Talk:Gyles Brandreth

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Honours

Is it worth mentioning that he's an outspoken opponent of the honours system, if only so as to explain why (despite being - as a former parliamentary whip, as well as a noted author, broadcaster, etc.- an obvious candidate for an MBE at the very least) he doesn't hold any honours himself? --80.3.179.56 15:05, 10 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

It might be worth mentioning, yes. It would be easy to refer to because of it being one of his successful choices on Room 101. Bob 21:16, 7 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Jeremiah Brandreth

His relation to Jeremiah Brandreth is disputed - See my note on the Pentrich Rising talk page, based on correspondence with PHS. (Linuxlad wrote this in June 2006)

Later - I've tried to reinstate the claim as I think he has made it eg in Parliament, namely that Jerry Brandreth was a 'forebear'. It thus probably tells you more about the man than his genes! Linuxlad (talk) 19:44, 28 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Possibly, the best thing to do here about this claim is for the latter Brandreth to get genetic evidence from the former Brandreth's known descendants, as this would give him an undisputed head start in his claim to being related to the man. That, or cut it off completely, or at least chop it down to size. Which is the whole point, isn't it? Wise Raven (talk) 12:16, 29 March 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Brandreth's wife's alleged neighbours at St Anne's

It's highly unlikely that she shared a dormitory corridor (whatever one of those might be in the context of an Oxford college, much less St Anne's: Rayne and Wolfson were built in the mid-60s and, OK, I suppose do have corridors, but they are never referred to as dormitories and may not even have been open when Archer/Curry were there) with Anne Widdecombe as the former Tory minister was at LMH. pmcray 11:17, 17 January 2007 (UTC)[reply]

In on the joke

Brandreth has been married to Michele Brown since 1973. They met at Oxford University, when she was at St Anne's College, on a dormitory corridor with three other women: Mary Archer, Edwina Currie and Ann Widdecombe. He usually refers to Michele in public as "the first Mrs Brandreth", to confuse people who are not in on the joke.

What joke? I'm removing this, there's no citation and it's ridiculous to put an in-joke on Wikipedia. Wentomowameadow (talk) 01:26, 19 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Keep smiling. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.83.127.252 (talk) 12:05, 29 October 2014 (UTC)[reply]

friend of the Prince Philip?

Is Brandreth not a close friend of the Prince Philip? He's mentioned as such somewhere in the introduction or on the dustjacket of his dual biography of the Queen and the Duke. 74.69.11.229 (talk) 14:37, 14 October 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Woolly Jumper heckling

He was apparently regularly heckled by shouts of 'Woolly Jumper!' when trying to speak in Parliament during his days as an MP. I can't find a good reference though. --Ef80 (talk) 00:56, 19 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Bedales School

This article says that Brandreth was educated as Bedales School "where he met his friend" and then says "and New College Oxford". Wording it in this way makes it sound as if Brandreth met New College Oxford at Bedales School. Vorbee (talk) 17:43, 10 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Just A Minute

This article says that he frequently appears on Just a Minute - it could put in that he has been known to host the programme. Vorbee (talk) 16:56, 29 January 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Journalist

While the article covers decades of appearances on radio and television, I do not see any regular employment of Brandreth as a journalist. Am I missing something? Dimadick (talk) 13:34, 27 February 2024 (UTC)[reply]

QI

"He stated, on a 2020 edition of the BBC comedy panel show QI, that he was a descendant of Jeremiah Brandreth.^{[citation needed]} He has also stated on the show that he is related to Theophilus Van Kannel, Napoleon III, and Eugene Sandow and that his house, which has a revolving door, is the birthplace of Martin Dubnar-Nasmith.^[1]^[2]

Surely the interest of these claims is in their outrageousness, not their factuality. Provided they are not presented as facts, doesn't the article simply expose their doubtful origin? Martinevans123 (talk) 08:25, 20 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia is not here to report outrageous claims. Golikom (talk) 12:57, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Why not, as long as it's clear they are not being made in Wiki-voice? Many celebrities have made ridiculous claims. Martinevans123 (talk) 12:59, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

It look a lot like wikivoice to me written that way. And ridiculous claims by celebrity's on comedy shows are not particularly encyclopaedic content Golikom (talk) 13:06, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Would you care to comment on this BBC source? Martinevans123 (talk) 13:05, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

The claim is also made here. Martinevans123 (talk) 13:12, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Have you got any reliable independent secondary sources mentioning these claims? Jonathan A Jones (talk) 13:52, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Would you regard British Comedy Guide as secondary (or just unreliable)? Martinevans123 (talk) 13:56, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

That's basically still a primary source: there's no selection or analysis involved, just a near-verbatim report of the event. Jonathan A Jones (talk) 15:36, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

Try this? [1]. Not great, but better than anything else suggested so far. Jonathan A Jones (talk) 15:40, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

I agree, that's much better, and could be used as valid support. Although, stripped of its context, it seems somewhat non-ridiculous and credible? Martinevans123 (talk) 15:45, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

A look at the articles for Jeremiah Brandreth and Benjamin Brandreth suggests that he can't be descended from both as Jeremiah is not Benjamin's father, and Benjamin adopted the name anyway. Both come from Derbyshire though so quite possibly some sort of relation. Misremembered family history regurgitated by a comedian for laughs. Golikom (talk) 17:17, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

It may not have been misremembered, but wholly invented. What is really required is a secondary source which debunks the claims. But I maintain that the interest of these claims is in their outrageousness, not their factuality. Martinevans123 (talk) 17:21, 29 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]

References

^ Guide, British Comedy. "QI Series R, Episode 7 - Revolutions". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
^ Guide, British Comedy. "QI Series S, Episode 4 - Sideshows, Stunts & Scavenger Hunts". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2024-10-12.

[:3-1] Guide, British Comedy. "QI Series R, Episode 7 - Revolutions". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2024-10-12.

[:4-2] Guide, British Comedy. "QI Series S, Episode 4 - Sideshows, Stunts & Scavenger Hunts". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2024-10-12.

[1]

[2]