36 Facts About Garry Bushell

Garry Bushell was born on 13 May 1955 and is an English newspaper columnist, rock music journalist, television presenter, author, musician and political activist.

Garry Bushell has campaigned for an English Parliament, a Benny Hill statue and for variety and talent shows on TV.

Garry Bushell has been a columnist for several newspapers, including The Sun, The People and the Daily Star Sunday, and has worked as the review editor for the Sunday Express.

The son of a fireman, Garry Bushell attended Charlton Manor School and Colfe's School.

Garry Bushell was involved in the National Union of School Students and the Schools Action Union, a socialist organisation that had a strong situationist streak that led them to mix schoolboy hijinks with student activism.

Garry Bushell worked for Shell as a messenger, and then the London Fire Brigade before attending North East London Polytechnic and the London College of Printing simultaneously.

Garry Bushell managed the Blood and Cockney Rejects, getting them their EMI deal.

Garry Bushell got Twisted Sister signed in the UK to Secret Records.

In 1973, at the age of 18, Garry Bushell joined the International Socialists and started writing for their newspaper Socialist Worker.

Garry Bushell wrote for Temporary Hoarding, Rebel, and his own punk fanzine Napalm, and edited the North East London Polytechnic Student Union magazine NEPAM.

Garry Bushell, who was responsible for compiling the album, insists its title was a pun on The Skids' EP Strength Through Joy and that he had been unaware of the Nazi connotations.

Garry Bushell denied knowing the identity of the skinhead on the album's cover until it was exposed by the Daily Mail two months later.

Garry Bushell moved to Fleet Street in 1985, working for The Sun, Evening Standard and the Daily Mirror.

Garry Bushell went back to The Sun to write its "Bizarre" column and to be the showbusiness editor.

In 1994, Garry Bushell was named critic of the year at the UK Press Awards.

In 2002, Garry Bushell published the book King of Telly: The Best of Garry Bushell on the Box, containing highlights of his column.

Garry Bushell has since published two more Harry Tyler novels, Two-Faced and Facedown.

Garry Bushell announced his resignation as a TV critic, stating that he was becoming depressed at the state of British television.

Garry Bushell has published his own autobiography, Garry Bushell on the Rampage, a book attacking the BBC soap opera EastEnders called 1001 Reasons EastEnders is Pony, and a book on UK youth subcultures called Hoolies.

Garry Bushell has co-written the autobiography of Cockney comic Jimmy Jones, Now This is a Very True Story, published in 2011 and a new expanded version of Dance Craze, about 2-Tone, which is subtitled 'Rude Boys on the Road'.

In May 2007, Garry Bushell's column returned to the Daily Star Sunday.

Garry Bushell later said that it was not homosexuality which he was referring to as a perversion, but the further lowering of the age of consent; and that his remarks were taken out of context.

In 2007, Garry Bushell started presenting a monthly punk and ska podcast show on TotalRock, and the Heritage Foundation named Garry Bushell "Critic of the Year".

In January 2024, Garry Bushell retired from his Daily Star column, but brought the Garry Bushell on the Box brand back to screens via Jim Davidson's Ustreme.

Garry Bushell's columns are known for their similes and metaphors, such as describing something as being "as fair as Frank Bruno's arse" or "Today's TV is so obsessively gay, it's a wonder the Radio Times doesn't come with a pink Versace wrap and a free glass of Muscadet".

Garry Bushell started his political activism as a socialist and was a member of the Trotskyist International Socialists.

In 1986, in his '"On the Soap Box" column, Garry Bushell raged against the middle classes, who he claimed had ruined the Labour Party.

Garry Bushell has opposed the European Union and unfettered immigration, because he said it undercut working class wages.

Garry Bushell has written articles supporting the Smithfield meat porters who were fighting to preserve their market, and in favour of the UDR Four, working class comedians and Page 3 girls.

Garry Bushell has campaigned to have St George's Day recognised as a public holiday in England, in the same way St Patrick's Day is a holiday in Ireland.

Garry Bushell got 1,216 votes in the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency, finishing fifth out of seven in a race won by Nick Raynsford of the Labour Party.

The result represented the high point for the English Democrats in the election, and Garry Bushell finished ahead of the UK Independence Party candidate in that constituency.

Garry Bushell's campaign was supported by the Campaign for an English Parliament and Veritas.

Garry Bushell considered running for Mayor of London against Ken Livingstone in 2008, but he pulled out of the race in January 2008 and stood aside for Matt O'Connor.

Garry Bushell announced on 7 December 2011 that he would join and support UKIP.

Garry Bushell is not now a member of any political party.