University Of Manchester Notable Alumni

Discover the notable alumni of University Of Manchester. The list includes people like Phil Collins, Milo Yiannopoulos, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Jonathan Ke Quan & J. J. Thomson. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as film & theater personalities, scientists, writers, media personalities and musicians etc.
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 1 
Benedict Cumberbatch
(English Actor Known for His Work on Screen and Stage)
Benedict Cumberbatch
126
Birthdate: July 19, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England

Benedict Cumberbatch is one of the most popular English actors of the current generation. Apart from his acting skills, he is also known for his charity work. In 2014, he was named in Time magazine's list of 100 most influential people in the world. In 2015, he was appointed a CBE for services to charity and performing arts.

 2 
Brian Cox
(Physicist Best Known as the Presenter of Science Programme 'Wonders of Life')
Brian Cox
26
Birthdate: March 3, 1968
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Oldham, Lancashire, England

Brian Cox is an English physicist and former musician. He has presented numerous science programs for BBC radio and TV, especially the Wonders of... series. He is also the author of several popular science books. He has been lauded for his efforts to publicize science and was awarded the British Association's Lord Kelvin Award in 2006. 

 3 
Jack Whitehall
(Comedian)
Jack Whitehall
45
Birthdate: July 7, 1988
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London, England

A popular English comedian, actor, writer, and presenter, Jack Whitehall has hosted the BRIT Awards on multiple occasions. He has also performed stand up comedy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Apart from playing important roles in Bad Education and The Bad Education Movie, he also co-wrote the projects. Whitehall has established an impressive career despite dropping out of college.

 4 
Toby Jones
(English Actor Best Known for His Performance in the Film ‘Infamous’)
Toby Jones
12
Birthdate: September 7, 1966
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom

Toby Jones is best known for his Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of Alfred Hitchcock in The Girl and his BAFTA-winning role in Detectorists. Fans also loved him in the films Infamous and Frost/Nixon. He voiced Dobby in the Harry Potter movies and played Arnim Zola in Marvel films.

 5 
Norman Foster
(Architect)
Norman Foster
1
Listed In: Architects
Birthdate: June 1, 1935
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Stockport, Cheshire, England

Norman Foster is an English designer and architect best known for his association with the progression of high-tech architecture. Regarded as an important personality in British modernist architecture, Foster has been granted several prestigious honors like The Lynn S. Beedle Lifetime Achievement Award. He also serves as the president of the Norman Foster Foundation which aims at helping young architects.

 6 
Vincent Kompany
(Retired Belgian Football Centre-Back)
Vincent Kompany
14
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 10, 1986
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Uccle, Belgium

Considered one of the fittest central defenders of the world, retired Belgian footballer Vincent Kompany had a successful stint with Manchester City, winning 4 Premier League titles, among other championships, with them. Post-retirement, the star footballer had turned to coaching and now manages the English club Burnley.

 7 
James Chadwick
(Discoverer of Neutron)
James Chadwick
3
Birthdate: October 20, 1891
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bollington
Died: July 24, 1974

Best remembered as a Nobel laureate who discovered neutron, Sir James Chadwick began his career at Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge, where he worked with Ernest Rutherford to investigate the nature of atomic nucleus, a work that led to the epoch-making discovery. Credited with writing the final draft of the MAUD Report, he also headed the British team at the Manhattan Project

 8 
Jennifer Saunders
(Comedians)
Jennifer Saunders
13
Birthdate: July 6, 1958
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England, UK
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 9 
Henry Moseley
(Physicist)
Henry Moseley
9
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: November 23, 1887
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Weymouth, Dorset, England
Died: August 10, 1915

Henry Moseley was an English physicist best known for his development of Moseley's law in X-ray spectra. He made major contributions to the fields of atomic physics, nuclear physics, and quantum physics. He was working at the University of Oxford when World War I broke out, following which he went to volunteer for the Royal Engineers of the British Army. 

 10 
Arthur Eddington
(Astronomer)
Arthur Eddington
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: December 28, 1882
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kendal
Died: November 22, 1944

Arthur Eddington was an English physicist, astronomer, and mathematician. He wrote numerous articles that explained Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity to the English-speaking world. He began his career in academics and eventually shifted to astronomy, becoming the chief assistant to the Astronomer Royal at the Royal Greenwich Observatory. He was a recipient of the Henry Draper Medal. 

 11 
Parineeti Chopra
(Actor)
Parineeti Chopra
11
Birthdate: October 22, 1988
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ambala
 12 
Mathew Horne
(Actor)
Mathew Horne
6
Birthdate: September 6, 1978
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Nottingham, England, UK
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 13 
Robert Powell
(Actor)
Robert Powell
2
Birthdate: June 1, 1944
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Salford
 14 
Robert Rinder
(British Criminal Barrister and Television Personality)
Robert Rinder
2
Birthdate: May 31, 1978
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Westminster, London, United Kingdom
Criminal barrister Robert Rinder had a 12-year stint at the 2 Hare Court law firm before appearing as Judge Rinder on the reality courtroom show Judge Rinder. He has also written columns for the London Evening Standard and released a book. He has been part of The London Marathon, too.
 15 
Andre Geim
(Dutch-British Physicist Known for His Discovery of 'Graphene')
Andre Geim
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 21, 1958
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sochi, Russia

Andre Geim is a Russian-born Dutch-British physicist. He has been associated with the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester for several years. In 2010, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Konstantin Novoselov in recognition of his work on graphene. He is also a recipient of the 2000 Ig Nobel Prize in Physics. 

 16 
Raza Jaffrey
1
Birthdate: May 28, 1975
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 17 
Jesse Armstrong
(Author)
Jesse Armstrong
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 1972 AD
Birthplace: Oswestry, England
 18 
Ben Elton
(Comedian and Writer Known for His Work in the Sitcoms ‘The Young Ones’ and ‘Blackadder')
Ben Elton
1
Birthdate: May 3, 1959
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom

Ben Elton is a British comedian, TV writer, author, actor, playwright, producer, and director. He was a key figure in London’s alternative comedy movement in the 1980s. He gained international prominence as a writer on the sitcoms The Young Ones and Blackadder. He is also the author of many novels and the director of numerous plays and TV shows. 

 19 
Milo Yiannopoulos
(Political Commentator)
Milo Yiannopoulos
23
Birthdate: October 18, 1984
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kent, England

Milo Yiannopoulos is a British far-right public speaker, political commentator, writer, and polemicist. He often ridicules feminism, political correctness, social justice, and Islam through his writings and speeches. His comments have attracted criticisms, and he is permanently banned from Twitter and Facebook. Although he is openly gay, he advocates against homosexuality and takes part in straight pride parades.

 20 
George Gissing
(British Novelist Best Known for His Works: 'The Nether World', 'New Grub Street' and 'The Odd Women')
George Gissing
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 22, 1857
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wakefield, England
Died: December 28, 1903

English novelist George Gissing is known for the way he showcased the realism of the lower-middle class in his works such as The Nether World. In spite of being a brilliant student, he was expelled from Owens College for theft. He specialized in the literary study of Charles Dickens and his works.

 21 
Josh Widdicombe
(English Comedian, Presenter and Actor)
Josh Widdicombe
5
Birthdate: April 8, 1983
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 22 
Peter Maxwell Davies
(Composer)
Peter Maxwell Davies
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: September 8, 1934
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Salford, England
Died: March 14, 2016
 23 
Anna Ford
(Journalist, Presenter, News presenter)
Anna Ford
0
Birthdate: October 2, 1943
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Tewkesbury
 24 
Sean Teale
(Actor)
Sean Teale
2
Birthdate: June 18, 1992
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: London, England, UK
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 25 
Charlotte Hawkins
(British News and Television Presenter and Former Host of 'Sky News Sunrise')
Charlotte Hawkins
0
Birthdate: May 16, 1975
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chichester, West Sussex, England

Charlotte Hawkins is an English journalist, newsreader, and television & radio presenter. Apart from her work on radio and TV, Hawkins is also known for her charity work. She supports many charity organizations, such as the Motor Neurone Disease Association. She has also been serving as an ambassador for the research and awareness charity, Cancer Research UK Kids and Teens. 

 26 
John Whaite
(Baker Who Won the3rd Series of The Great British Bake Off 2012)
John Whaite
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 23, 1989
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Chorley, Lancashire, England
 27 
Frank Worrell
(West Indies Cricketer and Former Senator of Jamaica)
Frank Worrell
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 1, 1924
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bridgetown, Barbados
Died: March 13, 1967

Frank Worrell was a Jamaican cricket player who played for the West Indies cricket team as a batsman. He achieved popularity in the 1950s when he became the second black captain of the Windies. Frank Worrell was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

 28 
Meera Syal
(Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter, Film producer, Author, Novelist, Writer)
Meera Syal
6
Birthdate: June 27, 1961
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Wolverhampton
 29 
Liv Boeree
(British Television Presenter and Former Professional Poker Player)
Liv Boeree
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 18, 1984
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kent, United Kingdom
 30 
Tim Booth
(Singer-songwriter, Actor)
Tim Booth
1
Birthdate: February 4, 1960
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bradford, West Yorkshire, England
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 31 
Joe Abercrombie
(Fantasy Writer and Author of 'The First Law' Trilogy)
Joe Abercrombie
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 31, 1974
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lancaster, England

Best known for his The First Law trilogy, English writer and film editor, Joe Abercrombie, began his career making tea at a television production company before turning into a freelance film editor. At the age of thirty-two, he had his first book, The Blade Itself, published, thereafter, continuing to write, He received Locus Award for his young-adult fantasy, Half A King.

 32 
Ralf Little
(Actor)
Ralf Little
7
Birthdate: February 8, 1980
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bury, Greater Manchester, England, UK
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 33 
James Lovelock
(Biologist, Chemist, University teacher, Mythographer)
James Lovelock
2
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: July 26, 1919
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Letchworth

Renowned James Lovelock is best known for propagating the Gaia hypothesis, which states that every living being on planet Earth is part of a single self-regulating superorganism. He is also known for his long association with NIMR, London, and Harvard University and has over 50 patents under his name.

 34 
Mark Kermode
(Television presenter, Musician, Journalist)
Mark Kermode
1
Birthdate: July 2, 1963
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chipping Barnet
 35 
Victor Turner
(British Cultural Anthropologist)
Victor Turner
1
Birthdate: May 28, 1920
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland,
Died: December 18, 1983

Best known for his work on symbols and rituals, British cultural anthropologist Victor Turner embarked on his lifelong study of the Ndembu people when as a young man he went to Zambia to work as a research officer. Spending his entire career studying rituals and rites of passage, he later applied them to world religion, publishing important works on them.  

 36 
Alasdair MacIntyre
(American Philosopher Who Has Contributed to Moral and Political Philosophy)
Alasdair MacIntyre
0
Birthdate: January 12, 1929
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland

Scottish-American philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre is noted for his contributions to moral and political philosophy. His major writings include Whose Justice? Which Rationality? and After Virtue. The latter is considered to be a significant work of Anglophone moral and political philosophy and an important text in the contemporary revival of virtue theory.  

 37 
John Polanyi
(Canadian Chemist and Winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry)
John Polanyi
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: January 23, 1929
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany

John Charles Polanyi is a Hungarian-Canadian scientist, who won the Noble Prize in Chemistry for his contribution to the dynamics of chemical reaction. He developed a technique called infrared chemiluminescence, which helped him to study the exchange of chemical bonds and detail how the excess energy is removed during chemical reactions.

 38 
Samia Suluhu Hassan
(Politician)
Samia Suluhu Hassan
4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 27, 1960
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Makunduchi, Tanzania
 39 
Michael Smith (Chemist)
3
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: April 26, 1932
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Blackpool, England
Died: October 4, 2000

Nobel Prize-winning British-Canadian biochemist Michael Smith is best remembered for his research on site-directed mutagenesis, which has paved the path for further research on topics such as gene therapy and Alzheimer disease. A professor of biotechnology and biochemistry, he later co-founded the biotechnology company ZymoGenetics Inc.

 40 
Dave Gorman
(Comedian)
Dave Gorman
1
Birthdate: March 2, 1971
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Stafford

Dave Gorman is an English television presenter, comedian, and author. He is credited with creating many comical stage shows or comedic concepts, such as Are You Dave Gorman, Dave Gorman's Googlewhack Adventure, Modern Life Is Goodish, and Genius, that were turned into successful TV series.

 41 
Roland Joffé
(Director)
Roland Joffé
0
Birthdate: November 17, 1945
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England
 42 
David Oakes
(Known for His Role in TV Series: 'The Pillars of the Earth', 'The Borgias' and 'The White Queen')
David Oakes
3
Birthdate: October 14, 1983
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

British actor David Oakes started his acting career at Shakespeare's Globe. A Bristol Old Vic Theatre School alumnus, he also boasts of a degree in English literature and drama. Known for series such as The Pillars of the Earth and Vikings: Valhalla, he also hosted the podcast Trees A Crowd.

 43 
Filipe Nyusi
(Engineer, Politician)
Filipe Nyusi
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: February 12, 1959
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Mueda, Mozambique
 44 
Chrissie Wellington
(English Former Professional Triathlete and Four-Time Ironman Triathlon World Champion)
Chrissie Wellington
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 18, 1977
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 45 
Robert Bolt
(Playwright and a two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter)
Robert Bolt
0
Birthdate: August 15, 1924
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sale, Cheshire, England
Died: February 20, 1995
 46 
Waldemar Januszczak
(Journalist)
Waldemar Januszczak
0
Birthdate: January 12, 1954
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Basingstoke
 47 
Michel Chossudovsky
(researcher, Author, Economist, conspiracy theorist)
Michel Chossudovsky
0
Birthdate: 1946 AD
Birthplace: Canada

The son of Russian immigrants, Canadian economist and University of Ottawa professor Michel Chossudovsky also heads the Centre for Research on Globalization. Chossudovsky is best known for his conspiracy theories. He believes both 9/11 and COVID-19 were tools of population control, and has often been accused of playing to Russian interests.

 48 
Haider al-Abadi
(75th Prime Minister of Iraq)
Haider al-Abadi
4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1952 AD
Birthplace: Baghdad, Iraq
Iraqi politician and Islamic Dawa Party member Haider al-Abadi, who had also served as the country’s prime minister, had made it to Time 100 in 2018. An electrical engineer, he also boasts of a PhD from the University of Manchester. His governance relied on cracking down on corruption and terrorism.
 49 
Jo Coburn
(British Journalist)
Jo Coburn
0
Birthdate: November 12, 1967
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
 50 
Ali Mazrui
(Academic)
Ali Mazrui
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 24, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Mombasa, Kenya
Died: October 12, 2014
Formed in 2004 after the merger of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and the Victoria University of Manchester, the University of Manchester is a redbrick, public research university in England. With almost 40,000 students, the University of Manchester is the second largest university in the United Kingdom and the largest single-site university. It has a great blend of students of different diversities hailing from different corners of the world. According to QS World University Rankings, it was ranked 29th in the world in 2016. It was also voted ‘the most targeted university’ with an astonishing rate of students who apply for admissions here. The campus is spread out across Manchester and is easily accessible by one and all. The highly-qualified faculty which includes famous scientists, economists, novelists and Nobel Laureates create an impeccable learning environment by incorporating world-leading research, expertise and technology to everyday learning. The excellence of the university is reflected in its programs, particularly in the life sciences, engineering, economics, humanities and sociology departments. The university, in fact teaches more academic topics than any other university in the United Kingdom. A number of noteworthy people have completed their education in the University of Manchester, such as John Dalton (founder of modern atomic theory), Ernst Rutherford (nuclear physicist), Benedict Cumberbatch and James Chadwick. Keeping reading to know some of the most distinguished alumni’s from the University of Manchester who have left their mark on the world.