Every year since 1921, the University of Leicester has been churning out bright young graduates into the world. The uni should be proud of every graduate it produces, but it’s true that some of them go on to be more famous than others!
From comedians to politicians, hurdlers to bakers, Unifresher has compiled a list of 7 celebrities you won’t believe are Leicester alumni:
1. Lucy Hatton
This Leicester alumnus graduated just a couple of years ago with a degree in Criminology, but you might recognise her from winning a silver medal at the 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships.
With sporting success under her belt (if you can wear belts with those Lycra pants!) and a bright future ahead, you’d expect this young hurdler to be focused on her sports, but she values the academic life as well and didn’t have a problem balancing this while at Uni.
2. Benjamina Ebuehi
Benjamina appeared on the small screen as a quarter finalist in the 2016 series of The Great British Bake Off, just one year after graduating from Leicester with a first in Economics. Anyone who can face the wrath of Paul Hollywood so soon after the stresses of university is a winner in my eyes!
Benjamina may be part of Leicester alumni but she’s London born and bred. You can follow her foodie adventures around the capital and pick up some recipe tips from her blog https://www.carrotandcrumb.com
3. Will Tudor
You may recognise Will from his time on the critically-acclaimed Game of Thrones as Olyvar, and from his roles in Humans, Tomorrow and, more recently, sadistic Sebastian in Shadowhunters. With all this involvement in book to movie adaptations, it makes sense that Will studied English Literature during his time at Leicester in 2005.
Will is definitely set for bigger and better things. Most recently, he’s been linked to Lena Dunham’s new project Industry, a story about graduates competing for a position at a London investment bank – a familiar story for most Economic students!
4. Lukwesa Burak
You can catch a glimpse of this successful Leicester alumnus on BBC’s Inside Out East Midlands current affairs programme. After graduating with an MA from Leicester, Lukwesa embarked on an illustrious career in broadcasting. She’s worked at Sky News, Al Jazeera and eNews Channel Africa, as well as the BBC.
5. Norman Lamb
Former Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb is a well-known face in British politics. He’s been a junior minister, a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Nick Clegg and Chair of the Science and Technology Select Committee amongst other achievements. Norman even went for the position of Lib Dem leader in 2015, but lost out to Tim Farron. With a political career spanning over 18 years, this member of Leicester alumni has seen many faces comes and go through Westminster – I’m sure he’d have some stories to tell!
6. Natalie Bennet
Norman Lamb isn’t the only Leicester alumnus to make it into Government. Natalie Bennet, former leader of the Green Party also graduated from the uni with an MA in Mass Communication. More recently, she was nominated into the House of Lords so her official title is now Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Disclaimer: not all Uni of Leicester graduates will receive a title like this!)
7. Bob Mortimer
Bob Mortimer, alongside Vic Reeves, was voted the 9th greatest comedy act by comedy insiders in 2005. It’s safe to say then, Bob Mortimer has left his mark on the entertainment industry. His career has stretched from the 1980s to the present day. He’s starred in his own comedy shows like Vic and Bob’s Big Night Out and his own panel show Shooting Stars. Bob is very much still part of the comedy circuit. He appears regularly on shows like Would I Lie To You? as well as on podcasts, and is writing new material all the time. It’s a lifetime away from his early days as a solicitor in London – I’m sure there weren’t many jokes to be had there!
So there you have it! The Uni of Leicester has given the world a great many talents. Hopefully, you recognised a few faces from our list. Remember: this could be you one day!
