning, Charlotte (8 June 2022). "Dame Joanna Lumley beams in Celebrity Gogglebox first look snaps with Gyles Brandreth – and she's even wearing one of his iconic jumpers". Metro. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  14. ^ Jones, Gemma (27 June 2022). "Gyles Brandreth explains friendship with Carol Vorderman as they appear on Gogglebox". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  15. ^ Brown, David. "Great Canal Journeys – Series 11 – Episode 1". Radio Times. Retrieved 1 December 2020.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ Marshall, Michelle (8 November 2020). "Gyles Brandreth details 'frightening' boat problems he suffered on Great Canal Journeys". The Express. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  17. ^ Collis, Emily (21 March 2021). "New episode of Great Canal Journeys uncovers history of Stourport". Kidderminster Shuttle. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  18. ^ . acast.com. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  19. ^ Brandreth, Gyles (16 September 2021). Odd Boy Out: The 'hilarious, eye-popping, unforgettable' Sunday Times bestseller 2021. Penguin UK. p. 69. ISBN 978-0-241-48373-2. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  20. ^ London Theatre (8 June 2016). "Zipp! The Musical with Gyles Brandreth at Duchess 23 Jan 03". London Theatre. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
  21. ^ . www.gylesbrandreth.net. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  22. ^ Thomson, Alice. "Gyles Brandreth: 'Exile, deaths and abdications . . . Prince Philip saw it all, so he had perspective'" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  23. ^ "The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries by Gyles Brandreth". www.oscarwildemurdermysteries.com. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  24. ^ "Gyles Brandreth books and biography – Waterstones". www.waterstones.com. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  25. ^ . www.penguin.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 September 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  26. ^ "The Brandreth Rules". BBC News. 10 January 2006.
  27. ^ . www.jla.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009.
  28. ^ "Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories". The Guardian. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  29. ^ "The Spectator poll: Are You In or Out? Bob Geldof, Tim Rice & Joey Essex have their say". The Spectator. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  30. ^ Holmes, David (8 November 2019). "Ex-Chester Tory MP Gyles Brandreth hopes daughter can follow him into politics". Cheshire Live. Reach plc. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  31. ^ a b Brandreth, Gyles (22 October 2021). "Gyles Brandreth: Why I'm bringing back my 'greatest knits'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  32. ^ "The return of the Eighties slogan jumper". Financial Times. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  33. ^ "Gyles Brandreth on his famous & fabulously fun knitwear". Country and Town House. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  34. ^ a b Leaper, Caroline (24 December 2022). "Gyles Brandreth: Why I have a separate room devoted to my jolly jumpers". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  35. ^ "Gyles & George Launch a Collection of Zodiac Sweaters". Town & Country. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  36. ^ Gyles Brandreth jumpers over the decades go on display and viewers ones too (UK) (fun story), retrieved 14 April 2023
  37. ^ "Gyles Brandreth: Fun and Fabulous Jumpers | Petersfield Museum". www.petersfieldmuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  38. ^ Mount, Harry (7 April 2003). "Portrait of a driver: Gyles Brandreth". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2009.
  39. ^ "Gyles Brandreth". ABSP. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  40. ^ "Welcome to the website for". The Oscar Wilde Society. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  41. ^ . www.polkatheatre.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  42. ^ "Gyles Brandreth's 1,000 teddies move to Newby Hall". BBC News. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  43. ^ "Honorary Graduates 2014". University of Chester website. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  44. ^ . University of Chester. 8 December 2016. Archived from the original on 16 December 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  45. ^ "My most memorable meal: Gyles Brandreth". Sainsbury`s Magazine. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  46. ^ Wintle, Angela. "Gyles Brandreth: 'I paid to keep a phone number that gave the impression I was still north of the river'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  47. ^ a b Webb, Claire (16 July 2022). "Gyles Brandreth: 'My wife and I don't want to go to bed feeling low – so we watch Emily in Paris'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  48. ^ Poulter, Rory (6 May 2022). "Richmond Conservatives end their silence on wipe-out – single victor is 91-year-old party veteran". Twickenham Nub News. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  49. ^ "Kingston & Surbiton parliamentary constituency – Election 2019 – BBC News". Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  50. ^ "About Aphra Brandreth". Aphra Brandreth. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  51. ^ "Aphra Brandreth to stand for Tories in father Gyles's old seat". BBC News. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  52. ^ "Here Comes Golly". Biblio.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2019.

External links edit

  • Gyles Brandreth's official website
  • Gyles Brandreth on Facebook
  • Gyles Brandreth at IMDb
  • Gyles Brandreth on Instagram
  • Gyles Brandreth on TikTok
  • Gyles Brandreth on Twitter
  • Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Gyles Brandreth
  • Gyles Brandreth – The Telegraph
  • Gyles Brandreth | Culture | The Guardian
  • Gyles Brandreth at British Comedy Guide
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for the City of Chester
19921997
Succeeded by
Academic offices
Preceded by Chancellor of the University of Chester
2017–present
Incumbent

gyles, brandreth, gyles, daubeney, brandreth, born, march, 1948, british, broadcaster, writer, former, politician, worked, television, presenter, theatre, producer, journalist, author, publisher, brandreth, 2022lord, commissioner, treasuryin, office, december,. Gyles Daubeney Brandreth born 8 March 1948 is a British broadcaster writer and former politician He has worked as a television presenter theatre producer journalist author and publisher Gyles BrandrethBrandreth in 2022Lord Commissioner of the TreasuryIn office 11 December 1996 2 May 1997Prime MinisterJohn MajorPreceded byMichael BatesSucceeded byGraham AllenMember of Parliamentfor City of ChesterIn office 9 April 1992 8 April 1997Preceded byPeter MorrisonSucceeded byChristine RussellChancellor of the University of ChesterIncumbentAssumed office 17 March 2017Preceded byThe Duke of WestminsterPersonal detailsBorn 1948 03 08 8 March 1948 age 76 Wuppertal GermanyPolitical partyConservativeSpouseMichele Brown m 1973 wbr Children3RelativesGeorge Robert Sims Benjamin Brandreth Arnold PetersEducationNew College Oxford BA Brandreth s voice source source source from the BBC programme Desert Island Discs 14 January 2011 1 He was a presenter for TV am s Good Morning Britain in the 1980s and has been regularly featured on Channel 4 s game show Countdown and the BBC s The One Show On radio he makes frequent appearances on the BBC Radio 4 programme Just a Minute In 1992 Brandreth was elected to the House of Commons as the Conservative Member of Parliament MP for the City of Chester constituency He served until he was defeated in 1997 and resumed his career in the media He has written both fiction and non fiction books and makes appearances as a public speaker Contents 1 Early life 2 Television 3 Radio 4 Writing 5 Politics 6 Gyles and George Knitwear 7 Other activities 8 Personal life 9 Selected bibliography 9 1 Non fiction 9 2 Fiction 10 References 11 External linksEarly life editBrandreth was born on 8 March 1948 in Wuppertal West Germany where his father Charles Brandreth was serving as a legal officer with the Allied Control Commission 2 He is the great great great grandson of Benjamin Brandreth 3 He has stated that he is a descendant of Jeremiah Brandreth He moved to London with his parents at the age of three and was educated at the Lycee Francais in South Kensington and Bedales School in Petersfield Hampshire where he befriended Simon Cadell 4 Brandreth studied Modern History and Modern Languages at New College Oxford 5 where he met Rick Stein 2 While at Oxford he directed the Oxford University Dramatic Society and was President of the Oxford Union 5 in Michaelmas term 1969 and was a regular contributor to the university magazine Isis He was described in a contemporaneous publication as Oxford s Lord High Everything Else 6 full citation needed Christopher Hitchens suggested that Brandreth set out to make himself into a Ken Tynan Wore a cloak 7 Television editBrandreth has appeared in the Dictionary Corner on the game show Countdown more than 300 times including Carol Vorderman s final edition in 2008 making more appearances than any other guest He appeared on TV am s Good Morning Britain He was known for his collection of jumpers of which some were sold in a charity auction in 1993 Brandreth hosted the short lived game show Public Opinion in 2004 8 In 2006 he appeared on the television series That Mitchell and Webb Look on the fictional game show Numberwang satirising his appearances in Countdown s Dictionary Corner In 2007 he guest starred in the Doctor Who audio play I D From July to August 2009 he hosted the game show Knowitalls on BBC Two In April 2010 he appeared on BBC Radio 4 s Vote Now Show He made a cameo appearance as himself in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd in the episode The Final Countdown A frequent guest on BBC television panel shows he has appeared on eight episodes of QI and six episodes of Have I Got News for You He has appeared in episodes of Channel 5 s The Gadget Show and is a contributor to the BBC s early evening programme The One Show He appeared on Room 101 in 2005 while Paul Merton was host successfully banishing the Royal Variety Performance and the British honours system into Room 101 saying that he would never accept an honour himself 9 In 2013 he clarified that position stating that he had no fundamental objection to the honours system and that he selected the honours system for Room 101 because he could tell funny stories about it 10 In October 2019 Brandreth appeared in series 3 of Richard Osman s House of Games winning two of the five episodes Also in 2019 Brandreth appeared on series 1 of Celebrity Gogglebox alongside Sheila Hancock 11 In 2020 and 2021 Brandreth returned for Series 2 and 3 alongside Maureen Lipman 12 In 2022 he appeared in the series with Joanna Lumley and Carol Vorderman 13 14 In 2023 he returned with Lumley for Series 5 as well as Susie Dent In 2020 Brandreth and actor Sheila Hancock replaced Timothy West and Prunella Scales in a two episode series of Great Canal Journeys travelling down the River Thames 15 In the first episode Timothy West gave the two novice canal boaters a crash course in barging 16 They went down the Staffordshire Waterways in 2021 for another two episode series 17 On 16 October 2021 Brandreth appeared as a celebrity contestant on Beat the Chasers in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital citation needed On 24 October 2022 Brandreth appeared on Bargain Hunt BBC 100th Birthday Special to commemorate the BBC s 100th Anniversary His team mate was Tony Blackburn citation needed Radio editThis section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page especially if potentially libelous Find sources Gyles Brandreth news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Brandreth has presented programmes on London s LBC radio at various times since 1973 such as Star Quality He frequently appears on BBC Radio 4 s comedy panel game Just a Minute 2 He has appeared on several episodes of Radio 4 s political programme The Westminster Hour explaining his thoughts on how to make the most of being a government minister From 2003 to 2005 Brandreth hosted the Radio 4 comedy panel game Whispers In 2006 Brandreth appeared in the Radio 4 comedy programme Living with the Enemy which he co wrote with comedian Nick Revell in which they appear as a former Conservative government minister and a former comedian In 2010 he broadcast a Radio 4 documentary about his great great great grandfather Benjamin Brandreth the inventor of a medicine called Brandreth s Pills He is the host of the Radio 4 comedy panel show Wordaholics first aired on 20 February 2012 He appeared on the Radio 4 programme The Museum of Curiosity in August 2017 to which he donated a button that was once owned by a famous actor In April 2019 Brandreth began co hosting a podcast titled Something Rhymes With Purple alongside friend and colleague Susie Dent 18 The podcast discusses aspects of the English language such as historic or unusual words and their origins as well as the origins of popular phrases and sayings Writing editSince the 1970s Brandreth has written books for adults and children about Scrabble words puzzles and jokes and co founded the Games amp Puzzles magazine He wrote an authorised biography of actor John Gielgud and lipogrammic reworks of Shakespeare In the 1980s Brandreth wrote scripts for Dear Ladies a television programme featuring Hinge and Bracket 19 Brandreth created the stage show Zipp which enjoyed success at the Edinburgh Festival and had a short run in the West End 20 In 1999 he published diaries chronicling his days as a politician between 1990 and 1997 called Breaking the Code 21 In September 2004 Brandreth s book on the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Philip and Elizabeth Portrait of a Marriage was published 2 In July 2005 he published a second book on the royal family entitled Charles and Camilla Portrait of a Love Affair which concerns the three decade love affair between the then Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles 2 In 2021 following the death of Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Brandreth wrote The duke showed me great friendliness over 40 years but royalty offer you friendliness not friendship and you have to remember the difference 22 Brandreth has written a series of seven works of historical fiction called The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries in which Oscar Wilde works with both Robert Sherard and Arthur Conan Doyle 23 Brandreth has written and toured in a number of comedic one man shows including The One to One Show in 2010 2011 Looking for Happiness in 2013 2014 and Word Power in 2015 2016 24 Brandreth has written a book entitled Have You Eaten Grandma about the English language and correct grammar 25 Politics editBrandreth was a Conservative MP representing the City of Chester from 1992 to 1997 He proposed a private member s bill which became law as the Marriage Act 1994 In 1995 he was appointed to a junior ministerial position as a Lord of the Treasury with his role being essentially that of a whip 26 27 He broadcast reminiscences of his parliamentary career on BBC radio as Brandreth on Office and The Brandreth Rules in 2001 2003 and 2005 citation needed In August 2014 Brandreth was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run up to September s referendum on that issue 28 In May 2016 Brandreth told The Spectator that he was likely to vote for the UK to stay in the European Union in the following month s referendum on the issue 29 In 2019 Brandreth confirmed that he had voted to remain but accepted the result of the referendum and believed that the government had to get Brexit done 30 Gyles and George Knitwear editBrandreth is known for the colourful humorous jumpers he has designed and worn throughout his career He has stated on the BBC that it s all I m really known for 9 Collaborating with artist and knitwear designer George Hostler Brandreth created hundreds of jumper designs that appear in books he and Hostler authored and produced under their knitwear label Gyles amp George 31 Brandreth has a room in his London home devoted to his jumpers and claims to have one for almost every occasion To name just a few examples he has a knitted jumper emblazoned with a green frog that he has worn for appointments with princes Philip and Charles on other royal occasions he has worn sweaters featuring corgis and crowns He has appeared on television talking about rail strikes wearing a jumper that features a steam locomotive and wore a sweater bearing the words The End on the day Boris Johnson resigned And he has a Scrabble themed jumper which he wears in his capacity as president of the Association of British Scrabble Players 32 33 To strike a more serious note he wore lounge suits rather than novelty jumpers when serving in Parliament though he has stated The first time I spoke in the House of Commons I heard John Prescott on the bench opposite me muttering woolly jumpers ha ha ha He could see I was thrown and he carried on Eventually I had to pause and point out to Mr Prescott 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 34 In 2020 Brandreth partnered with American designer Jack Carlson to revive the label for the 21st century with Gyles amp George joining Carlson s collective of brands Blazer Group They have collaborated to re release many of Brandreth s original designs including a jumper with the words I m a Luxury across the front famously worn by Diana Princess of Wales and another featuring the words What the is going on the back reads Don t ask me They have also released a popular collection of sweaters themed around the Signs of the Zodiac 31 35 Aside from Brandreth himself the brand s models and prominent customers have included Joanna Lumley Floella Benjamin Hugh Bonneville Jane Asher Elton John Pete Davidson Ziwe Fumudoh Blanca Miro Dwyane Wade Keith Richards and Diana Princess of Wales 34 In 2023 the Petersfield Museum opened an exhibition dedicated to Gyles amp George and Brandreth s personal collection of jumpers 36 37 Other activities edit nbsp Brandreth awarding a degree to a student at a 2017 graduation ceremony of the University of Chester in Chester Cathedral Brandreth is a former European Monopoly champion 38 and president of the Association of British Scrabble Players 39 having organised the first British National Scrabble Championship in 1971 Since 2015 he has been the president of the Oscar Wilde Society which was founded in 1990 40 He is an after dinner speaker and held the world record for the longest continuous after dinner speech twelve and a half hours done as a charity stunt With his wife he founded a Teddy bear museum Located in Stratford upon Avon for 18 years it was relocated to the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon London 41 In 2016 the museum moved to Newby Hall in Yorkshire 42 He is a patron of the National Piers Society and vice president of charity Fields in Trust formerly the National Playing Fields Association In 2014 Brandreth was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters DLitt from the University of Chester 43 In December 2016 he was named the university s chancellor 44 and officially took the role in March 2017 citation needed Personal life editBrandreth met his future wife Michele Brown at Oxford Five years later with Brown working as a television reporter and Brandreth in theatre the couple decided to have a quiet wedding They were married at Marylebone Register Office on 8 June 1973 with actor Simon Cadell Brandreth s best friend from school as a witness 45 The couple have lived in Barnes southwest London since 1986 46 47 They have three children including Aphra a former Conservative councillor in Richmond 48 She is deputy chair of the Conservative Women s Organisation and was the party s unsuccessful candidate for Kingston and Surbiton at the 2019 United Kingdom general election 49 50 In October 2023 Aphra was selected as a parliamentary candidate again for the next general election this time for the constituency of Chester South and Eddisbury 51 Brandreth is a vegetarian and stopped drinking alcohol in 1997 to lose weight 47 Selected bibliography editNon fiction edit Created in Captivity 1972 a study of prison reform The Funniest Man on Earth 1974 a biography of Dan Leno The Joy of Lex How to Have Fun with 860 341 500 Words 1980 ISBN 0 688 01397 X The Complete Home Entertainer 1981 ISBN 0 7091 9145 6 978 0 7091 9145 2 Everyman s Indoor Games 1981 ISBN 0 460 04456 7 The World s Best Indoor Games 1981 ISBN 978 0394524771 871 Famous Last Words and Put downs Insults Squelches Compliments Rejoinders Epigrams and Epitaphs of Famous People 1982 ISBN 0 5173 8349 7 978 0 5173 8349 0 The Book of Mistaikes 1982 ISBN 0 7088 2194 4 Wordplay 1982 ISBN 0 7278 2017 6 978 0 7278 2017 4 John Gielgud A Celebration 1984 ISBN 0 907 51638 6 The Scrabble Brand Puzzle Book 1984 ISBN 0 671 50536 X The Book of Solo Games 1984 ISBN 091174553X A Guide to Playing the Scrabble Brand Crossword Game 1985 ISBN 0 671 50652 8 Wit knits Lively and original hand knitting designs 1985 ISBN 978 0 0021 8168 6 with George Hostler The Great Book of Optical Illusions 1985 ISBN 0 8069 6258 5 Everyman s Classic Puzzles 1986 ISBN 0 4600 2466 3 The Scrabble Companion 1988 ISBN 0 09 172698 0 with Darryl Francis Knitability fun knits for all the family 1988 ISBN 978 0 0041 1 1988 with Linda O Brien World Championship Scrabble 1992 ISBN 0 550 19028 7 with Darryl Francis Under the Jumper Autobiographical Excursions 1993 ISBN 0 86051 894 9 Breaking the Code Westminster Diaries 1992 97 1999 ISBN 0 297 64311 8 Brief Encounters Meetings with Remarkable People 2001 ISBN 1 902301 95 1 John Gielgud An Actor s Life 2001 ISBN 0 7509 2690 2 The Biggest Kids Joke Book Ever 2002 ISBN 0 233 05062 0 The Joy of Lex An Amazing and Amusing Z to A and A to Z of Words 2002 ISBN 1 86105 399 1 The Word Book 2002 ISBN 1 86105 398 3 Philip and Elizabeth Portrait of a Marriage 2004 ISBN 0 7126 6103 4 Charles and Camilla Portrait of a Love Affair 2005 ISBN 1 84413 845 3 The 7 Secrets of Happiness 2013 ISBN 978 1780722047 Word Play 2015 ISBN 978 1 473 62029 2 Messing About in Quotes 2018 ISBN 978 0 19 881318 7 Novelty knits 35 fun amp fabulous jumpers 2019 ISBN 978 0 8578 3 8476 with Saethryd Brandreth The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes 2020 ISBN 978 0 19 874958 5 Philip The Final Portrait 2021 ISBN 978 1 44 476960 9 Odd Boy Out 2021 ISBN 978 0 24 148371 8 Elizabeth An Intimate Portrait 2022 ISBN 978 0 24 158258 9 Fiction edit Here Comes Golly 1979 ISBN 978 0 7207 1098 4 52 Who is Nick Saint 1996 ISBN 978 0 3168 7979 8 Venice Midnight 1999 ISBN 0 7515 2658 4 Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders 2007 American title Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance ISBN 978 0 7195 6930 2 Oscar Wilde and the Ring of Death 2008 American title Oscar Wilde and a Game Called Murder ISBN 978 0719569609 Oscar Wilde and the Dead Man s Smile 2009 ISBN 978 1416534853 Oscar Wilde and the Nest of Vipers 2010 American title Oscar Wilde and the Vampire Murders ISBN 978 1 4391 5369 7 Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders 2011 ISBN 978 1 4391 5374 1 Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol 2012 ISBN 978 1 4391 5376 5 Jack the Ripper Case Closed 2017 ISBN 978 1 4721 5232 9 American title Oscar Wilde and the Return of Jack the Ripper 2019 ISBN 978 1 64313 021 7 References edit Gyles Brandreth Desert Island Discs 14 January 2011 BBC Radio 4 Retrieved 18 January 2014 a b c d e Gyles Brandreth Biography bookbrowse com Retrieved 10 August 2013 Brandreth Gyles 2013 The 7 Secrets of Happiness A Reluctant Optimist s Journey New York NY Early Bird Books p v ISBN 9781480467033 Gyles Brandreth On Writing Oscar Wilde And The Candlelight Murders Shots 2007 Retrieved 8 December 2022 a b Gyles Brandreth New College 1967 alumni ox ac uk 19 January 2017 Retrieved 8 March 2021 Cherwell Guide 1972 Farndale Nigel 2 June 2010 An audience with Christopher Hitchens The Daily Telegraph London Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Public Opinion UK Game Shows Retrieved 18 March 2020 a b Room 101 with Gyles Brandreth BBC 5 October 2005 Archived from the original on 12 December 2021 ChatPolitics 30 August 2013 Gyles Brandreth on Tony Blair the monarchy and Just A Minute archived from the original on 12 December 2021 retrieved 7 August 2016 Curtis Brown www curtisbrown co uk Retrieved 13 July 2020 Lloyds Bank sponsors Channel 4 s Celebrity Gogglebox in first ever TV sponsorship Channel 4 www channel4 com Retrieved 13 July 2020 Manning Charlotte 8 June 2022 Dame Joanna Lumley beams in Celebrity Gogglebox first look snaps with Gyles Brandreth and she s even wearing one of his iconic jumpers Metro Retrieved 29 September 2022 Jones Gemma 27 June 2022 Gyles Brandreth explains friendship with Carol Vorderman as they appear on Gogglebox Liverpool Echo Retrieved 29 September 2022 Brown David Great Canal Journeys Series 11 Episode 1 Radio Times Retrieved 1 December 2020 permanent dead link Marshall Michelle 8 November 2020 Gyles Brandreth details frightening boat problems he suffered on Great Canal Journeys The Express Retrieved 1 December 2020 Collis Emily 21 March 2021 New episode of Great Canal Journeys uncovers history of Stourport Kidderminster Shuttle Retrieved 18 June 2021 Something Rhymes With Purple podcast archive acast com Archived from the original on 16 August 2019 Retrieved 16 August 2019 Brandreth Gyles 16 September 2021 Odd Boy Out The hilarious eye popping unforgettable Sunday Times bestseller 2021 Penguin UK p 69 ISBN 978 0 241 48373 2 Retrieved 8 March 2022 London Theatre 8 June 2016 Zipp The Musical with Gyles Brandreth at Duchess 23 Jan 03 London Theatre Retrieved 20 April 2018 Gyles Brandreth Author Broadcaster Actor Entertainer www gylesbrandreth net Archived from the original on 27 January 2016 Retrieved 19 March 2016 Thomson Alice Gyles Brandreth Exile deaths and abdications Prince Philip saw it all so he had perspective via www thetimes co uk The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries by Gyles Brandreth www oscarwildemurdermysteries com Retrieved 19 March 2016 Gyles Brandreth books and biography Waterstones www waterstones com Retrieved 14 September 2018 Gyles Brandreth www penguin co uk Archived from the original on 14 September 2018 Retrieved 14 September 2018 The Brandreth Rules BBC News 10 January 2006 Book Gyles Brandreth Contact speaker agent JLA www jla co uk Archived from the original on 2 June 2009 Celebrities open letter to Scotland full text and list of signatories The Guardian 7 August 2014 Retrieved 26 August 2014 The Spectator poll Are You In or Out Bob Geldof Tim Rice amp Joey Essex have their say The Spectator 27 May 2016 Retrieved 8 March 2021 Holmes David 8 November 2019 Ex Chester Tory MP Gyles Brandreth hopes daughter can follow him into politics Cheshire Live Reach plc Retrieved 22 March 2021 a b Brandreth Gyles 22 October 2021 Gyles Brandreth Why I m bringing back my greatest knits The Telegraph ISSN 0307 1235 Retrieved 14 April 2023 The return of the Eighties slogan jumper Financial Times 24 November 2021 Retrieved 14 April 2023 Gyles Brandreth on his famous amp fabulously fun knitwear Country and Town House 25 September 2016 Retrieved 14 April 2023 a b Leaper Caroline 24 December 2022 Gyles Brandreth Why I have a separate room devoted to my jolly jumpers The Telegraph ISSN 0307 1235 Retrieved 14 April 2023 Gyles amp George Launch a Collection of Zodiac Sweaters Town amp Country 25 March 2022 Retrieved 14 April 2023 Gyles Brandreth jumpers over the decades go on display and viewers ones too UK fun story retrieved 14 April 2023 Gyles Brandreth Fun and Fabulous Jumpers Petersfield Museum www petersfieldmuseum co uk Retrieved 14 April 2023 Mount Harry 7 April 2003 Portrait of a driver Gyles Brandreth The Daily Telegraph London Archived from the original on 12 January 2022 Retrieved 21 January 2009 Gyles Brandreth ABSP Retrieved 9 June 2012 Welcome to the website for The Oscar Wilde Society Retrieved 12 March 2017 Polka Theatre World class theatre for children www polkatheatre com Archived from the original on 15 October 2011 Retrieved 19 March 2016 Gyles Brandreth s 1 000 teddies move to Newby Hall BBC News 24 May 2016 Retrieved 28 August 2019 Honorary Graduates 2014 University of Chester website 21 November 2017 Retrieved 12 March 2019 University s new Chancellor to be Gyles Brandreth University of Chester 8 December 2016 Archived from the original on 16 December 2016 Retrieved 12 June 2017 My most memorable meal Gyles Brandreth Sainsbury s Magazine Retrieved 13 August 2022 Wintle Angela Gyles Brandreth I paid to keep a phone number that gave the impression I was still north of the river The Times ISSN 0140 0460 Retrieved 13 August 2022 a b Webb Claire 16 July 2022 Gyles Brandreth My wife and I don t want to go to bed feeling low so we watch Emily in Paris The Telegraph ISSN 0307 1235 Retrieved 13 August 2022 Poulter Rory 6 May 2022 Richmond Conservatives end their silence on wipe out single victor is 91 year old party veteran Twickenham Nub News Retrieved 13 August 2022 Kingston amp Surbiton parliamentary constituency Election 2019 BBC News Retrieved 13 August 2022 About Aphra Brandreth Aphra Brandreth Retrieved 13 August 2022 Aphra Brandreth to stand for Tories in father Gyles s old seat BBC News 30 October 2023 Retrieved 31 October 2023 Here Comes Golly Biblio co uk Retrieved 12 March 2019 External links editGyles Brandreth at Wikipedia s sister projects nbsp Media from Commons nbsp Quotations from Wikiquote Gyles Brandreth s official website Gyles Brandreth on Facebook Gyles Brandreth at IMDb Gyles Brandreth on Instagram Gyles Brandreth on TikTok Gyles Brandreth on Twitter Hansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Gyles Brandreth Gyles Brandreth The Telegraph Gyles Brandreth Culture The Guardian Gyles Brandreth at British Comedy Guide Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byPeter Morrison Member of Parliament for the City of Chester1992 1997 Succeeded byChristine Russell Academic offices Preceded byThe Duke of Westminster Chancellor of the University of Chester2017 present Incumbent Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gyles Brandreth amp oldid 1220295949, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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