VOTE: Who is Leeds’ best alumni?

Athletes, actors, an astronaut, a serial killer, and a psychic; at least the alumni from Leeds can’t be called boring. But who’s the best? Vote for your favourite here:

Chris Pine

Studied English Literature

Arguably the most famous person to have graced the hallowed halls of the Parkinson building, and probably the only American movie star who can say his proudest moment isn’t the success of one of his many films, but surviving a year on Brudenell Road. Not only did he play Prince Charming in Into the Woods, but he is basically a real life Prince Charming when you consider he studied English Literature. What more could a girl want?

Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee

Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medallists, these brothers are the shining beacon that made the world look to Yorkshire. They were the first brothers together on the podium in an individual sport at the Olympic Games since 1908. Their most iconic moment? When Alistair helped his brother Jonathan to the finish line in the 2016 Olympic triathlon.

Piers Sellers

Doctorate in Biometeorology

NASA Astronaut and veteran of three space shuttle missions, he’s one of the only people to say he’s lived in space and in Hyde Park, and we all know which one’s scarier (Hint: it’s not space). I wonder what he preferred, outer space, or Tuesday nights in Space?

Alt-J

Joe Newman, Thom Green – Biological Science, Gus Unger-Hamilton – English

The four-piece indie rock band formed when they all met, in halls and in seminar rooms, at Leeds Uni. They took a while get going though, as apparently drummer Thom Green “didn’t really understand what he was listening to”. At least he’s worked it out now, they seem to be doing pretty well for themselves. Although Gwil Sainsbury left in 2014, so maybe he didn’t really get what he was listening to either.

Mark Gatiss

Studied Theatre Arts

Best known for playing Sherlock Holmes’ older brother, Mycroft, but he’s also a member the comedy team The League of Gentlemen alongside Reece Shearsmith. He technically attended Breton Art College, which is affiliated with Leeds Uni, but we’ll let him off considering he wrote ‘The Idiot’s Lantern” episode for Doctor Who (amongst others), as well as the majority of the Sherlock Holmes episodes.

Alistair McGowan

Alistair works as an impressionist, comic, actor, singer, and writer – is there anything this man can’t do? He won a BAFTA in 2003, and has worked extensively in theatre, even appearing in The Little Shop of Horrors on the West End.

Harold Shipman

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJG2TwCB8ck/?tagged=haroldshipman&hl=en

This British doctor is one of the most prolific serial killers in history. On 31 January 2000 a jury found him guilty of 15 murders, although after he’d been sentenced to life in prison it was discovered he was actually responsible for the murder of over 200 of his patients.

Wizard of New Zealand

Double Honours in Psychology and Sociology

He is a New Zealand educator, comedian, magician, and – surprisingly – politician, and officially became an official “University Wizard” after persuading Vice Chancellor, Rupert Myers, to appoint him. He wears the costume of  a false prophet of the Church of England, although everyone apparently just knows him as the “Wizard”. A man like that could only have begun his journey at Leeds uni.

Tony Harrison

Studied Classics

To anyone studying English at Leeds, Tony Harrison needs no introduction. For everyone else, he is one of Britain’s more famous contemporary poets, and he is noted for his controversial poems. There’s pretty much an entire section dedicated just to him in Brotherton, so even if you don’t do English, you should check him out. At the very least he’ll make for a good name drop at some stuffy dinner party you’re at when you’re in your 30s.

Mystic Meg

Studied English

Arguably Britain’s most famous astrologer and psychic, Mystic Meg found her fame when she became a regular item on the National Lottery back when it first started in 1994. Although before she became famous, she apparently used to write porn for “Men Only”, a British pornographic magazine. Talk about a career change.