All the famous people you didn’t know went to Durham (and some you can’t stop hearing about)

The list of Durham alumni is extensive and rich with famous individuals, ranging from world leaders to athletes – some you’ll never stop hearing about, and some that have managed to slip under the radar. We’ve gathered ten of them together for your viewing pleasure. Prepare your obligatory ‘wait, they went to my college?’ reaction.

Sir Timothy Laurence

Starting off strong, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence is an ex-Royal Navy officer and a member of the royal family. He served as an equerry to Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980s, before marrying Princess Anne in 1992. He studied geography at Castle while on a naval scholarship. During his time at Durham, he edited for Palatinate, before going on to graduate with upper-second class bachelor’s degree. Bet he would’ve been a Tab writer in our day though.

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem

A more obscure Durham alumnus is Theophilos III, the current Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem (a position he’s held since 2005). He has a substantial range of prior positions, including being Exarch of the Holy Sepulchre in Qatar and one of the first Christian clergymen to work in Qatar. He completed an MA at Durham in 1984 while at Castle.

Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi

One of the most surprising entries on this list, Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi is the 11th ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah (in the U.A.E.), and has been since 1972. He’s authored multiple historical documents, novels, poetry, and plays centred in and around the Middle East and North Africa. He completed a PhD in Political Geography of the Gulf at Durham in 1999. Since then he’s been a strong advocate for educational reforms, having served as the first Minister of Education. His advocacy led to the establishment of several educational institutions, including the University of Sharjah.

Carla Denyer

Moving to someone more well-known to Durham students, Carla Denyer is a British politician who was the co-leader of the Green Party from 2021 to 2025. She studied mechanical engineering at Chad’s, where she was an environmental representative. Last year she told the university it gave her “lots of valuable experience that shaped [her]”, and that it was at Durham that she had her “Epiphany moment of sorts about climate change being the biggest issue facing humanity”. She went on to be part of Durham’s graduate team on BBC’s 2024 University Challenge.

Mo Mowlam

Mo Mowlam was a British Labour politician in the Cabinet of Tony Blair. She studied sociology and anthropology at Trevs, and during her first year she joined the Labour Party. In 1969, she became the secretary of the Durham Union, and later the vice-president of the SU. You can just imagine her here – she definitely fits in with some Durham archetypes in the best way. Wonder if she ever threw her wig at anyone in the SU (she famously did this in political meetings). If you’re a postgrad from Trevs, you’ve most likely heard of her: After her graduation and entry into politics, the postgraduate room in Trevs was renamed ‘the Mowlam Room’, with a bust of her. A blue plaque was also added in June of this year to commemorate her.

Robert Swan

If you’re into environmental protection, you’ve probably heard of this one. Born in Durham, Robert Swan is known as the first person to walk to both poles. In November 2017, he completed the South Pole Energy Challenge, a 600-mile journey to the South Pole surviving using exclusively renewable energy. He’s currently an advocate for renewable energy and the protection of Antarctica, for which he founded the company 2041. He completed a BA in ancient history from 1976 to 1979 at Chad’s.

Nick Mohammed

Most Read

The names, ages and nationalities of all 32 Costa Concordia victims, and how they died

All the Love Island 2026 cast members who spent an absolute fortune on surgery before the show

‘I was freaking out’: What the youngest people to sleep with Bonnie Blue said of the experience

One of the more well-known names on this list, Nick Mohammed is an actor and comedian known for his starring role in Ted Lasso. You might have also seen him on The Traitors, where he reached the final episode. He studied geophysics while at Aidan’s, after turning down an offer from Cambridge. Finally someone subverted the Oxbridge reject stereotype. He was even awarded an honorary degree from Durham University earlier this year, which you can read about here.

Alice Oseman

Now here’s one you’ve definitely heard of. Alice Oseman is an English author and illustrator. She’s most known for her graphic novel series Heartstopper, which has been adapted into a major Netflix show also written by her. Having gained her first publishing deal at only 17, her works are known for their LGBTQIA+ inclusion and portrayal of mental health struggles, and she’s since won a number of awards for her work. She graduated from John’s in 2016 with a degree in English literature. Some of her novels explore struggles with academic pressure. Her novel Loveless is even set in Durham, depicting a first year student’s experiences coming to terms with her sexuality while studying also at John’s. The book is an accurate depiction of student life, with scenes set all over the Bailey and in various Durham clubs. It’s also a pretty good story in its own right.

Charlotte Riley

Born in County Durham, Charlotte Riley is an English actress. She’s most famous for her roles as Catherine Earnshaw in ITV’s 2009 adaptation of Wuthering Heights (no, not that one), Sarah Hurst in Easy Virtue, and Jacqueline Marshall in London has Fallen. She was at Cuths’ from 2000 to 2003, where she performed with the sketch comedy group The Durham Revue (which is still around now). She graduated with a degree in English and linguistics.

Jonathan David Edwards

Jonathan David Edwards was widely regarded as the greatest triple-jumper in history. After all, he was the Olympic, double World, European, European indoor, and Commonwealth champion. He’s held the world record in the event since 1995. He was also a sports commentator and presented for the BBC, before moving to Eurosport in 2016. He studied physics at Van Mildert in the 1980s – finally a worthy challenge to Collingwood’s sporty reputation.

Gabby Logan

Gabby Logan is a Welsh television and radio presenter and one of the bigger names on this list. She hosted Final Score for BBC Sport from 2009 to 2013 and Match of the Day from 2025 alongside Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates. She’s a former rhythmic gymnast who represented Wales and Great Britain in 1990 before retiring at only 17 years old due to sciatica. But you probably didn’t know she’s been to Durham. From 1992 to 1995, she attended Hild Bede, studying law.

Jack Edwards

Finishing off with possibly the most famously Durham person on this list, Jack Edwards is a YouTuber and author known for his book reviews and literature-related content. You’ve definitely heard of him if you study English, and if you want some validation after first year just look up his opinions on Daniel Defoe. They’ll definitely be in line with yours after your first term here. But even if you aren’t an English student, you may know him from his college. He attended Cuth’s while studying English and documented his university experience on his YouTube channel. His videos grew so popular they ended up causing the ‘Jack Edwards effect’, a rise in applications for Cuth’s. He even comes back to visit the college every once in a while.

Featured image: YouTube.

For more of the latest news, guides, gossip, and memes, follow The Durham Tab on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.