Gyles Brandreth
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Gyles Daubeney Brandreth (born March 8 1948 in Germany) is a celebrity, author and politician in the United Kingdom.
Career
After having moved to London with his parents aged three, Brandreth was educated at the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle, Bedales School and New College, Oxford. He rose to the Presidency of the Oxford Union in 1970, also editing the University magazine, Isis. He went on to become a publisher before turning TV presenter. Brandreth is best-known for his appearances on Countdown and TV AM. He has also presented programmes on London's LBC radio at various times since 1973. He was renowned for his seemingly endless collection of tasteless jumpers, though many of the more outrageous examples were sold in a charity auction in 1993 and he has since displayed somewhat more restraint in his dress sense.In the 1980s Brandreth wrote scripts for Dear Ladies, the television programme featuring Hinge and Bracket. Brandreth is also the creator of a stage show called Zipp! which enjoyed success at the Edinburgh Festival and had a short run in London's West End. He is in greatest demand as an after-dinner speaker, and he holds the world record for the longest continuous after-dinner speech, at eighteen hours, for a charity stunt.
He served as a Conservative MP, representing the City of Chester, from 1992 to 1997. He also served as a whip in John Major's government. After his parliamentary career, he broadcast some of his reminiscenses on BBC radio as Brandreth on Office and The Brandreth Rules in 2001, 2003 and 2005.
He has stated an opposition to the UK's honours system, and said he will never accept one himself.
In September 2004, Brandreth's book on the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince Philip was published. He had previously written an authorised biography of John Gielgud, the actor, and many joke, comedy and children's books.
In August 2005, he appeared in a production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at the Edinburgh Festival.
He is also a former European Monopoly champion[link] and President of the Association of British Scrabble Players, having organised the first UK National Scrabble Championship in 1972
Personal life
Brandreth has been married to Michelle Brown since 8 June 1973, and the couple have three children. They are also the founders of the Teddy Bear museum in Stratford-upon-AvonTrivia
- Is possibly related [[Citing sources citation needed]] to Jeremiah Brandreth, one of the leaders of the Pentrich Rising of 1817
- Met his wife Michelle at Oxford University, where she was at St Anne's College. She was on a dormitory corridor with three other women - Edwina Currie, Mary Archer and Ann Widdecombe
Selected bibliography
- The Joy of Lex: How to Have Fun With 860,341,500 Words (1983). ISBN 068801397X
- The Scrabble Brand Puzzle Book (1984). ISBN 067150536X
- A Guide to Playing the Scrabble Brand Crossword Game (1985). ISBN 0671506528
- The Great Book of Optical Illusions (1985). ISBN 0806962585
- The Scrabble Companion (1988). ISBN 0091726980 (with Darryl Francis)
- World Championship Scrabble (1992). ISBN 0550190287 (with Darryl Francis)
- Under the Jumper: Autobiographical Excursions (1993). ISBN 0860518949
- Venice Midnight (1999). ISBN 0751526584
- Breaking the Code: Westminster Diaries, 1992-97 (1999). ISBN 0297643118
- Brief Encounters: Meetings With Remarkable People (2001). ISBN 1902301951
- John Gielgud: An Actor's Life (2001). ISBN 0750926902
- The Biggest Kids Joke Book Ever! (2002). ISBN 0233050620
- The Joy of Lex: An Amazing and Amusing Z to A and A to Z of Words (2002). ISBN 1861053991
- The Word Book (2002). ISBN 1861053983
- Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage (2004). ISBN 0712661034
External links
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