Gyles Brandreth
From Free net encyclopedia
Gyles Daubeney Brandreth (born March 8 1948 in Germany) is a celebrity, author and politician in the United Kingdom.
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 is renowned for his seemingly endless collection of tasteless jumpers.
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, but was booed off stage for mumblingTemplate:Citation needed.
He is also a former European Monopoly champion[1].
Bibliography
- Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage (2004). ISBN 0712661034
- The Biggest Kids Joke Book Ever! (2002). ISBN 0233050620
- Breaking the Code: Westminster Diaries, 1992-97 (1999). ISBN 0297643118
- John Gielgud: An Actor's Life (2001). ISBN 0750926902