Famous alumni

Bolu Babalola (UCL United States Studies: History and Politics MA 2017) is the bestselling author of Honey and Spice and the short story collection Love in Colour. She has worked as a writer for books, TV, press and as a cultural commentator.

Katy Hessel (UCL History of Art BA 2015) is an art historian, broadcaster and bestselling author of The Story of Art Without Men. Known for her passion for championing women artists and marginalised communities past and present, she writes for The Guardian, runs the @thegreatwomenartists Instagram and hosts a podcast featuring guests including Tracey Emin and Marina Abramović.

Sir Demis Hassabis CBE (UCL Cognitive Neuroscience PhD 2009) is an AI pioneer and the co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind. He was awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contributions to protein structure prediction. A child chess prodigy and self-taught programmer, Hassabis co-designed the hit game Theme Park at age 17.

Isa Guha (UCL Biochemistry BSc 2007; PhD Neuroscience 2017) is a sports television commentator and former England cricketer. In 2023, she launched the Got Your Back initiative in order to support female cricket players.

Hannah Fry (UCL Mathematics with Theoretical Physics MSci 2006; Mathematics PhD 2011) is a science presenter, public speaker, bestselling author and academic known for her joyful ability to bring maths to life for audiences of all interests and abilities. She is a recipient of the prestigious Zeeman Medal, recognising her work in engaging the UK public with mathematics.

Joshua Hayward (UCL Physics 2006) releases his first album Strange House with his band the Horrors in 2007. The band joins Florence and the Machine on their UK and Ireland tour in 2012.

Rob Williams (UCL Biotechnology 2006) wins gold in the lightweight men’s four at the World Rowing Championships in 2010. He follows this success with a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

Kevin Fenton CBE (PhD Epidemiology 2005) is a senior public health expert and infectious disease epidemiologist, who has worked in a variety of public health executive leadership roles across government and academia in the UK and internationally, including taking a leading role in London’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Award-winning journalist and broadcaster Steph McGovern (UCL Science Communication and Policy BSc 2005) is the co-host of The Rest Is Money, a finance and business podcast with Robert Peston. She also fronted Steph’s Packed Lunch, Channel 4’s popular live daily lunchtime magazine show.

Christine Ohuruogu MBE (UCL Linguistics 2005) wins a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in the 400m.

Tunde Banjoko OBE (UCL Urban Regeneration MSc 2003) is a passionate advocate for social mobility. He is the founder of Making the Leap, a UK charity dedicated to empowering young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Max Bittner (UCL History and Economics BSc 2001) is a tech entrepreneur and CEO of Vestiaire Collective, the global leading community-driven platform for desirable pre-owned fashion.

Christian Jessen (UCL Medicine MBBS BSc 2001) is a doctor and TV presenter, known for hosting Embarrassing Bodies and Supersize vs Superskinny. He combines his medical and media expertise to demystify the world of medicine to the public.

Dr Ben Goldacre MBE (UCL Medicine MBBS BSc 2000) is a doctor, author and broadcaster who specialises in unpicking the misuse of science and statistics by journalists, politicians, drug companies and more.

Maryam Moshiri (UCL Italian BA 2000) is a BBC News chief presenter and host of The World Today, the BBC’s flagship international news programme. With a career spanning over two decades, she has anchored major events from the 9/11 attacks to the war in Ukraine to the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City. 

Narinder Sagoo (UCL Architecture MArch 1999), Senior Partner at Foster + Partners, is a renowned architectural artist whose drawings have helped shape major projects including the Great Court at the British Museum, Wembley National Stadium and Apple Park in California.

Julian Baggini (UCL Philosophy 1996) co-founds The Philosophers’ Magazine in 1997. His book, The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten: And Ninety-Nine Other Thought Experiments, is published in 2005.

Chris Martin (UCL Greek and Latin 1996), Jonny Buckland (UCL Mathematics 1996), Will Champion (UCL Anthropology 1996) and Guy Berryman (UCL Engineering Sciences 1996) meet at Ramsay Hall during Freshers' Week and go on to form Coldplay.

Former student Christopher Nolan (UCL English 1993) directs his debut film Following in 1998. He goes on to direct Inception in 2010, shooting some of it in UCL's Gustave Tuck lecture theatre. More recently, Christopher received 'Best Director' at the 2024 Academy Awards for the film Oppenheimer (which also was awarded 'Best Picture').

Dame Emma Thomas (UCL History BA 1993) has produced all of the feature films directed by her husband Christopher Nolan, which have grossed more than $6 billion worldwide and are regarded as some of the greatest films of their respective decades. She received the Academy Award, BAFTA and Critics' Choice Movie Award for producing the biographical thriller Oppenheimer (2023), becoming the first British woman to win the Oscar for Best Picture.

Justine Frischmann (UCL Bartlett 1992) co-founds Suede with then-boyfriend Brett Anderson in 1989. Her new band, Elastica, releases their first album in 1995.

Dr Andrew Szydlo (UCL History and Philosophy of Science PhD 1992) is a chemist and educator renowned for his dynamic and theatrical approach to teaching chemistry. His engaging demonstrations, such as the TEDx talk '25 Chemistry Experiments in 15 Minutes', have captivated audiences worldwide.

Brett Anderson (UCL Bartlett 1991) hits number one in the UK album charts as vocalist of Suede in 1993. The band breaks up in 2003 but reforms in 2010.

Douglas Gordon (UCL Slade 1990) wins the Turner Prize in 1996. Zidane, un portrait du 21e siècle, a feature-length film following the French footballer during a match, premieres at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006.

Harry Bradbeer (UCL History BA 1989) is a multi award-winning director best known for Fleabag, Killing Eve and Netflix’s Enola Holmes films.

Farshid Moussavi (UCL Bartlett 1989) co-founds Foreign Office Architects (FOA) in 1993. She goes on to design the award-winning Yokohama International Ferry Terminal in 1995.

Andrew Davenport (UCL Phonetics & Linguistics 1987) wins a second BAFTA award in 1998, this time for Teletubbies. He goes on to create In The Night Garden in 2007.

Rachel Whiteread CBE (UCL Slade 1987) becomes the first woman to be awarded the Turner Prize in 1993.

Eskandar Nabavi (UCL Geography BA 1986) founded his eponymous label, Eskandar, in 1991. As a British-Iranian, his designs blend traditional Eastern influences with modern Western style.

Ricky Gervais (UCL Philosophy BA 1983) has won seven BAFTA Awards, five British Comedy Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and two Rose d'Or Awards for this work as a comedian, actor, writer and filmmaker.

Jeremy Bowen (UCL History BA 1982; UCL Latin American Studies MA 1983) joined the BBC in 1984 and has been a war correspondent for much of his career. He was the BBC Middle East editor from 2005 to 2022, before being appointed as International Editor for BBC News in August 2022. 

Chila Kumari Singh Burman MBE (UCL Slade 1982) is an artist known for her bold, mixed-media works that fuse pop art, feminism and cultural heritage. Involved in the Black British Art movement of the 1980s, she collaborated with key figures like Lubaina Himid and Sonia Boyce on landmark exhibitions.

Jane Fallon (UCL History BA 1982) started her career producing hit TV dramas like This Life and Teachers, before becoming a bestselling author of ten novels, including Faking Friends and Worst Idea Ever.

Wayne Hemingway MBE (UCL Geography BSc 1982) co-founded fashion label Red or Dead, turning it into a global brand. Now with Hemingway Design, he transforms spaces and communities through bold, socially driven design.

Alison Owen (UCL BA English 1982) is a BAFTA-winning television and film producer,a her credits including Elizabeth, Shaun of the Dead and Saving Mr Banks. Alison is a co-founder of the production company Monumental Television, led by an all-female team, who have produced hits including Ghosts and Harlots.

Mona Hatoum (UCL Slade 1981) is a British-Palestinian artist renowned for her installations and sculptures that explore themes of displacement, identity and the human condition. She has received the Praemium Imperiale (2019), the 10th Hiroshima Art Prize (2017), and the Joan Miró Prize (2011).

Steven Knight (UCL English BA 1980) is a screenwriter, producer and director known for his work in film and television. He created the hit television series Peaky Blinders and the popular game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.

Victor Chu (UCL LLB Law 1979) is a leading Hong Kong businessman and lawyer, known for founding First Eastern Investment Group and serving on global boards including Airbus and Nomura. Victor has been Chair of UCL Council since 2019, continuing a long association with the university that began when he took his undergraduate degree in Law.

Antony Gormley OBE RA (UCL Slade 1979) is a sculptor best known for his public artworks, including the iconic Angel of the North. His work explores the human body’s relationship to space, often using casts of his own form.

Vivienne Parry OBE (UCL Zoology BSc 1978) is a science communicator and broadcaster, known for presenting BBC Radio 4 shows like Inside the Ethics Committee. She is Head of Engagement at Genomics England and co-founded the Suffrage Science awards promoting women in science.

Lynn Truss (UCL English 1977) completes Eats, Shoots & Leaves in 2003. This guide to punctuation misuse tops the bestseller charts in both Britain and the United States.

Nica Burns CBE (LLB Law 1976) is a London theatre producer and co-owner, alongside her business partner Max Weitzenhoffer, of the Nimax Theatres group, which includes six West End venues: the Palace, Lyric, Apollo, Garrick, Vaudeville and Duchess.

A.A. Gill (UCL Slade 1976) was a journalist and critic, famed for his acerbic wit as a restaurant and television critic.

Chris Rapley CBE (UCL Astronomy 1976) arranges for a band to perform in Antarctica as part of the Live Earth concert in 2007. In the same year, he is appointed Director of the Science Museum.

Former UCL LLB student Baroness Scotland (UCL Laws 1976) becomes the first female Attorney General since the post was created in 1315.

Jonathan Miller (UCL History of Medicine 1973) directs a Mafia-inspired adaption of Rigoletto in 1982. In 2004, he writes and presents Atheism: A Rough History of Disbelief, a historical review of atheism for BBC Four.

Kenneth Follett (UCL Bachelor of Arts 1970) is a bestselling author of thrillers and historical novels, with over 195 million copies of his books sold worldwide.

Patrick Head (UCL Mechanical Engineering 1970; Fellow 2005) co-founds Williams Formula One in 1977. It has since gone on to become one of the most successful teams of the past 20 years.

Junichiro Koizumi (UCL Economics 1968) becomes Prime Minister of Japan in 2001.

Derek Jarman (UCL Slade 1967) writes and directs Sebastiane, a homoerotic interpretation of the life of Saint Sebastian, in 1976. It is the first film to be entirely recorded in Latin. He directs the Pet Shop Boys’ UK tour in 1989.

Sir Richard MacCormac (UCL Bartlett 1965) wins national awards for his modernist creations, including the University of Lancaster’s Ruskin Library in 1998. A year later, he designs Thierry Henry's £6 million Hampstead mansion.

Michael Epstein, Yvonne Barr and Bert Achong identify the Epstein-Barr virus (responsible for glandular fever) at the UCL Medical School, Middlesex Hospital.

David Crystal (UCL English BA 1962) is a linguist, renowned for his work on the English language. His book Stories of English is a Penguin Classic.

Sir Quentin Blake (UCL PGCE English 1957) is an acclaimed illustrator and author who has brought more than 300 books to life with his unmistakable style, including 18 by Roald Dahl. He was named the UK’s first Children’s Laureate in 1999.

Andrew Davies (UCL English 1957) writes the television adaption of political thriller House of Cards in 1990. He becomes a household name for his adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Colin Firth in 1995 and goes on to win an Emmy award for Little Dorrit in 2008.

Raymond Briggs (UCL Slade 1957) completes wordless children’s book The Snowman in 1978. The film version is nominated for an Academy Award in 1982.

David Lodge (UCL English 1955) completes his Booker Prize-nominated Campus Trilogy, which satirises academic life, in 1988. He adapts Martin Chuzzlewit for the BBC in 1994.

Professor Heinz Wolff (UCL Physiology and Physics 1954) was a pioneering bioengineer, inventor and beloved TV presenter whose bow tie and infectious enthusiasm made him a household name on BBC’s The Great Egg Race in the 1970s and ’80s.

Roger Penrose (UCL Mathematics 1952) proves that black holes can be formed from the collapse of dying stars in 1965. He shares the 1988 Wolf Prize for physics with Stephen Hawking for their contribution to mankind’s understanding of the universe.

Gabriel Bach (UCL Law 1950) was a judge of the Supreme Court of Israel from 1982 until 1997 and was the deputy prosecutor in the 1961 prosecution trial of Adolf Eichmann.

Former engineering student Colin Chapman (UCL Structural Engineering 1948) creates the Lotus Mark 1, which he enters into local racing events. With it, the legendary Lotus cars are born.

Eduardo Paolozzi (UCL Slade 1947) finishes I was a Rich Man's Plaything, a collage considered one of the earliest examples of pop art, in 1947. In 1984, he makes a lasting contribution to London by designing the colourful mosaic murals in Tottenham Court Road Station.

Klaus Roth (UCL Mathematics 1948) was a German-born British mathematician and the first Briton to win the Fields Medal, celebrated for his groundbreaking work across several areas of number theory.

Ken Adam (UCL Bartlett 1938) works as a production designer for the first James Bond film, Dr. No in 1962. He goes on to design numerous iconic film sets, including the Dr. Strangelove war room in 1964 and, in 1967, the volcanic base in You Only Live Twice.

Former student Francis Harry Compton Crick (UCL Physics 1937) and James Watson identify the DNA double helix. Their work became the basis of the human genome project.

The Royal Society elects former student Kathleen Lonsdale (UCL Crystallography 1936) as its first woman member. In 1949, she became UCL's first ever female professor.

Isaac Rosenberg (UCL Slade 1913) writes 'On Receiving News of the War' in 1914, one of the earliest poems to criticise World War I. Two years later, he publishes 'Break of Day in the Trenches', which some go on to call the greatest poem of the war. Read more about Rosenberg in the UCL Antenna article 'We will remember them'.

Gustav Holst (UCL Languages 1909) finishes composition of orchestral suite The Planets in 1916. Five years later, he sets a Cecil Spring-Rice poem to music and in doing so creates the patriotic song 'I Vow to Thee, My Country'.

Alexander Graham Bell (Phonics) is credited with the invention of the telephone. Bell and his associates originally offered to sell the patent for the telephone to Western Union for $100,000. The company declined, only to offer $25 million two years later. By then, Bell was rich and no longer wished to sell the patent.

Ito Hirobume, one of the Choshu Five, is one of the first international students to come to UCL, going on to become Prime Minister of Japan.

Walter Bagehot (UCL Mathematics 1846) becomes the editor of the Economist magazine in 1860. The UK current affairs section is still named after him.