42 Notable alumni of Leeds Beckett University
Updated: June 22, 2026 EliteDegrees
Leeds Beckett University is ranked #1,136 in the world and #84 in United Kingdom by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 42 notable alumni from Leeds Beckett University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Leeds Beckett University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. David Hinchliffe
1948-. (aged 78)
politician
David Martin Hinchliffe is a British former Labour politician who was Member of Parliament for Wakefield from 1987 to 2005 when he stood down and was replaced by Mary Creagh.
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2. Anthea Hamilton
1978-. (aged 48)
installation artist
painter
visual artist
Anthea Hamilton is a British artist who graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University (Leeds Beckett University) and the Royal College of Art and was one of four shortlisted for the 2016 Turner Prize. Hamilton was responsible for the show's most popular exhibit Project for a Door (After Gaetano Pesce) depicting a doorway consisting of large naked buttocks which reworks a proposal...
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3. Vid Hidvégi
1986-. (aged 40)
artistic gymnast
Vid Hidvégi is a Hungarian artistic gymnast and pommel horse specialist. A student of the Eszterházy Károly College, he finished runner-up at the 2007 Summer Universiade.
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4. Emma Lipman
1989-. (aged 37)
association football player
Emma Louise Lipman is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Genoa in the Italian Serie B. Lipman was born and brought up in England but chose to play for Malta at international level.
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5. Shahnaz Ali
1961-. (aged 65)
Shahnaz Ali OBE is a British woman best known for her leadership role in equality, inclusion and human rights in the National Health Service and local government in England. She is also known for her activism, as a young woman, in the anti-racist struggles in Bradford in the 1980s. She was appointed an OBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours...
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6. Chris Feather
1981-. (aged 45)
rugby league player
Chris Feather is an English former professional rugby league footballer. He plays for Wyong Roos in the Tooheys Cup in Newcastle. He previously played for Villeneuve Leopards in the Elite One Championship, and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Leeds Rhinos, Castleford Tigers and Bradford Bulls in the Super League. His position is prop.
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7. Emma Higgins
1986-. (aged 40)
association football player
Emma Mary Higgins is an association football goalkeeper from Northern Ireland, currently playing for Glentoran. She previously played for Icelandic clubs Grindavík, KR and Selfoss. In 2013 she was with Doncaster Rovers Belles of the FA WSL. Since her first appearance in 2004, Higgins has accrued over 85 caps for Northern Ireland.
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8. Nazrin Choudhury
playwright
screenwriter
writer
novelist
television producer
Nazrin Choudhury is a British-American screenwriter, director and actress of Bangladeshi descent. She is best known for her extensive work in American television, and her Academy Award-nominated short film Red, White and Blue.
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9. Gill Furniss
1957-. (aged 69)
politician
council member
Gillian Furniss is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough since 2016. She was a Member of Sheffield City Council from 1999 to 2016.
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10. Luke Whitehouse
2002-. (aged 24)
gymnast
Luke Benjamin Whitehouse is a British artistic gymnast. He represented Great Britain at the 2024 Summer Olympics and is a silver medallist on floor exercise at the 2025 World Championships. Whitehouse is a four time European Champion, winning three titles on floor exercise, in 2023, 2024, and 2025. He is one of only two men to achieve three consecutive titles...
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11. Phil Willis, Baron Willis of Knaresborough
1941-. (aged 85)
politician
George Philip Willis, Baron Willis of Knaresborough is a politician in the United Kingdom. He is a Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, and was Member of Parliament (MP) for Harrogate and Knaresborough from 1997 until retiring at the 2010 general election. Up to that date he was the chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology...
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12. Alison Hume
1965-. (aged 61)
screenwriter
science fiction writer
television producer
politician
Alison Louise Hume is a British Labour Party politician and television writer who has been Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby since 2024. In television she is known for her work as creator and executive producer of the CBBC series The Sparticle Mystery and the BBC drama Rocket Man.
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13. Sarah Barrow
1988-. (aged 38)
swimmer
competitive diver
Sarah Barrow is a British retired diver who competed in several LEN European Aquatics Championships and Commonwealth Games, where she won multiple medals.
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14. Richard Buck
1986-. (aged 40)
sprinter
Richard Thomas Buck is a former British sprinter who specialised in the 400 metres event. He is from York, and trains in Loughborough. Buck's current club is City of York A.C. (formerly Nestlé York A.C). Previously, he had an 18-month spell at Scarborough A.C. He has been trained by his grandfather, Geoff Barraclough,.
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15. Dee Caffari
1973-. (aged 53)
teacher
sailor
Denise "Dee" Caffari MBE is a British sailor, and in 2006 became the first woman to sail single-handedly and non-stop around the world "the wrong way"; westward against the prevailing winds and currents. In February 2009, Caffari completed the Vendée Globe race and set a new record to become the first woman to sail solo, non-stop, around the world in...
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16. Martyn Woolford
1985-. (aged 41)
association football player
Martyn Paul Woolford is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Frickley Athletic, where he is also the manager. He has played in the Football League for Scunthorpe United, Bristol City, Millwall, Sheffield United, Fleetwood Town and Grimsby Town.
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17. Andy McDonald
1977-. (aged 49)
ice hockey player
Andrew Joseph McDonald is a British Labour Party politician and solicitor serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East (formerly Middlesbrough) since 2012.
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18. Georgia Taylor-Brown
1994-. (aged 32)
triathlete
athletics competitor
Georgia Taylor-Brown is an English professional triathlete. Having won bronze in the 2018 and 2019 World Triathlon Series, Taylor-Brown won the one-off sprint triathlon race in Hamburg that constituted the 2020 World Triathlon Championship, becoming the fifth British woman to become world champion.
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19. Mai Mala Buni
1967-. (aged 59)
politician
Mai Mala Buni CON is a Nigerian politician who has been serving as the governor of Yobe State since 2019. He was elected as governor during the 2019 Nigeria general elections under the platform of the All Progressives Congress. Prior to his election as governor, he held the position of national secretary of the All Progressives Congress.
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20. Oba Otudeko
1943-. (aged 83)
banker
Oba Otudeko CFR is a Nigerian businessman who serves as the founder and chairman of the Honeywell Group. He was a former chairman of FBN Holdings and founder of the Oba Otudeko Foundation.
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21. Laura Weightman
1991-. (aged 35)
middle-distance runner
Laura Weightman is a former British middle-distance runner. She reached the 1500 metres final at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. She won a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and bronze medals at the 2014 and 2018 European Championships. She also won a bronze medal in the 5000 metres at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
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22. Stereo Mike
1978-. (aged 48)
songwriter
rapper
singer
record producer
Michail Exarchos, known professionally by his stage name Stereo Mike, is a Greek hip hop artist. He is the first MTV EMA Award winner in the "Best Greek Act" category. Stereo Mike represented Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 alongside singer Loucas Yiorkas with the song "Watch My Dance", placing seventh with 120 points.
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23. Dave Ball
1959-2025 (aged 66)
disc jockey
songwriter
record producer
musician
David James Ball was an English producer and electronic musician best known as one half of the synth-pop duo Soft Cell, alongside vocalist Marc Almond. He also co-founded the Grid, and collaborated with artists and producers including Ingo Vauk and Chris Braide. Active from the late 1970s, Ball worked across a range of projects in electronic and experimental music. He...
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24. Jon McLaughlin
1982-. (aged 44)
singer-songwriter
pianist
Jonathan Peter McLaughlin is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship club Middlesbrough.
25. Fad Gadget
1956-2002 (aged 46)
singer
musician
Francis John Tovey, known also by his stage name Fad Gadget, was a British avant-garde electronic musician and vocalist. He was a proponent of both new wave and early industrial music, fusing pop-structured songs with mechanised experimentation.
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26. Kim Leadbeater
1976-. (aged 50)
politician
personal trainer
Kim Michele Leadbeater is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Spen Valley, formerly Batley and Spen, since 2021.
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27. Kim-Joy
1991-. (aged 35)
baker
mental health professional
columnist
writer
Kim-Joy is a British baker and cookbook writer. She became one of two runners-up in the ninth series (2018) of The Great British Bake Off and won Bake Off's New Year 2022 special. She has written three cookbooks and is known for creating decorative baked goods often featuring whimsical themes and cute renderings of animals.
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28. Emily Scarratt
1990-. (aged 36)
rugby union player
teacher
rugby sevens player
Emily Beth Scarratt MBE is a retired English rugby union player. She played centre and fullback for Loughborough Lightning and for England for whom she is the third highest capped player in their history. She is also co-presenter on the popular women's rugby podcast The Good, The Scaz, The Rugby, hosted by Elma Smit and starring Natasha 'Mo' Hunt.
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29. Stuart Lancaster
1969-. (aged 57)
coach
rugby union player
William Stuart Lancaster is an English rugby union coach and former player who is now currently the head coach of Irish club Connacht.
30. Green Gartside
1955-. (aged 71)
singer
songwriter
Green Gartside is a Welsh singer, songwriter and musician. He is the frontman of the band Scritti Politti.
31. Ian McGeechan
1946-. (aged 80)
rugby union player
rugby union coach
teacher
Sir Ian Robert McGeechan, OBE is a Scottish rugby union coach and former player.
32. Eric Pickles
1952-. (aged 74)
radio personality
politician
Eric Jack Pickles, Baron Pickles is a British Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Brentwood and Ongar from 1992 to 2017. He served in David Cameron's Cabinet as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government from 2010 to 2015. During his time at the Communities and Local Government department, Grenfell tower was renovated using...
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33. Graham Potter
1975-. (aged 51)
association football player
association football coach
Graham Stephen Potter is an English professional football manager and former player who is the head coach of the Sweden national team.
34. Lucy Bronze
1991-. (aged 35)
association football player
Lucia Roberta Tough Bronze MBE is an English professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Women's Super League club Chelsea and the England women's national team. She has previously played for Sunderland, Everton, Liverpool, Lyon, Manchester City and Barcelona, as well as North Carolina at college level in the United States and Great Britain at the Olympics. Bronze has...
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35. Marc Almond
1957-. (aged 69)
singer
songwriter
singer-songwriter
vocalist
record producer
Peter Mark Almond is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is the lead vocalist of the synth-pop duo Soft Cell. He is known for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image, and has had a diverse career as a solo artist.
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36. Sam Quek
1988-. (aged 38)
field hockey player
television presenter
Samantha Ann Quek is an English former field hockey player and television presenter. She played as a defender for both the England and Great Britain teams, wearing squad number 13, and won gold as part of the British team at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
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37. Ricky Wilson
1978-. (aged 48)
singer
songwriter
musician
Charles Richard Wilson is an English musician and the frontman of five-piece rock band Kaiser Chiefs. In September 2013, Wilson was confirmed as a coach on The Voice UK. He was the winning coach for both the fourth and fifth series of the show, being the first coach to win two years consecutively. Wilson left the show after three series,...
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38. Alistair Brownlee
1988-. (aged 38)
triathlete
athletics competitor
Alistair Edward Brownlee is an English former triathlete. He is the only athlete to hold two Olympic titles in the individual triathlon event, winning gold medals in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. He is also a four-time World Champion in triathlon being Triathlon World Champion twice (2009, 2011) and World Team Champion (2011, 2014) twice, a four-time European Champion...
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39. Hassan Diab
1959-. (aged 67)
civil servant
engineer
politician
Hassan Diab is a Lebanese academic, engineer and politician who served as the prime minister of Lebanon from 21 January 2020 to 10 September 2021. He was appointed by President Michel Aoun in 2019 to succeed Saad Hariri as prime minister. He submitted his resignation on 10 August 2020 in wake of the 2020 Beirut explosion and served as caretaker...
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40. Alexander Skarsgård
1976-. (aged 50)
screenwriter
film director
television actor
actor
film actor
Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård is a Swedish actor. A son of actor Stellan Skarsgård, he began acting at the age of seven but quit at thirteen. After serving in the Swedish Navy, Skarsgård returned to acting and gained his first role in the American comedy film Zoolander (2001). He played Brad Colbert in the miniseries Generation Kill (2008) and had...
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41. Andrew White
1974-. (aged 52)
guitarist
Andrew White is a writer, filmmaker and broadcaster. He is the senior editor of the multimedia brand Walks Around Britain, and the presenter/producer of the associated TV series.
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42. Mike Wood
1946-. (aged 80)
politician
Michael Jon Wood is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire since July 2024. Prior to this he served as MP for Dudley South from May 2015 until the constituency's dissolution. He has been Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office since November 2024.
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