Gyles Brandreth

Gyles Daubeney Brandreth (born 8 March 1948) is a British broadcaster, writer and former politician. He has worked as a television presenter, theatre producer, journalist, author and publisher.

Gyles Brandreth
Brandreth in 2022
Lord Commissioner of the Treasury
In office 11 December 1996 – 2 May 1997
Prime Minister	John Major
Preceded by	Michael Bates
Succeeded by	Graham Allen
Member of Parliament for City of Chester
In office 9 April 1992 – 8 April 1997
Preceded by	Peter Morrison
Succeeded by	Christine Russell
Chancellor of the University of Chester
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 March 2017
Preceded by	The Duke of Westminster
Personal details
Born	(1948-03-08) 8 March 1948 Wuppertal, Germany
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Michèle Brown ​ (m. 1973)​
Children	3, including Aphra
Relatives	George Robert Sims Benjamin Brandreth Arnold Peters
Residence(s)	Barnes, London, England
Education	New College, Oxford (BA)

He 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. On radio, he makes frequent appearances on the BBC Radio 4 programme Just a Minute.

In 1992, Brandreth was elected to the House of Commons as the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of Chester constituency. He served until he was defeated in 1997, and resumed his career in the media. He has written both fiction and non-fiction books, and makes appearances as a public speaker.

Early life

Brandreth was born on 8 March 1948 in Wuppertal, in Allied-occupied Germany, where his father, Charles Brandreth, was serving as a legal officer with the Allied Control Commission. He is the great-great-great-grandson of Benjamin Brandreth.

He moved to London with his parents at the age of three and was educated at the Lycée Français in South Kensington, and Bedales School in Petersfield, Hampshire, where he befriended Simon Cadell.

Brandreth studied Modern History and Modern Languages at New College, Oxford. While there, he directed the Oxford University Dramatic Society and was President of the Oxford Union in Michaelmas term, 1969, and was a regular contributor to the university magazine Isis. He was described in a contemporaneous publication as "Oxford's Lord High Everything Else". Christopher Hitchens suggested that Brandreth "set out to make himself into a Ken Tynan. Wore a cloak".

Television

Brandreth with Judi Dench at the London Palladium in 2023

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. He appeared on TV-am's Good Morning Britain. He was known for his collection of jumpers, of which some were sold in a charity auction in 1993.

Brandreth hosted the short-lived game show Public Opinion in 2004. In 2006, he appeared on the television series That Mitchell and Webb Look, on the fictional game show "Numberwang", satirising his appearances in Countdown's Dictionary Corner. In 2007, he guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio play I.D.. From July to August 2009, he hosted the game show Knowitalls on BBC Two. In April 2010, he appeared on BBC Radio 4's Vote Now Show. He made a cameo appearance as himself in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd, in the episode "The Final Countdown".

A frequent guest on BBC television panel shows, he has appeared on eight episodes of QI and six episodes of Have I Got News for You. He 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.

He 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, saying that he would never accept an honour himself. In 2013, he clarified that 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, Brandreth appeared in series 3 of Richard Osman's House of Games, winning two of the five episodes.

Also in 2019, Brandreth appeared on series 1 of Celebrity Gogglebox alongside Sheila Hancock. In 2020 and 2021, Brandreth returned for Series 2 and 3, alongside Maureen Lipman. In 2022, he appeared in the series with Joanna Lumley and Carol Vorderman. In 2023, he returned with Lumley for Series 5, as well as Susie Dent.

In 2020, Brandreth and actor Sheila Hancock replaced Timothy West and Prunella Scales in a two-episode series of Great Canal Journeys, travelling down the River Thames. In the first episode Timothy West gave the two novice canal boaters a crash course in barging. They went down the Staffordshire Waterways in 2021 for another two-episode series.

On 16 October 2021, Brandreth appeared alongside Anne Hegerty as a celebrity contestant on the ITV show Beat the Chasers—described as Gogglebox in celebrity guise—in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital. On 24 October 2022, Brandreth appeared on Bargain Hunt: BBC 100th Birthday Special to commemorate the BBC's 100th Anniversary. His team mate was Tony Blackburn.

Radio

Brandreth has presented programmes on London's LBC radio at various times since its launch in 1973. He 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, Brandreth has shared his thoughts on how to make the most of being a government minister. From 2003 to 2005 Brandreth hosted the Radio 4 comedy panel game Whispers.

In 2006, 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. In 2010 he broadcast a Radio 4 documentary about his great-great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Brandreth, the inventor of a medicine called "Brandreth's Pills". For a period, he was the host of the Radio 4 comedy panel show Wordaholics; the progam first aired on 20 February 2012. He 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.

Podcasts

In April 2019, Brandreth began co-hosting a podcast titled Something Rhymes with Purple alongside lexicographer Susie Dent. The podcast discussed aspects of the English language such as historic or unusual words and their origins, as well as the origins of popular phrases and sayings. The podcast ended in July 2024.

In September 2023, Brandreth began hosting another podcast, called Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth, where he interviews famous people about "their first memories and first experiences". Interviewees include Judi Dench, Björn Ulvaeus, Miriam Margolyes and Keir Starmer.

Writing

Brandreth at the Chiswick Book Festival

Since the 1970s, Brandreth has written books for adults and children about Scrabble, words, puzzles and jokes, and was a regular contributor to Games & Puzzles magazine. He wrote an authorised biography of actor John Gielgud, and lipogrammic reworks of Shakespeare. In the 1980s, Brandreth wrote scripts for Dear Ladies, a television programme featuring Hinge and Bracket. Brandreth created the stage show Zipp!, which enjoyed success at the Edinburgh Festival and had a short run in the West End.

In 1999, he published diaries chronicling his days as a politician between 1990 and 1997, called Breaking the Code.

In September 2004, Brandreth's book on the marriage of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage was published. In July 2005, he published a second book on the royal family, entitled Charles and Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair, which concerns the three-decade love affair between the then-Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles.

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

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

Brandreth has written and toured in a number of comedic one-man shows, including The One-to-One Show in 2010–2011, Looking for Happiness in 2013–2014 and Word Power in 2015–2016.

Brandreth has written a book entitled Have You Eaten Grandma?, about the English language and correct grammar.

Politics

Brandreth was a Conservative MP, representing the City of Chester, from 1992 to 1997. In 1992, he brought in a Plain Language Bill, to simplify language used in contracts, under the Ten Minute Rule. However it was objected to at Second Reading and was dropped. He 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 1995, he was appointed to a junior ministerial position as a Lord of the Treasury, with his role being essentially that of a whip.

He broadcast reminiscences of his parliamentary career on BBC radio as Brandreth on Office and The Brandreth Rules in 2001, 2003 and 2005.

In August 2014, Brandreth was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue. In May 2016, Brandreth told The Spectator that he was likely to vote for the UK to stay in the European Union in the following month's referendum on the issue. In 2019, Brandreth confirmed that he had voted to remain, but accepted the result of the referendum and believed that the government had to "get Brexit done".

Gyles and George Knitwear

Brandreth is known for the colourful, humorous jumpers he has designed and worn throughout his career. He has stated on the BBC that "it's all I'm really known for". Collaborating with artist and knitwear designer George Hostler, Brandreth created hundreds of jumper designs that appear in books he and Hostler authored and produced under their knitwear label, Gyles & George.

Brandreth has a room in his London home devoted to his jumpers, and claims to have one for almost every occasion. To name just a few examples: he has a knitted jumper emblazoned with a green frog that he has worn for appointments with princes (Philip and Charles); on other royal occasions, he has worn sweaters featuring corgis and crowns. He has appeared on television talking about rail strikes wearing a jumper that features a steam locomotive, and wore a sweater bearing the words "The End" on the day Boris Johnson resigned. And he has a Scrabble-themed jumper which he wears in his capacity as president of the Association of British Scrabble Players.

To strike a more serious note, he wore lounge suits rather than novelty jumpers when serving in Parliament, though he has stated: "The first time I spoke in the House of Commons, I heard John Prescott on the bench opposite me muttering 'woolly jumpers ha ha ha.' He could see I was thrown and he carried on. Eventually I had to pause and point out to Mr Prescott that the joy of a woolly jumper is that you can take it off at will. Whereas the blight of a woolly mind is that you're lumbered with it for life".

In 2020, Brandreth partnered with American designer Jack Carlson to revive the label for the 21st century, with Gyles & George joining Carlson's collective of brands, Blazer Group. They have collaborated to re-release many of Brandreth's original designs, including a jumper with the words "I'm a Luxury" across the front, famously worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, and another featuring the words "What the **** is going on?" (the back reads: "Don't ask me"). They have also released a popular collection of sweaters themed around the Signs of the Zodiac.

Aside from Brandreth himself, the brand's models and prominent customers have included Joanna Lumley, Floella Benjamin, Hugh Bonneville, Jane Asher, Elton John, Pete Davidson, Ziwe Fumudoh, Blanca Miro, Dwyane Wade, Keith Richards, and Diana, Princess of Wales.

In 2023, the Petersfield Museum opened an exhibition dedicated to Gyles & George and Brandreth's personal collection of jumpers.

Other activities

Brandreth awarding a degree to a student at a 2017 graduation ceremony of the University of Chester in Chester Cathedral

Brandreth is a former European Monopoly champion, and president of the Association of British Scrabble Players, having organised the first British National Scrabble Championship in 1971.

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

He 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. With his wife, he founded a Teddy bear museum. Located in Stratford-upon-Avon for 18 years, it was relocated to the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, London. In 2016, the museum moved to Newby Hall in Yorkshire. He is a patron of the National Piers Society and vice-president of charity Fields in Trust (formerly the National Playing Fields Association).

In 2014, Brandreth was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters (DLitt) from the University of Chester. In December 2016, he was named the university's chancellor, and officially took the role in March 2017.

Since 2015, he has been the president of the Oscar Wilde Society, which was founded in 1990.

Personal life

Brandreth met his future wife, Michèle Brown, at Oxford. Five years later, with Brown working as a television reporter and Brandreth in theatre, the couple decided to have a "quiet wedding". They were married at Marylebone Register Office on 8 June 1973, with actor Simon Cadell, Brandreth's best friend from school, as a witness. The couple have lived in Barnes, southwest London, since 1986.

They have three children, including Aphra, who was elected as MP for Chester South and Eddisbury in 2024.

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

Selected bibliography

Non-fiction

• Created in Captivity (1972), a study of prison reform
• The Funniest Man on Earth (1974), a biography of Dan Leno
• The Joy of Lex: How to Have Fun with 860,341,500 Words (1980), ISBN 0-688-01397-X
• The Complete Home Entertainer (1981) ISBN 0-7091-9145-6, 978-0-7091-9145-2
• Everyman's Indoor Games (1981), ISBN 0-460-04456-7
• The World's Best Indoor Games (1981), ISBN 978-0394524771
• 871 Famous Last Words, and Put-downs, Insults, Squelches, Compliments, Rejoinders, Epigrams, and Epitaphs of Famous People (1982) ISBN 0-5173-8349-7, 978-0-5173-8349-0
• The Book of Mistaikes (1982), ISBN 0-7088-2194-4
• Wordplay (1982), ISBN 0-7278-2017-6, 978-0-7278-2017-4
• John Gielgud: A Celebration (1984) ISBN 0-907-51638-6
• The Scrabble Brand Puzzle Book (1984), ISBN 0-671-50536-X
• The Book of Solo Games (1984), ISBN 091174553X
• A Guide to Playing the Scrabble Brand Crossword Game (1985), ISBN 0-671-50652-8
• Wit knits: Lively and original hand-knitting designs (1985), ISBN 978-0-0021-8168-6 (with George Hostler)
• The Great Book of Optical Illusions (1985), ISBN 0-8069-6258-5
• Everyman's Classic Puzzles (1986), ISBN 0-4600-2466-3
• The Scrabble Companion (1988), ISBN 0-09-172698-0 (with Darryl Francis)
• Knitability: fun knits for all the family (1988), ISBN 978-0-0041-1-1988 (with Linda O'Brien)
• World Championship Scrabble (1992), ISBN 0-550-19028-7 (with Darryl Francis)
• Under the Jumper: Autobiographical Excursions (1993). ISBN 0-86051-894-9
• Breaking the Code: Westminster Diaries, 1992–97 (1999), ISBN 0-297-64311-8
• Brief Encounters: Meetings with Remarkable People (2001), ISBN 1-902301-95-1
• John Gielgud: An Actor's Life (2001), ISBN 0-7509-2690-2
• The Biggest Kids Joke Book Ever! (2002), ISBN 0-233-05062-0
• The Joy of Lex: An Amazing and Amusing Z to A and A to Z of Words (2002), ISBN 1-86105-399-1
• The Word Book (2002), ISBN 1-86105-398-3
• Philip and Elizabeth: Portrait of a Marriage (2004), ISBN 0-7126-6103-4
• Charles and Camilla: Portrait of a Love Affair (2005), ISBN 1-84413-845-3
• The 7 Secrets of Happiness (2013) ISBN 978-1780722047
• Word Play (2015) ISBN 978-1-473-62029-2
• Messing About in Quotes (2018) ISBN 978-0-19-881318-7
• Novelty knits: 35 fun & fabulous jumpers (2019), ISBN 978-0-8578-3-8476 (with Saethryd Brandreth)
• The Oxford Book of Theatrical Anecdotes (2020) ISBN 978-0-19-874958-5
• Philip: The Final Portrait (2021) ISBN 978-1-44-476960-9
• Odd Boy Out (2021) ISBN 978-0-24-148371-8
• Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait (2022) ISBN 978-0-24-158258-9

Fiction

• Here Comes Golly (1979). ISBN 978-0-7207-1098-4
• Who is Nick Saint? (1996). ISBN 978-0-3168-7979-8
• Venice Midnight (1999). ISBN 0-7515-2658-4
• Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders (2007), (American title: Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance). ISBN 978-0-7195-6930-2
• Oscar Wilde and the Ring of Death (2008), (American title: Oscar Wilde and a Game Called Murder). ISBN 978-0719569609
• Oscar Wilde and the Dead Man's Smile (2009). ISBN 978-1416534853
• Oscar Wilde and the Nest of Vipers (2010), (American title: Oscar Wilde and the Vampire Murders). ISBN 978-1-4391-5369-7
• Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders (2011). ISBN 978-1-4391-5374-1
• Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol (2012). ISBN 978-1-4391-5376-5
• Jack the Ripper – Case Closed (2017)- ISBN 978-1-4721-5232-9 (American title: Oscar Wilde and the Return of Jack the Ripper (2019). ISBN 978-1-64313-021-7)

External links

• Gyles Brandreth's official website
• Gyles Brandreth on Facebook
• Gyles Brandreth at IMDb
• Gyles Brandreth on Instagram
• Gyles Brandreth on TikTok
• Gyles Brandreth on Twitter
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Gyles Brandreth
• Gyles Brandreth – The Telegraph
• Gyles Brandreth | Culture | The Guardian
• Gyles Brandreth at British Comedy Guide