From the GC to Jeremy Corbyn, all the celebs who failed or never took their A-Levels

Let’s face it, waiting for A-Level results is nothing short of terrifying and once you’ve sat those exams there is nothing more than you can do other than pray that you get the grades you need.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out that way but failing your exams is not the end of the world and there are still loads of opportunities out there. To prove this point, loads of celebrities who didn’t do so well at school or failed their A-Levels, and still managed to have successful careers.

All these celebrities failed or never took their A-Levels, but now they’re loving life:

Jeremy Clarkson

If you didn’t know by now that Jeremy Clarkson got a C and two Us in his A-Levels then seriously where have you been hiding? Jezza loves to tell Twitter every year on results day about his failed exams and how it doesn’t matter anyway because he is incredibly wealthy. He has an estimated net worth of £55.8 million and is the current present of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and Clarkson’s Farm.

The Twitter ritual started in 2014 when he tweeted: “If your A level results aren’t joyous take comfort from the fact I got a C and two Us. And I have a Mercedes Benz.” In the years following he revealed that he was on a super yacht and deciding which one of his Range Rovers to drive.

For this year’s offering, he wrote: “Don’t worry if your A level results are disappointing. I got a C and 2 Us and I’m currently holidaying on this boat” – accompanied by a Below Deck-worthy picture of a boat and some beaut scenery. Big flex.

Carey Mulligan

Carey Mulligan, who starred in Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby and Promising Young Woman, said that her A-Level results day “wasn’t great” and she apparently got rejected from every drama school that she applied to.

Carey managed to get a job during her gap year and didn’t end up going to university. Just goes to show you don’t need A-Levels to make it in Hollywood.

Russell Brand

St Trinian’s star and comedian Russell Brand has a pretty successful career and is well known in the showbiz world for his wild personality. And he was married to Katy Perry which is definitely a big win.

He never got a single A-Level, however, and was reportedly even expelled from the Italia Conti Academy after his first year for illegal drug use and poor attendance.

Brand once tweeted: “Good luck with your exams but don’t take it seriously – I have no A-Levels and am now studied for A-Level, it’s all rhubarb.”

Cheryl

Girls Aloud singer and all around legend Cheryl dropped out of school at the age of 16 with no qualifications. She rose to fame in 2002 on the TV show Popstars: The Rivals where she landed a place in Girls Aloud. Cheryl began her solo career in 2009 and has been an icon ever since.

Countless pop bangers and a baby with Liam Payne later, the former X Factor judge is now worth an estimated £15 million and was the first British female solo artist to have five number-one singles in the UK.

Jeremy Corbyn

Another of the celebrities who (almost) failed their exams, former Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn left school with only two E grade A-Levels – the lowest possible pass grade. He worked his way up and showed us all that you don’t need any qualifications at all to be a politician… can’t say that I’m that surprised.

Gemma Collins

Reality star and all around iconic diva Gemma Collins left school at 16 with a U in GCSE maths but she didn’t let it faze her. Gemma told You: “I remember sitting in the exam room for my maths GCSE and thinking, ‘I’m going to be famous, I don’t need maths. What I really need is to go down Romford High Street and buy new shoes’.”

Gemma really is living her best life… even without her maths GCSE! And if it’s good enough for Gem, then it’s good enough for me.

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Featured image via Instagram @cherylofficial @jeremycorbyn @gemmacollins