Neil Oliver
Neil Oliver (born 21 February 1967)[citation needed] is a British television presenter, archaeologist, historian and author. He has presented several documentary series on archaeology and history, including A History of Scotland, Vikings, and Coast. He is also an author of popular history books and historical fiction.
Neil Oliver | |
|---|---|
Oliver in 2006 | |
| Born | 21 February 1967 |
| Citizenship | British |
| Occupation(s) | Television presenter, author, historian |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | www |
He was the president of the National Trust for Scotland from 2017 to 2020.[2][3]
Early life and education
Oliver was born in Renfrew[4][5] and raised in Ayr and Dumfries where he attended Dumfries Academy and then the University of Glasgow. He obtained an MA (Hons) in archaeology and then worked as a freelance archaeologist, before training as a journalist.[6]
Television career
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2021) |
Oliver first appeared on television in the 2002 BBC Two series Two Men in a Trench, in which he and archaeologist Tony Pollard visited historic British battlefields. He was also a co-author of the two books accompanying the series. In 2006, he presented The Face of Britain for Channel 4 and Scotland's History: The Top Ten for the BBC. Early in his career he also appeared on The One Show and Time Team.
Oliver was a co-presenter of the first series of Coast in 2005, and replaced Nicholas Crane as the show's main presenter for the second, third, fourth, and fifth series. He also presented Coast Australia (2013) and Coast New Zealand (2016).
From 2006 to 2018 Oliver presented a number of history documentaries for the BBC, including A History of Scotland (2008) and Sacred Wonders of Britain (2013). In 2012, he wrote and presented Vikings, a three-part series on the Vikings.
In April 2021, Oliver was announced as a presenter for GB News. He hosts a weekly current affairs and interview programme on the channel.[4]
Politics
In 2014, Oliver stated that he was "proud of Britain" ahead of the Scottish independence referendum, saying that "this kind of internecine squabbling puts my teeth on edge. I would rather that it would just go away — or that it had never happened" and that he "liked the status quo".[7] When he was appointed President of the National Trust for Scotland, thousands signed petitions calling on him to resign.[8] In 2020, Oliver reasserted his opposition to Scottish independence, describing the uncertainty caused by the prospect of a second referendum as a "cancerous presence" and saying that "I'm a British citizen, that's how I see myself. Not in an argumentative way, I don't see that I should have to cede my right to understand myself as I am to some politician."[9]
Commenting on the British government's response to the coronavirus pandemic in 2021, Oliver said, "Lockdown is the biggest single mistake in world history".[10] He also criticised the drive to vaccinate children in the UK against COVID-19, saying, "Never before in medical history has there been a proposal to vaccinate children against a disease that poses them no measurable harm. Added to this is the undeniable fact these vaccines for COVID are experimental, in that no data is available concerning long term effects."[11] He likened the fight against government anti-COVID measures to the fight against Nazi Germany, saying, "there's another battle of Britain being fought now. It's being fought by a minority outgunned and shouted down by those who would accept freedom handed to them by MPs on condition that they do as they are told. That's not freedom. That is tyranny."[12]
Oliver's opposition to coronavirus restrictions led to him leaving the unionist campaign group These Islands. Tom Holland, an advisory board member of These Islands, said that Oliver's "current focus was not compatible with our own".[13]
On GB News, Oliver spoke on the subject of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying "I'll be honest. I don't know what's happening in Ukraine. I don't understand it either" and "I do know that I don't trust Putin, or our government, or Europe's governments, or the governments of North America either. I certainly don't trust any of them to tell the truth".[14][15]
Personal life
Oliver lives in Stirling[16][better source needed] with his wife, three children and two Irish Wolfhounds.[17][18] He is a patron of the Association of Lighthouse Keepers.[19]
In November 2011, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Abertay Dundee.[20][21] having previously received an honorary degree from the University of Glasgow in 2015.[22]
Works
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–2004 | Two Men in a Trench | Presenter | |
| 2005–2010 | Coast | Presenter | Lead presenter, series 2–5 |
| 2006 | The Face of Britain | ||
| 2006 | Time Team | "Big Royal Dig" episode | |
| 2007 | The One Show | ||
| 2007 | The History Detectives | ||
| 2008 | A History of Scotland | Presenter[23] | |
| 2009 | Cleopatra: Portrait of a Killer | Presenter | |
| 2011 | A History of Ancient Britain | Presenter[24] | |
| 2011 | A History of Celtic Britain | Presenter | |
| 2011 | The Last Explorers | Presenter | Documentary series about four Scottish explorers: David Livingstone, William Speirs Bruce, John Muir, and Thomas Blake Glover. |
| 2012 | Vikings | Writer Presenter | |
| 2013 | Sacred Wonders of Britain | Presenter | |
| 2013–2015 | Coast Australia | Presenter | |
| 2015 | Britain's Deadliest Rail Disaster: Quintinshill | Presenter | Documentary about the 1915 Quintinshill rail disaster. |
| 2015 | The Celts: Blood, Iron and Sacrifice | Presenter[25] | |
| 2016 | Coast New Zealand | Presenter | |
| 2016 | Scotland and the Clan | Presenter | |
| 2016 | Robot Wars | Contestant[26] | |
| 2017 | Britain's Ancient Capital: Secrets of Orkney | Presenter | |
| 2018 | Rise of the Clans | Presenter[27] |
Books
- 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)
References
- ^ . The Herald. 19 September 2011. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011.
- ^ "TV historian takes on conservation role". BBC News. 30 September 2017. from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ Bradley, Jane (6 July 2020). "Neil Oliver to step down from National Trust for Scotland role days after Twitter row". The Scotsman. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Neil Oliver to join GB News: 'It feels like opening a window and letting in some fresh air'". HeraldScotland. from the original on 20 April 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
- ^ September 2018, Ayrshire Magazine 11th (11 September 2018). "Neil Oliver".
- ^ "Passed/failed: An education in the life of Neil Oliver, archaeologist". The Independent. 13 November 2008. from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ "Neil Oliver on the search for the site of the Battle of Bannockburn". HeraldScotland. from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ "Video: Hundreds back call to remove "divisive" Unionist TV star as National Trust for Scotland president". HeraldScotland. from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ "Neil Oliver calls Scottish independence 'a backwards step' that would 'infringe his human rights'". HeraldScotland. from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ^ "Neil Oliver: 'Lockdown is the biggest single mistake in world history'". HeraldScotland. from the original on 22 June 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ The Herald, "Covid: Neil Oliver tells GB News viewers giving children vaccine is 'grotesque'", 5 July 2021
- ^ "Anger as Scots broadcaster Neil Oliver states he would 'cheerfully risk catching Covid' in name of freedom". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ Nachiappan, Arthi (30 November 2021). "Anti-mask historian Neil Oliver quits pro-UK group". The Times. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
- ^ McCallig, Elaine (1 March 2022). "GB News host mocked after admitting he doesn't understand what's happening in Ukraine". indy100. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
- ^ Morrison, Hamish (1 March 2022). "Neil Oliver: GB News presenter accused of excusing 'Russian fascism'". The National. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
- ^ The Sarah Millican Television Programme, 12 February 2013
- ^ Oliver, Neil. "Wookiee wolfhounds stop lockdown life being abominable" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- ^ A Life in the Day: Neil Oliver – Times Online[dead link]
- ^ "Association of Lighthouse Keepers - Keeping Lighthouse Heritage Alive". Association of Lighthouse Keepers. from the original on 24 October 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ Tel: +44 (0)1382 308000 Ask a question (25 September 2009). . Abertay.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 22 November 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
- ^ "Neil Oliver". Abertay. 2 June 2019. from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "University of Glasgow :: Story :: Biography of Neil Oliver". www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk. from the original on 4 July 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
- ^ "BBC - Press Office - Celebrating Scotland's History". www.bbc.co.uk. from the original on 30 April 2008. Retrieved 6 March 2008.
- ^ "BBC Two - A History of Ancient Britain, Series 1, Age of Ice". from the original on 11 February 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
- ^ "BBC Two - the Celts: Blood, Iron and Sacrifice with Alice Roberts and Neil Oliver". from the original on 8 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "Robbie Savage, Suzi Perry and the Brownlee brothers join Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars line-up". Radio Times. from the original on 27 February 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ "A new telling of an old favourite". HeraldScotland. from the original on 23 February 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
External links
- Official website
- "My schooldays" 12 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine at Scotsman.com
- Neil Oliver at IMDb
- Neil Oliver on the Muck Rack journalist listing site