With A-Level results day just around the corner, many students will have their sights set on their university of choice as they await their exam results.
If you’re planning to study in Newcastle at one of the city’s world-famous universities, you’ll be in good company - both Newcastle University and Northumbria University have been home to many famous faces over the years. From stars of the screen to icons of the music scene, several entertainment icons are former Newcastle or Northumbria graduates.
The universities have also helped to launch the careers of alumni who have dominated the worlds of sport, fashion, technology, politics and more. Here are some of the most famous graduates that students will be following in the footsteps of if they come to study at Newcastle this year.
Newcastle University
Ranked 122nd in the QS World University Rankings for 2023 - not bad considering there are almost 1,500 institutions on the list - Newcastle University has long been a popular choice for students. Countless alumni over the decades have gone on to be successes in their field, landing top business, law, science and health jobs.
Graham Wylie co-founded Sage, the UK’s largest software business, after bagging a degree in computer science and statistics from Newcastle. And over in the world of politics , Labour MP Lisa Nandy and former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron both studied politics at the university.
Whitley Bay -born journalist Kate Adie, who was chief news correspondent for BBC News between 1989 and 2003, is also a former Newcastle student. And there are plenty of famous faces who went on to go into the world of arts, culture and entertainment after studying at Newcastle.
One of the university’s most famous alumni is Blackadder, Johnny English and Mr Bean star Rowan Atkinson , who studied electrical and electronic engineering. Actor Chris Vance, known for his roles in Prison Break, Dexter and Hawaii Five-0, also graduated from Newcastle with an honours degree in civil engineering.
Some notable figures from the world of music also studied at Newcastle - including County Durham -born star Bryan Ferry, who studied fine art at the University from 1964 until 1968. Rocker Paul Smith joined forces with fellow Newcastle graduates Archis Tiku, Lukas Wooller and Tom English to form Maximo Park in 2003, with their debut album being nominated for The Mercury Prize.
And these aren’t the only Newcastle alumni that you may recognise from the world of entertainment. Architect George Clarke , known for his Channel 4 shows including The Restoration Man and George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces, graduated in 1995 with a First Class BA Honours in Architectural Studies. Meanwhile Dr Zoe Williams, who is a resident doctor on ITV’s This Morning and has presented on the likes of The One Show and Trust Me I’m A Doctor, first graduated from Newcastle’s medical school in 2007.
There are many other Newcastle graduates whose faces may not be as well-known as other screen star alumni, but you will certainly have heard of their work. Take TV producer Dianne Nelmes, dubbed the ‘Queen of Daytime TV’ who was behind the likes of This Morning, You’ve Been Framed, Stars In Their Eyes and Loose Women.
In fact, Newcastle graduates are responsible for creating a whole host of on-screen entertainment, from creative director James Honeyborne whose projects with the BBC Natural History Unit include the BAFTA award-winning Blue Planet II, to Debbie Horsfield who adapted the Poldark novels for the popular BBC series. There’s also former Newcastle student turned screenwriter Peter Straughan, whose writing credits include the films How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, The Men Who Stare at Goats, and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
Newcastle University isn’t just fit for entertainment royalty, but actual royalty too. Princess Eugenie graduated in 2012 with a BA in English Literature and History of Art.
Northumbria University
Newcastle University isn’t the only institution in the city that has attracted some famous faces in the making over the years. There are a number of notable figures who started out their careers as Northumbria graduates.
Perhaps the most famous is North East icon Sting, also known as Gordon Sumner, who qualified as a teacher after studying at what was then the Northern Counties College of Education from 1971 to 1974. Lighthouse Family singer-songwriter Tunde Baiyewu also earned a degree in accounting from Northumbria.
The university also has a few sporting stars on its alumni list, including Olympic gold medal cyclist Victoria Pendleton and track and field athlete Steve Cram. Other graduates have gone on to dominate their fields, such as Louise Trotter who has held leadership roles at the likes of Gap, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Lacoste after studying fashion at Northumbria.
Meanwhile, business and graphic design graduate Amanda Sonia Berry went on to become chief executive of BAFTA, and industrial design alumni Jony Ive ended up as the chief design officer of Apple from 1997 until 2019. Aspiring politicians will be in good company at Northumbria too - Bibiano Aido, Spain’s youngest ever minister and first minister for equality, studied there as part of an exchange programme.
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