You may not know it but the halls of the University of Cardiff have been the home to many a famous face. But how many of these celebs did you know went to our famous institution?
Huw Edwards
What did he study? French
What year did he graduate? 1983
The famous BBC journalist went to uni in his home country of Wales, achieving a first in his (surprisingly not journalism-related) degree in French 35 years ago.
Sian Lloyd
What did she study? Welsh/Celtic studies
What year did she graduate?
Another home-grown talent, weather forecaster Lloyd trained her native tongue with her degree in Welsh and Celtic studies at the University of Cardiff.
Adrian Chiles
What did he study? Journalism
What year did he graduate? 1992
The Match of the Day 2 (and other BBC shows) favourite plied his trade in Cardiff, studying for a journalism degree and earning his NCTJ there more than 25 years ago.
Nathan Cleverley
What did he study? Maths
What year did he graduate? 2010
The European boxing champion and two-time light-heavyweight world champion surprised fans by completing a degree in mathematics, of all subjects, gaining a 2:2 from Cardiff.
Neil Kinnock
What did he study? Industrial relations and history
What year did he graduate? 1965
The Labour Party politican and MP graduated with a (difficult-sounding) industrial relations and history degree from Cardiff more than 50 years ago, going on to a storied career in politics.
Jamie Roberts
What did he study? Medicine
What year did he graduate? 2013
The Harlequins centre is far more than just an impressive physique, holding a degree in medicine from Cardiff, which he studied eight years for.
Tim Hetherington
What did he study? Photojournalism
What year did he graduate? 1996
The late photojournalist studied his craft at Cardiff before moving on to some absolutely amazing projects. He picked up the Grand Jury Prize for best documentary at Sundance Film Festival 2010 for his fil, Restrepo but was tragically killed by shrapnel while covering the 2011 Libyan Civil War.
FAQs on Famous Cardiff University Alumni
Notable Cardiff alumni include Huw Edwards (BBC journalist), Susanna Reid (TV presenter), Neil Kinnock (former Labour Party leader), Martin Lewis (MoneySavingExpert founder), and Jamie Roberts (Wales rugby international).
Huw Edwards: French
Susanna Reid: Postgraduate Broadcast Journalism
Neil Kinnock: Industrial Relations and History
Adrian Chiles: Journalism
Nathan Cleverley: Mathematics
Jamie Roberts: Medicine
Sian Lloyd: Welsh/Celtic Studies
Tim Hetherington: Photojournalism
Yes, Cardiff has produced high-profile politicians including Neil Kinnock (former Labour leader), Mark Drakeford (First Minister of Wales), and Vaughan Gething (current First Minister of Wales as of 2025).
Absolutely. Cardiff is well-regarded for journalism and media, with alumni like Huw Edwards, Susanna Reid, Adrian Chiles, and Steffan Powell going on to become major names in broadcasting.
Prominent business alumni include Martin Lewis OBE, founder of MoneySavingExpert.com, and Dame Mary Perkins and Doug Perkins, co-founders of Specsavers.
Yes, Cardiff alumni include Oscar-winning filmmaker Joanna Natesagara, BAFTA-winning actress Dame Siân Phillips, and renowned composer Sir Karl Jenkins.
For a comprehensive list, visit Cardiff University’s official website or alumni directories, which showcase distinguished graduates across fields like media, politics, science, and the arts.
