Colin Firth, Alan Titchmarsh, Jack Dee and Gareth Bale have all lived in the county
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Over the decades, Hampshire has been the stomping ground for quite a few famous faces, including award winning actors, sports stars, comedians and a number of TV personalities.
With a population of over 1.3 million, great cities including Winchester and Portsmouth, plus idyllic villages and towns, it's hardly a surprise that a few of us have managed to climb the ladders of fame. We also have some of the top schools in the country, which has attracted some of the most famous sons and daughters.
Stars from the county have featured in The Crown, on Britain's Got Talent, have represented their country at a European Championship finals and have starred in some of the world's biggest movies. This means there's a high chance you heard of most of the people we're about to list below.
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Those on our list have either grown up in Hampshire, at some point educated in the county, or have found themselves here due to their career. Take a look at the 40 famous faces we've picked out below:
One of Hollywood's most popular actors grew up right here in Hampshire. After gracing our screens as Mr Darcy on the BBC, Colin went to star in a number of hits including Bridget Jones's Diary, Love Actually, and Mamma Mia.
Colin was born in the village of Grayshott to parents Shirley Jean and David Norman Lewis Firth. His parents were both academics and lecturers at the former King Alfred’s College, which is now known as the University of Winchester.
At Barton Peveril Sixth Form College in Eastleigh he discovered a love of English literature, and has said he enjoyed his college experience a lot more than secondary school. He then moved to London and got a job at the National Youth Theatre before going on to study at the Drama Centre London.
Laura Carmichael is most recognised for her role as Lady Edith Crawley in the period drama series Downton Abbey, which was filmed at Hampshire’s Highclere Castle. She played the role from 2010 until 2015, earning “worldwide recognition” for the portrayal.
What many don't know, is that she was born in Southampton and was educated in the county until she attended theatre school. She attended Shirley Junior School in Southampton before going to The Mountbatten School in Romsey, and then Peter Symonds College in Winchester.
Songwriter, vocalist and guitarist for Oasis, Noel Gallagher, and brother Liam, became household names in the 90s. Over the years the Gallaghers became as famous for their wild lifestyles off stage as their incredible performances on stage
Noel has now traded the rock and role lifestyle for a much quieter life in Hampshire. In 2019, the star was reported to have purchased an incredible £8 million mansion not far from Petersfield, the property is said to be in the heart of the South Downs.
Alton is in fact home to one of the UK's favourite television presenters and national treasure, Alan Titchmarsh. In fact, the gardener has has lived in a Grade II listed Georgian farmhouse in Alton for almost 20 years.
Growing up in Yorkshire before studying horticulture after leaving school with just one O Level, the gardening presenter first made TV screens as an expert on the long-running BBC television show Nationwide. It is hardly surprising that Titchmarsh is still on our screens a little under 40 years since he first appeared thanks to his excellent expertise.
In 2021 the star set up his own Instagram account, sharing pictures of his garden and the work he is often undertaking.
Wildlife expert Chris Packham is mostly known for his conservationism and views that often spark discussion. An outspoken anti-hunting activist and campaigner, Packham has endured physical and online attacks for his causes over the years, including an act of arson near his New Forest home.
The star grew up in Hampshire, in the city of Southampton, and was educated at Bitterne Park Secondary School and Taunton's College. Chris continued his studies in the city after leaving college as he completed a Zoology degree from the University of Southampton.
He went on to get a job job as a wildlife cameraman before beginning to present shows in the 80s. It was in 2009 that the star became a regular on the BBC after being given the co-presenting role for Springwatch.
Jamie Redknapp, former footballer-turned-pundit, grew up in Hampshire while his father coached Bournemouth. Over the years he has played for AFC Bournemouth, Southampton, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur, but before had a quiet childhood in the quaint seaside village of Barton-on-Sea.
Growing up, Redknapp attended the Twynham School over in Christchurch, in Dorset, and played in the Sunday league youth teams with his brother. It is not known when the left the village, but he joined Liverpool from Bournemouth at aged 17. Other footballers born in the town include Russell Perrett and Neil Moss.
Miranda Hart became a household name after gracing our screens in her self titled comedy Miranda in 2009. Since then she has gone to star in Call The Midwife, the West End production of Annie and has even penned a few books.
The comedian grew up in East Hampshire, near the town of Petersfield. She was educated at Downe House, an independent girls' boarding school in Berkshire, where she was classmates with sports presenter Clare Balding, who was head girl in their school days.
Clare Balding is easily one of the most recognisable female sports presenters on television. She is often the face of coverage for the Olympics, Winter Olympics and the Sports Personality of the Year awards.
Balding was born in 1971 in Kingsclere, approximately eight miles away from Basingstoke. Hailing from a family of horse trainers, she became a leading amateur flat jockey in her 20s and a Champion Lady Rider in 1990.
As a child, Clare attended the independent girls’ boarding school Downe House, just over the Berkshire border, where she was a close friend of comedian Miranda Hart. She went on to study English at Newnham College, Cambridge – a move that set her up for a career in journalism.
Elizabeth Hurley’s journey to stardom began in our very own county. The 57-year-old model and actress, who is half-Irish, was born in Basingstoke to parents Angela and Roy Hurley.
As a youngster, she attended the Harriet Costello School, a mixed secondary school in Basingstoke. During her “punk” teenage years, Elizabeth dyed her hair pink and pierced her nose. She reportedly said in one interview: “When I was 16, the thing to be in Basingstoke – the suburb I grew up in – was punk.”
Elizabeth made her film debut in Aria in 1987 and went on to star in movies such as Passenger 57, Bedazzled, Serving Sara and Dangerous Ground. In 1997, she received her first and only acting award – the ShoWest Supporting Actress of the Year for her performance in the spy spoof Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.
Martin Freeman has become one of Britain's most recognisable actors and has starred in dozens of films and television shows, from comedies to hard-hitting dramas. He has starred in Marvel movies, The Hobbit and BBC's Sherlock and is undeniably a household name.
He was born in Aldershot on September 8, 1971 and went to school in neighbouring Surrey, attending Salesian School in Chertsey before heading to Brooklands College in Weybridge. Martin then went into London to study drama before his fledgling acting career really began to kick off and gain traction in the early noughties.
Millions know him for playing hapless Rodney Trotter on Only Fools And Horses and Gary Sparrow on Goodnight Sweetheart. Over the years, Nicholas Lyndhurst has also helped make New Tricks, The Two Of Us and Butterflies big hits.
The actor, born in Emsworth in 1961, has had a glittering career over the last few decades. For his role as Rodney, he has been nominated three times for a BAFTA.
One of Neighbour's most iconic actors started life right here in Hampshire. Tom Oliver, famous for playing Lou Carpenter in Australian soap opera Neighbours, was born in Chandler's Ford in 1938.
His career started young, appearing in a number of amateur productions before trying for a career as a jockey. At age 16, he joined the Merchant Navy and travelled the world before settling in Sydney in 1956.
In 1988, he joined the cast of Neighbours as Lou Carpenter, a lovable rogue used-car salesman. He eventually left the show in 2016 as one of the longest running actors in the soap.
A familiar face of breakfast television, Richard Arnold has woke up the nation for decades. Before his successful entertainment career, he was born right here in Hampshire.
The 52-year-old was born in Andover and grew up in the area of Charlton. He later attended the University of Edinburgh and later went to City University London to complete a journalism degree.
In 1997, he became the TV critic for GMTV, and is now the Entertainment Editor for Good Morning Britain. Over the years he has competed in Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity MasterChef.
Amanda Holden is mostly known for her work as a judge on Britain's Got Talent alongside Simon Cowell. She has also starred in Wild at Heart and currently presents the Breakfast show on Heart.
Born in Portsmouth, the mum-of-two grew up in the market town of Bishop's Waltham. Bishop's Waltham is a stunning medieval town situated between Portsmouth and Winchester that is not too far from the South Downs.
Amanda called the area home for around 16 years before she moved to Bournemouth and then to London as she pursued a career in performing arts. She was educated at the now named Swanmore College and even began her theatre journey right here in Hampshire, as a member of Bishop's Waltham Little Theatre Company, joining when she was just nine.
Charlie is best known as a gardening expert and television presenter. She was a member of the team on Ground Force, a BBC gardening makeover programme, which aired from 1997 until 2005, working alongside Alan Titchmarsh.
She was born in Romsey and, following graduation, Charlie joined Romsey Garden Centre, where she worked to save money in order to go travelling in the early 90s.
It was there in 1992 that she was spotted by TV producer John Thornicroft, who was visiting in search of water plants for a programme he was working on. It wasn't until early 1997, however, that he came calling about a possible slot on BBC garden make-over show Ground Force.
Emma Barton is famously known for her role as Honey Mitchell in EastEnders. She has also starred in Spooks and partnered Anton du Beke in series 17 of Strictly Come Dancing.
Before her television fame, she grew up in Hampshire and was born in the city of Portsmouth. She attended Horndean Community School and then trained at the Guildford School of Acting, graduating in 1998.
Presenter Matt Edmundson is known for his work with BBC Radio 1 and ITV2. Over the years, the 36-year-old has presented alongside Rylan Clark-Neal, Fearne Cotton, and Mollie King.
Matt was born in Portsmouth and attended St Edmund's Catholic School and Havant College. He now lives in London and can be found presenting on BBC Radio 1 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Since joining BBC Radio 1 in 1998, Scott Mills has appeared across the schedule from the afternoon slot with Chris Stark to The Official Chart Show. He has also appeared on a number of television shows including Mastermind, Robot Wars: Battle of the Stars and Strictly Come Dancing.
Scott was born in Eastleigh and grew up in the area. The star attended secondary Crestwood School in Eastleigh up until the age of 16.
The Radio 1 DJ began his radio career at local station Power FM, a commercial radio station which became a part of the Global Radio group. In recent years Mills has revisited his old school to meet pupils and even took David Hasselhoff with him back in 2009.
One televisions most famous cleaners hails from Hampshire. Kim Woodburn made a name for herself in 2003 when she as a co-presented How Clean Is Your House? on Channel 4. Over the years she has starred in a number of reality TV programmes including I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!. and Celebrity Big Brother.
Before television fame, she was born in Eastney, an area of Portsmouth, she has a sister and a brother, and several half-siblings. When she turned 18, she left home and moved to Liverpool.
Throughout 2019 and early 2020, she toured theatres all over the UK with her chat-show style stage show, An Audience with Kim Woodburn. In 2022, she released a range of cleaning products at Poundland.
Ant Middleton is best known for being the Chief Instructor on Channel 4 hit show SAS: Who Dares Wins from 2015 until 2021. He was born in Portsmouth but grew up in France.
The television star joined the army in 1998 when he was 17, five years later he left the army and joined the Royal Marines. After leaving the military, Middleton worked as a security guard for VIPs, and later as a security expert in South Africa and for various West African governments.
Matt Cardle rose to fame after winning the seventh series of The X Factor, the same series that also starred One Direction, Cher Lloyd and Rebecca Ferguson.
Before his fame, Matt was born in Southampton and later grew up in Essex. Since his win, he has released four studio albums, most recent being Time To Be Alive which was released in 2018.
Oliver Locke is a British television personality from Southampton who found fame after appearing on Channel 4's Made in Chelsea. The 35-year-old has also appeared on Celebrity Juice, Alan Carr's Chatty Man, and The Jonathan Ross Show.
His mother is former BBC Radio Solent DJ Sarah Locke. In 2020 he married partner, Gareth, and the pair appeared on Celebrity Hunted in 2022, but were the first to be caught in the game.
Hugo Hammond found fame when he appeared on Love Island in 2021, although was unsuccessful in his quest for love despite remaining in the villa for six weeks. The 25-year-old was the first person with a physical disability to star in the show and is an avid cricket player.
It is understood he has links to Alton and has played for the Hartley Wintney Cricket Club over the years. Since leaving the villa he has teamed up with charity Activity Alliance, the leading voice for people with disabilities in sport and activity.
In January 2020, Portsmouth's Demi Jones appeared on Love Island looking for love. As well as the first Hampshire contestant to reach the final, Demi also took part in the first-ever winter series of Love Island.
Since leaving the island, Demi has become a successful influencer sharing a variety of lifestyle products via Instagram. However, in May 2021, she announced that she had been diagnosed with Thyroid cancer and urged people to check any lumps that they find.
Mark Kermode is one of the most known film critics, sharing his reviews with the BBC and The Observer. Kermode began his film career as a print journalist until 1993when he began working as a film reviewer for BBC Radio 1, which has kickstarted a thriving broadcast career.
For 21 years, Kermode reviewed and debated new film releases with Simon Mayo on the BBC Radio 5 Live show Kermode and Mayo's Film Review. The pair have now launched a non-BBC podcast, "Kermode & Mayo's Take".
It is understood that the 58-year-old is based is based in the New Forest with his family. He is a visiting fellow at the University of Southampton.
Ben Ainslee is one of the most successful sailors in Olympic history, and has won medals at five consecutive Olympics from 1996 onwards. He is one of three athletes to win medals in five different Olympic Games in sailing, being the third person to win five Olympic medals in that sport
He was born in Macclesfield and was educated at two independent schools, the Terra Nova School in Cheshire and Turo School in Cornwall. Afterwards, he attended Peter Symonds Sixth Form in Winchester.
During the 2012 Olympics in London, he was the first person out of 8,000 to carry the torch, starting the 70-day relay. At the closing ceremony he was selected to carry the flag for Team GB.
Alfie Allen is most well-known for his portrayal of Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones. The 34-year-old is the brother of singer Lily Allen, whose song Alfie is about her younger sibling.
Alfie spent some of his education studying at Embley Park School near Romsey and St John’s College in Portsmouth. Small acting roles include Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London – which was directed by his uncle Kevin – plus the well-known film Atonement and BBC1’s historical hospital drama, Casualty 1907.
Funny man Jack Dee was born in Kent, before his family moved to Winchester when he was a youngster. He first attended The Pilgrims' School, an preparatory school, before moving to Montgomery of Alamein School then Peter Symonds' College.
The stand-up comedian had planned to attend drama college, but was convinced to take up a vocation and he entered the catering industry. His first gig was in 1986 at an open-mic gig at The Comedy Store, afterwards he was encouraged to write additional material and to tour the circuit.
Since the 1990s, he has performed sell-out acts at many high-profile venues, including the London Palladium and the Hammersmith Apollo. He has been a frequent guest on QI and Have I Got News for You.
Punk and folk singer-songwriter Frank Turnerwas born in Bahrain before his family moved to Winchester before settling 11 miles away in Meonstoke. He was educated at Summer Fields, an independent school in Oxfordshire, and later attended Eton College on a scholarship, where he studied alongside Prince William.
In February 2022, Frank released his ninth studio album FTHC which reached number 1 in the UK albums chart in the week following its release. During the coronavirus pandemic, Frank was outspoken about the impact of restrictions on the music industry, on Twitter he wrote: "“The delay is going to tip some businesses into final collapse. It’s another blow to morale, another financial loss, after an appalling year and more. That’s just in my industry, live music. There are many more affected by this."
The presenter, author, activist and model has been an inspirational figure for many ever since her life changed forever in 2008. Katie, then 24, was attacked with acid in north London by a 19-year-old man recruited by her ex-boyfriend, who had previously sexually and physically assaulted her.
Katie then underwent ground-breaking surgery to restore her face and vision and she has since received hundreds of operations over the years. But rather than shying away from the incident, Katie opted to speak out and inspire others by sharing her experiences.
Born in Andover, Katie has gone on to set up the Katie Piper Foundation – a charity aimed at raising awareness of other burn victims, promoting social inclusion and the belief that "scars do not limit a person’s potential". She has also penned a few books and hosts podcast Katie Piper’s Extraordinary People, which has interviewed Fearne Cotton, Jessica Ennis-Hill, and even star of Netflix’s Tiger King, Carole Baskin.
Comedian Russell Howard is a regular face on our TV screens, however, not many will know that he was educated in Hampshire. He was schooled at Perins School in New Alresford, before attending Alton College, where he studied A-levels between 1996 and 1998.
While at the Hampshire college, Russell was involved in setting up the Alton College radio station, broadcasting to fellow students. He presented a range of topical radio sketches on aspects of college life.
Russell is one of the UK's most successful comedians with multiple sell-out tours. His most recent Respite world tour has already been a big success, with dates extending into 2022 across the globe.
Stand-up comedian Suzi Ruffell, who has been making people laugh since 2008, has toured with Alan Carr, Joe Lycett and Katherine Ryan. The 36-year-old has also made several appearances on Live at the Apollo, Mock The Week and 8 Out of 10 Cats.
She was born and educated in Portsmouth, often describing her school days as 'difficult' and become the class clown to hide her dyslexia. Suzi has had a number of sell out tours over the last seven years, this Autumn she will take her new tour Snappy across the country, including Andover.
During lockdown she launched podcast Out with Suzi Ruffell, where she interviews inspiring LGBTQ+ people, talking about everything from their sexuality to their career and childhood. Since October 2015, Ruffell has co-hosted the podcast Like Minded Friends with comedian Tom Allen.
After their 2016 Song went viral online eight years ago, musical comedy duo Flo and Joan have toured their songs here in the UK and internationally. The pair are currently in the middle of the 'Sweet Release' tour which is returning to Basingstoke, Winchester and Portsmouth in the Autumn.
Flo and Joan, who are actually sisters Nicola and Rosie Dempsey grew up in Portsmouth before the pair moved to universities in Cardiff and London. The year after the 2016 viral hit, they appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe where their show quickly sold out.
The pair have also made a number of television appearances including Live At The Apollo and Russell Howard Hour 2020. They also performed in front of the royal family in 2019 at the Royal Variety Performance.
Liverpool-born John Bishop has made a name for himself as a comedian, footballer, presenter, and actor. Over the years, he has hosted a number of his own shows and since 2021, he has played Dan Lewis in Doctor Who, alongside Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill.
He used to live in East Hampshire and was known to visit the gym at The Old Thorns down the road in Liphook. The comedian is known for his charity work which also includes raising £4.2 million for Sport Relief 2012..
Alexa Chung was scouted as a model back when she was just 16. Born in Privett in East Hampshire close to Petersfield, Chung modelled for a number of magazines as a teen and worked for a number of big brands including Fanta, Sony and Urban Outfitters.
The now 38-year-old also featured in music videos for acts such as Westlife and The Streets and in 2017 the model created her own fashion label named Alexachung. Last year Chung took to Instagram to reveal that she had been diagnosed with endometriosis in a bid to raise awareness.
Famed for playing Prince Charles in The Crown, alongside Olivia Colman and Emma Corrin, Josh O'Connor quickly became a recognisable face. The 31-year-old now lives in New York but was in fact born in our very own county, in Southampton.
His role in The Crown in 2019 and 2020 saw him win a Golden Globe for Best Actor – Television Series Drama, and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2021. Other well-known TV roles include Lawrence Durrell in the ITV series The Durrells, and Johnny Saxby in Francis Lee’s God’s Own Country.
Lydia Leonard, born in France, has starred alongside Emma Thompson, Suranne Jones and Imelda Staunton over the years. In 2022, she has already appeared in BBC's Gentleman Jack and the British remake of the French drama Call My Agent.
She was educated in Hampshire; she attended Bedales School, the independent school, near Petersfield, is recognised as one of the top schools in England, not just in Hampshire. Leonard will portray Cherie Blair in the fifth series of The Crown on Netflix.
Gareth Bale’s international breakthrough came when he was playing his club football in red and white in 2006. He became the youngest player to play at senior level for Wales during his time at Southampton, while he was a regular at left-back and played 45 times for Saints in the 2006-07 season, before leaving to join Tottenham.
The 32-year-old was born in Cardiff and attended Eglwys Newydd Primary School, where he first drew the attention of Southampton when he was just nine-years-old. Earlier this month he confirmed his exit from Real Madrid after nine years at the club.
Cricketer Kevin Pietersen has also called our great county home. He was born in South Africa and made he first-class debut in 1997 and moved to England in 2000.
He first played for Nottinghamshire, and was called up by England almost immediately after he completed four years at the county level. He left Notts for Hampshire in 2005, but only made a single first-class appearance due his commitments to the England team.
In 2010, he left Hampshire and joined Surrey on loan for the remainder of the season before moving permanently in 2011. Since leaving the sport, Kevin has become a cricket commentator and has penned an autobiography
Golfer Justin Rose honed his talents at courses in Basingstoke, Farnborough and Hartley Wintney before finding a home at North Hants Golf Club in Fleet. He grew up in Hook and became the first English golfer since Nick Faldo in 1996 to win a major and in 2016 took home Olympic gold from the Rio games.
Fast forward eight years and although the now 40-year-old's form has dipped since changing club manufacturer in 2019, Rose remains one of the world's top golfers. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 New Year Honours for his services to golf.
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