42 Facts About Gyles Brandreth

Gyles Daubeney Brandreth was born on 8 March 1948 and is a British broadcaster, writer and former politician.

Gyles Brandreth has worked as a television presenter, theatre producer, journalist, author and publisher.

Gyles Brandreth 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.

In 1992 Brandreth was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament for the City of Chester constituency.

Gyles Brandreth has written both fiction and non-fiction books, and makes appearances as a public speaker.

Gyles Brandreth's great-great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Brandreth, descended from Thomas Brandreth of Ormskirk via a cadet branch and was a cousin of Admiral Sir Thomas Brandreth.

Aged three, his parents returned to London where Gyles Brandreth was educated at the Lycee Francais de Londres then Bedales School in Hampshire, becoming friends with Simon Cadell.

Gyles Brandreth read Modern History and Modern Languages at New College, Oxford.

Gyles Brandreth was described in a contemporaneous publication as "Oxford's Lord High Everything Else".

Gyles 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.

Gyles Brandreth was known for his collection of jumpers, of which some were sold in a charity auction in 1993.

Gyles Brandreth hosted the short-lived game show Public Opinion in 2004.

Gyles Brandreth made a cameo appearance as himself in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd, in the episode "The Final Countdown".

Gyles Brandreth 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.

Gyles Brandreth 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, declaring that he would never accept an honour himself.

In 2013, Gyles Brandreth clarified his 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".

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

In 2020 and 2021, Gyles Brandreth returned for Series 2 and 3, alongside Maureen Lipman.

On 24 October 2022, Gyles Brandreth appeared on Bargain Hunt: BBC 100th Birthday Special to commemorate the BBC's 100th Anniversary.

Gyles Brandreth has presented programmes on London's LBC radio at various times since its launch in 1973.

Gyles Brandreth has frequently appeared on BBC Radio 4's comedy panel game Just a Minute.

On several episodes of Radio 4's political programme The Westminster Hour, Gyles Brandreth has shared his thoughts on how to make the most of being a government minister.

From 2003 to 2005 Gyles Brandreth hosted the Radio 4 comedy panel game Whispers.

In 2006, Gyles 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.

Gyles Brandreth 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.

Gyles Brandreth wrote an authorised biography of actor Sir John Gielgud, and lipogrammic reworks of Shakespeare.

In 2021, following the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Gyles 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".

Gyles Brandreth has written a series of seven works of historical fiction called The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries, casting Oscar Wilde as working with both Robert Sherard and Arthur Conan Doyle.

Gyles Brandreth served as a Conservative MP, representing the City of Chester, from 1992 to 1997.

Gyles Brandreth then proposed a Private Member's Bill which became law as the Marriage Act 1994, allowing civil marriages to be solemnized in certain "approved premises".

In May 2016, Gyles Brandreth told The Spectator that he was likely to vote Remain in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.

In 2019, Gyles Brandreth confirmed that whilst he had voted Remain, he accepted the referendum result for Brexit saying that the Government now had to "get Brexit done".

Gyles Brandreth is known for the colourful, humorous, novelty jumpers he designed and has worn throughout his career.

Gyles Brandreth has stated on the BBC that "it's all I'm really known for".

Gyles Brandreth devotes a room in his London home to jumpers, and claims to have one for almost every occasion.

Gyles Brandreth has appeared on TV to talk about rail strikes with a jumper displaying a steam locomotive, and wore a sweater with the words "The End" on the day Boris Johnson resigned.

Gyles Brandreth is President of the Association of British Scrabble Players, having organised the first British National Scrabble Championship in 1971.

In 1987, Gyles Brandreth kissed Cheryl Baker onscreen for three minutes and 33 seconds, longer than the then-record longest onscreen kiss.

Gyles Brandreth 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.

Gyles Brandreth is a Patron of the National Piers Society and Vice-President of charity Fields in Trust.

In 2014, Gyles Brandreth received the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the University of Chester.

Gyles Brandreth is a vegetarian, and stopped drinking alcohol in 1997 to lose weight.