Famous People Born In Leicester

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 1 
Gary Lineker
(One of the Greatest English Football Strikers)
Gary Lineker
14
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 30, 1960
Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Gary Lineker is a British former football player who currently works as a sports broadcaster. Considered one of the greatest British strikers of all time, Gary Lineker is the third-highest goal-scorer for England. During his 16-year playing career, Lineker never received a red or yellow card, due to which he was honored with the FIFA Fair Play Award in 1990.

 2 
Graham Chapman
(British Actor, Writer and Member of the Surreal Comedy Group ‘Monty Python’)
Graham Chapman
10
Birthdate: January 8, 1941
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Died: October 4, 1989

Graham Chapman was an English comedian, author, actor, and writer. An important member of the popular comedy group Monty Python, Chapman was also a patron of the Dangerous Sports Club. An openly gay comedian, Chapman supported gay rights throughout his life. In September 2012, a blue plaque was unveiled at The Angel pub in North London to commemorate Graham Chapman.

 3 
David Icke
(Writer)
David Icke
14
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 29, 1952
Sun Sign: Taurus

A popular English conspiracy theorist, David Icke has written books and delivered lectures on various theories, such as infinite dimensions, reptoid humanoids, and the Illuminati. While he has faced criticisms and accusations, he also has a large following and has influenced people who support counter-cultural movement and ancient astronaut theories.

 4 
Emile Heskey
(English Former Professional Footballer)
Emile Heskey
13
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 11, 1978
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 5 
Mark Selby
(English Professional Snooker Player)
Mark Selby
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 19, 1983
Sun Sign: Gemini
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 6 
Parminder Nagra
(British Actress Known for Her Role as ‘Jess Bhamra’ in the Film ‘Bend It Like Beckham’)
Parminder Nagra
11
Birthdate: October 5, 1975
Sun Sign: Libra

British actress Parminder Nagra is best known for playing Jess Bhamra in the film Bend It Like Beckham. She started appearing in theatre productions while she was in college, and decided to become a professional actress. Beginning her career with Theatre Royal Stratford East productions, she soon started taking up roles in films and TV shows as well.

 7 
Stephen Frears
(Actor, Film director, Film producer)
Stephen Frears
0
Birthdate: June 20, 1941
Sun Sign: Gemini
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 8 
Jon Lord
(English Pianist and Keyboardist of Deep Purple)
Jon Lord
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 9, 1941
Sun Sign: Gemini
Died: July 16, 2012

English composer, pianist, and Hammond organ player Jon Lord is remembered for his fiery performances as the keyboardist of the rock band Deep Purple. Trained in classical piano, he also received a drama school scholarship, which he ditched to focus on music. He was posthumously named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

 9 
Michael Kitchen
(Actor)
Michael Kitchen
1
Birthdate: October 31, 1948
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 10 
Madeleine Beth McCann
(The Most Heavily Reported Missing-Person in Modern History)
Madeleine Beth McCann
49
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: May 12, 2003
Sun Sign: Taurus
Madeleine McCann was a British child who went missing while on a vacation in Portugal with her parents and her twin siblings in 2007. She disappeared while sleeping in her bed at their resort as her parents dined at the resort’s restaurant. Her case inspired a Netflix documentary series. 
 11 
David Cook
(American singer-songwriter)
David Cook
1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: December 20, 1982
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
 12 
Katie Boulter
(British Tennis Player)
Katie Boulter
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 1, 1996
Sun Sign: Leo

Though the daughter of a tennis coach mother, Katie Boulter had initially focused on playing the piano before she deviated to tennis as a career. She first gained attention after winning the Lemon Bowl at 11 and now has five singles and four doubles titles in her kitty.

 13 
Kate O'Mara
(Actress)
Kate O'Mara
2
Birthdate: August 10, 1939
Sun Sign: Leo
Died: March 30, 2014
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 14 
Peter Shilton
(English Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Goalkeeper)
Peter Shilton
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 18, 1949
Sun Sign: Virgo
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 15 
Julian Barnes
(English Writer)
Julian Barnes
1
Birthdate: January 19, 1946
Sun Sign: Capricorn
 16 
Joe Orton
(Playwright, Screenwriter, Writer)
Joe Orton
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 1, 1933
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Died: August 9, 1967
 17 
John Illsley
(English Musician Bassist and Guitarist)
John Illsley
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 24, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
 18 
Andy Nyman
(Actor)
Andy Nyman
1
Birthdate: April 13, 1966
Sun Sign: Aries
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 19 
Rachel Parris
(Comedian)
Rachel Parris
3
Birthdate: May 27, 1984
Sun Sign: Gemini
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 20 
Clare Hollingworth
(English Journalist and Author)
Clare Hollingworth
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 10, 1911
Sun Sign: Libra
Died: January 10, 2017
 21 
Gok Wan
(Fashion consultant)
Gok Wan
6
Listed In: Fashion
Birthdate: September 9, 1974
Sun Sign: Virgo
 22 
Dominic Keating
(Actor)
Dominic Keating
0
Birthdate: July 1, 1962
Sun Sign: Cancer
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 23 
Joseph Merrick
(Elephant Man)
Joseph Merrick
14
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 5, 1862
Sun Sign: Leo
Died: April 11, 1890
Joseph Merrick was an English man with several physical deformities, including a lump on his forehead, caused by Proteus syndrome and neurofibromatosis type I. He initially went around England, as a freak-show exhibit, nicknamed “The Elephant Man” and eventually joined a circus. Filmmaker David Lynch made a movie on him.
 24 
James Allen
(Writer)
James Allen
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 28, 1864
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Died: January 12, 1912
 25 
Pick Withers
(Drummer)
Pick Withers
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: April 4, 1948
Sun Sign: Aries
 26 
Philippa of Lancaster
(Queen of Portugal (1387-1415))
Philippa of Lancaster
2
Birthdate: March 31, 1360
Sun Sign: Aries
Died: July 19, 1415
 27 
Sue Townsend
(Writer and Humorist Best Known for Creating the Character 'Adrian Mole')
Sue Townsend
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 2, 1946
Sun Sign: Aries
Died: April 10, 2014

Best known for creating the protagonist Adrian Mole, Sue Townsend was a legendary comic writer from Britain. Apart from the Adrian Mole series, she had also penned other novels and plays. A chain-smoker as a teenager, she had her first marriage at 18 and was a mother of three by 22.

 28 
Colin Wilson
(Writer)
Colin Wilson
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: June 26, 1931
Sun Sign: Cancer
Died: December 5, 2013
 29 
C.P. Snow
(Novelist)
C.P. Snow
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 15, 1905
Sun Sign: Libra
Died: July 1, 1980
 30 
Davy Graham
(Guitarist)
Davy Graham
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: November 26, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Died: December 15, 2008
 31 
Ashleigh Plumptre
(Football player - Centre-back)
Ashleigh Plumptre
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 8, 1998
Sun Sign: Taurus
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 32 
Chris Adcock
(Retired English Badminton Player)
Chris Adcock
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 27, 1989
Sun Sign: Taurus
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 33 
Errol Christie
(English Professional Boxer and Boxing Trainer)
Errol Christie
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 29, 1963
Sun Sign: Cancer
Died: June 11, 2017
 34 
Harry Panayiotou
(Football player Forward)
Harry Panayiotou
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 28, 1994
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 35 
Roger Chapman
(Rock Singer Best Known as a Member of the Progressive Rock Band 'Family')
Roger Chapman
1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: April 8, 1942
Sun Sign: Aries
 36 
Ashish Thakkar
(Businesspeople)
Ashish Thakkar
1
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: August 5, 1981
Sun Sign: Leo
 37 
Helen Pearson
(British Actress Best Known for Her Soap Operas: ‘Eastenders’, ‘Emmerdale’ and ‘Hollyoaks')
Helen Pearson
0
Birthdate: November 16, 1959
Sun Sign: Scorpio
 38 
Tony Sibson
(Boxer)
Tony Sibson
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 9, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
 39 
Henry Walter Bates
(Naturalist)
Henry Walter Bates
0
Birthdate: February 8, 1825
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Died: February 16, 1892
 40 
Philip Voss
(Actor)
Philip Voss
1
Birthdate: August 20, 1936
Sun Sign: Leo
Died: November 13, 2020
 41 
Kevin Myers
(Journalist)
Kevin Myers
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: March 30, 1947
Sun Sign: Aries

Best known for The Irish Times column An Irishman's Diary, journalist Kevin Myers was accused of misogyny after his controversial comment that stated equal pay was to be “earned.” He has reported from places such as Africa, Central America, and India, and penned books such as Watching the Door.

 42 
Stephen Dalton
(Lieutenant Governor of Jersey)
Stephen Dalton
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: April 23, 1954
Sun Sign: Taurus
 43 
Simon Raven
(British Writer Known for His Louche Lifestyle as Much as for His Literary Output)
Simon Raven
1
Birthdate: December 28, 1927
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Died: May 12, 2001

English novelist, playwright, and journalist, Simon Arthur Noël Raven, began his career as a book reviewer before joining the British Army, from where he was discharged for “unbecoming conduct”. Thereafter, at the age of thirty, he took up journalism and started writing, eventually becoming known especially for his depiction of the hedonisms of the upper class society in mid 1900s.

 44 
Gregory Winter
(Nobel Prize-Winning English Molecular Biologist Best Known for His Work on the Therapeutic Use of Monoclonal Antibodies)
Gregory Winter
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: April 14, 1951
Sun Sign: Aries

Gregory Winter is a British molecular biologist and Nobel Prize winner. He is best known for his work concerning the therapeutic use of monoclonal antibodies. Gregory Winter is credited with pioneering a technique to humanize mouse monoclonal antibodies, which enabled the usage of antibodies for therapeutic uses.

 45 
Chris Wooding
(Author of fiction for both children and adults, he is best known for his Broken Sky series and his Braided Path trilogy.)
Chris Wooding
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 28, 1977
Sun Sign: Pisces
 46 
Chris Edwards
(Musician)
Chris Edwards
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: December 20, 1980
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
 47 
Barry Jenkins
(Musician)
Barry Jenkins
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: December 22, 1944
Sun Sign: Capricorn
 48 
Jamie Caven
(Darts player)
Jamie Caven
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 10, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces

Nicknamed Jabba, Jamie Caven is a former English darts player with 7 PDC Pro Tour event wins. Though he lost his sight in his right eye in infancy, that didn’t stop him from winning the World Youth Masters champion at 17. He has been part of the PDPA Board of Directors.

 49 
Alan Walters
(Economist)
Alan Walters
0
Birthdate: June 17, 1926
Sun Sign: Gemini
Died: January 3, 2009

Born to a grocer, Alan Walters had worked at a shoe factory after quitting school. Later, he studied at Oxford and began his teaching career at Birmingham University. The noted economist also worked at the World Bank. He is best remembered as the chief economic advisor to British PM Margaret Thatcher.

 50 
Ernest Gimson
(Designer)
Ernest Gimson
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 21, 1864
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Died: August 12, 1919