17 famous people who went to school in Derbyshire including Jeremy Clarkson, Roald Dahl and Timothy Dalton

Derbyshire is home to many fantastic schools, from state secondaries to those which provide a private education.

And over the years the classrooms and corridors of these establishments have been frequented by many future celebrities.

From actors and writers to sports stars and musicians, many started in Derbyshire and have gone on to achieve great things.

So take a look through our list of famous faces who attended school in our great county - from Jeremy Clarkson to Roald Dahl.

Read more: Love Derby

Celebrities who went to school in Derbyshire

1. Jeremy Clarkson

Jeremy Clarkson, born April 11, 1960, attended Repton School and is best known for presenting Top Gear and The Grand Tour alongside Richard Hammond and James May.

He is a trained journalist and regularly writes weekly columns for The Sunday Times and The Sun. Since 2018, he has also hosted the revived ITV show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

His Amazon Prime show Clarkson's Farm won the hearts of the nation and will be airing its third series soon.

2. Timothy Dalton

Timothy Dalton, born March 21, 1946, went to Herbert Strutt Grammar School in Belper and gained international prominence as the fourth actor to play James Bond, starring in two films for the franchise.

Aside from Bond, he has appeared in other films including Flash Gordon and Toy Story 3, as well as TV programmes such as Jane Eyre and Dr Who. 

3. Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl, born September 13, 1916, went to Repton School and has been referred to as "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century".

His books for children include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The Witches, Fantastic Mr Fox, The BFG and George's Marvellous Medicine. His adult works include Tales of the Unexpected.

4.Rik Makarem

Rik Makarem, born January 18, 1982, went to Brookfield Community School before later graduating from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama.

He is most famous for his role as Nikhil Sharma in Emmerdale, playing across both dramatic and comedic storylines from 2009 to 2013.

5.Isy Suttie

Isy Suttie, born August 11, 1978, attended Highfields School in Matlock before going on to become a musical comedian, actress, and writer.

She is well known for playing Dobby in the sitcom Peep Show and in 2013 won the gold Sony Radio Academy Award for her radio show Pearl And Dave. Her first novel 'Jane Is Trying' was published in July 2021.

6.Rick Allen

Born on November 1, 1963, Rick Allen attended Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School and began playing drums at age nine before later joining Def Leppard in 1978.

He overcame the amputation of his left arm seven years later and continues to play with the band to this day. He is known as 'The Thunder God' by fans and is ranked seventh on the UK website Gigwise in The Greatest Drummers of All Time list. 

7. Harry Maguire

Harry Maguire, born March 5, 1993, went to St Mary's Catholic High School in Chesterfield and came through the youth system at Sheffield United before graduating to the first team.

In 2019, he moved to Manchester United for a fee believed to be £80 million - a world-record amount for a defender, and within six months was appointed the club captain. Maguire also plays for the England national team.

8. Bob Wilson

Born October 30, 1941, Bob Wilson attended Chesterfield Grammar school and later enjoyed an 11-year-long career with Arsenal, being part of their 1970/71 double-winning side.

After retiring as a player, he turned to coaching and broadcasting and presented football programmes for 28 years.

9. Dame Ellen MacArthur

Dame Ellen MacArthur, born July 8, 1976, went to Anthony Gell School in Wirksworth before going on to become a successful solo long-distance yachtswoman, breaking the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe on February 7, 2005.

Having retired from professional sailing in 2010, she now runs the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a charity that works with business and education to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, and the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, which helps eight to 24-year-olds regain their confidence through sailing whilst recovering from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illnesses.

10. Gary Cahill

Gary Cahill, born December 19, 1985, went to Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School and began his footballing career playing for the AFC Dronfield youth system.

He is an England international with over 60 caps, and currently plays as a centre-back for Premier League club AFC Bournemouth. His previous teams include Burnley, Sheffield United and Chelsea.

11. Becky Measures

Becky Measures, born October 13, 1981, went to Lady Manners School in Bakewell and once hosted a breakfast show on Peak FM.

She is now a regular cover presenter on BBC Radio Sheffield and does lots of charity fundraising for The National Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline which was set up by her mum Wendy Watson.

12. Dennis Skinner

Born February 11, 1932, Dennis Skinner attended Tupton Hall Grammar School and went on to become one of the longest-serving members of the House of Commons, and also the longest continuously-serving Labour MP.

Known for his left-wing views, he was dubbed the 'Beast of Bolsover' and was a strong supporter of the National Union of Mineworkers. Here he is pictured at a demonstration in London in support of the miners in October 1992.

13. Ellie Watton

Born June 10, 1989, Ellie Watton attended Highfields School in Matlock before becoming a field hockey player for England and Great Britain.

As a forward, she made her first international appearance against South Africa in February 2013 but has since retired and now teaches at the Rugby School where she took a position in August 2018. 

14. Stephen Blakeley

Born February 26, 1982, Steven Blakeley went to the Bolsover School and is known for his starring role as PC Geoff Younger from Season 14-18 of Heartbeat.

He's also appeared on Coronation Street and several stage adaptations of Shakespeare plays, including Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night's Dream. 

15. Saira Khan

Saira Khan, born May 15, 1970, went to Wilsthorpe School and first appeared on our screens as a contestant in the first series of The Apprentice. Since then, she has become a well-known TV personality having been a regular panelist on Loose Women between 2015 and 2020.

She also co-presented The Martin Lewis Money Show and has appeared on both Celebrity Big Brother and Dancing on Ice.

16. Millie Bright

Millie Bright, born August 21, 1993, attended Eckington School and began playing football aged nine.

She currenly plays as a defender for Chelsea Football Club Women and the England national team, with Doncaster Belles and Leeds Ladies included among her previous teams.

17. Liam Delap

Liam Delap, born February 8, 2003, went to The Ecclesbourne School in Duffield near Belper and is said to have impressed in football from a young age, joining Manchester City's academy in 2019 from Derby County.

He now plays as a forward for Hull City.