All the famous people you had no idea went to university in Birmingham

That’s why it’s called Old Joe…


Managing to graduate with a degree is an achievement in itself, but unfortunately bothering to go to 9ams won’t get you your own Wikipedia page.

However, UoB has produced some impressive household names over the years. From politicians to sports stars, actresses to presenters, Brum has seen them all.

Here is just a handful of successful former students from across the years who went to the same Fab nights as all of us.

Ann Widdecombe – Latin

The former Conservative Shadow Home Secretary is well known for being dragged across the floor dressed as a chicken by Anton Du Beke. She studied Latin at the university and then went to study Philosophy, Politics and Ethics at Oxford. From 2019-2020 she was Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party.

Tamsin Greig – Drama and Theatre Arts

Tasmin Greig is an actress who is well-known for her portrayal of Jackie Goodman in the Channel 4 sitcom Friday Night Dinner. Unsurprisingly, she studied Drama and Theatre Arts and graduated with a first-class degree in 1988. She has also performed in the National Theatre’s adaptation of Twelfth Night as Malvolia.

Michaela Coel- English Literature and Theology

BAFTA winning actress, screenwriter and director Michaela Coel studied English Lit and Theology at the university in 2007. She then went on to write a play which was adapted into the award-winning sitcom Chewing Gum. She is best known for playing Arabella in 2020 in her hit BBC show I May Destroy You.

Lily Owsley- Sport and Exercise Sciences

Not many students can say they won a gold medal whilst studying for a degree, but Lily Owsley is an exception, winning at the Rio 2016 Olympics as part of Great Britain’s women’s hockey team. She came back to Brum this year to compete on campus at the Commonwealth Games.

Alan Dedicoat – Law

If you’ve ever watched Strictly, you will recognise the voice of Alan Dedicoat welcoming the stars to the show. The famous TV and radio announcer studied Law at UoB before starting his career in local radio. He went on to work on programmes such as Dancing with the Stars USA and the National Lottery.

Jess Phillips MP- Public Sector Management

Jess Phillips did her masters at UoB before she was elected in 2015 as a Labour MP in Birmingham Yardley. She is the Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding and campaigns on issues such as domestic abuse and violence against women. In 2019 she won Celebrity Bake Off, beating Johnny Vegas and Big Narstie with her feminist showstopper cake.

Neville Chamberlain – Science and Metallurgy

Before the University of Birmingham was officially created in 1900, there was Mason College which was most famous for former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. He didn’t study Politics but went on to be the Lord Mayor of Birmingham and the PM from 1937 to 1940 before being replaced by Winston Churchill. His politician father Joseph Chamberlain also was the first Chancellor at the University of Birmingham, which is why the iconic clock tower is called Old Joe.

Featured image via BBC on Youtube, HBO on Youtube and All4 on Youtube 

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