With its close links to London, deep historical and cultural roots, Oxford has been home to an inexhaustible number of celebrities.

If the city had its own wall of fame, these actors, musicians, and public figures would definitely top the list:

Stephen Hawking

Oxford Mail:

Stephen Hawking’s family recently donated his ventilator to the NHS to help coronavirus patients (Joe Giddens/PA)

Theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author Stephen Hawking was director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge at the time of his death.

Hawking was born in Oxford into a family of doctors and began his university education at University College, Oxford, in October 1959 at the age of 17.

Hugh Laurie

Oxford Mail:

Hugh Laurie (Isabel Infantes/PA)

Hugh Laurie CBE is an actor, director, singer, musician, comedian and author.

Laurie was born in Blackbird Leys and grew up there, attending the Dragon School from seven to 13 and then went on to Eton. 

Around the world he's best known for portraying the title character on the Fox medical drama series House. He received two Golden Globe Awards and nominations for numerous other awards.

Laurie also first gained recognition for his work as one half of the comedy double act Fry and Laurie with his friend and comedy partner Stephen Fry. 

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Oxford Mail:

(David Parry/PA)

Mbatha-Raw was born in Oxford and grew up in Witney. She attended the Henry Box School and participated in the National Youth Theatre

After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Mbatha-Raw began acting in British television and stage productions, appearing in the science-fiction series Doctor Who.

Charlotte Johnson Wahl

Mother of Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, Charlotte Johnson Wahl is also known for being an artist. 

Born in Oxford, Johnson Wahl read English at Oxford University and was the first married female undergraduate at Lady Margaret Hall.

Having made her name as a professional portrait painter for the likes of Crispin Tickell and Joanna Lumley, Johnson Wahl also paints landscapes. Her paintings are valued at £1,000 to £5,000. 

Jamie Laing

Oxford Mail:

(Ian West/PA)

The television personality and actor, Jamie Laing, was born in Oxford and attended Radley College.

He is best known for appearing on the reality television series Made in Chelsea since the second series in 2011. As an actor, he has appeared in shows such as Hollyoaks, Murder In Successville and Drunk History.

Miriam Margoyles

Oxford Mail:

Miriam Margoyles has also featured in Call the Midwife (Ian West/PA)

Miriam Margoyles OBE is a British-Australian actress, she won a BAFTA Award for her role in Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence (1993) and was cast in the role of Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter film series.

Margoyles attended Oxford High School.

Sophie The Countess of Wessex

Oxford Mail:

(Stuart C Wilson/PA)

Sophie The Countess of Wessex is married to Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

The Earl and Countess have two children: Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, who are respectively thirteenth and twelfth in line to the British throne.

Born Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones at Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, on 20 January 1965.

Jane Moore

Jane Moore is a journalist, author and television presenter, best known as a columnist for The Sun newspaper and as a panellist on the ITV lunchtime chat show Loose Women.

Since 2018, Moore has guest anchored Loose Women. 

All of Radiohead members (well, almost)

Band members Colin Greenwood and his brother Jonny, Ed O'Brien and Philip Selway are all born and bred in Oxford. However, singer Thom Yorke was born in Northamptonshire before his family settled in Oxfordshire.

As youngsters, the musicians met at Abingdon School and formed rock band On A Friday - a nod to their rehearsal day. In 1991 the band changed its name to Radiohead.

They have since achieved critical acclaim and have sold over 30 million albums.
 

We Grew Up In Oxford - our new online community

We’re really excited to launch We Grew Up in Oxford, a new online community for everyone who loves our great city. In our new Facebook group, we’ll be delving into the archives - both recent and older - to bring you memories of what it was like growing up and living here through the years.

We hope you’ll join us and get involved in the project, and remember to let us know what memories from your glory days you want to see in the group. 

Join our community on Facebook: We Grew Up In Oxford

We Grew Up in Oxford, so now it’s time to celebrate that. See you there!