Birmingham boasts some seriously talented exports, from movie stars, and musicians to even a Nobel peace prize winner.
If you went to the same school as one of Brum’s celebrity alumni, then you’ll definitely have grown up hearing stories about them.
Schools across the region are deservingly proud of their famous alumni, who have gone on to achieve highly after their time in education.
We’re taking a look at the famous ex-students, and which Birmingham schools they studied at - before making it big!
5. Felicity Jones
Felicity Jones is an English actress, best known for her work in the Hollywood hits, ‘The Amazing Spider-man 2’, ‘The Theory of Everything’, and the big-budget Star Wars prequel, ‘Rogue One’. Jones was born in Birmingham, and grew up in the Bournville area, she started her professional acting career as a child, at the age of 12. She attended Kings Norton Girls’ School, and then King Edward VI Handsworth School, to complete her A-levels. After which, she took a gap year, to appear in the BBC drama series, ‘Servants’. | Getty Images Photo: (Photo by Lars Niki/Getty Images)
6. Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne is the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, who have often been called the pioneers of the genre. The band achieved global success, with popular albums including ‘Paranoid, ‘Black Sabbath’ and ‘Master of Reality.’ If you weren’t familiar with Ozzy’s music, you probably know about him from watching his MTV reality show, ‘The Osbournes’, which focused on his family life in Los Angeles. The ‘Prince of Darkness’, Osbourne attended Prince Albert school, in the Aston area of Birmingham. | Getty Images Photo: Getty Images
7. David Harewood
David Harewood is a British actor, best known for the movie ‘Blood Diamond’ (2006), the thriller series ‘Homeland’ (2011), the BBC series ‘The Night Manager’ (2016), and Supergirl (2015–2021). As well as many more television shows and movies spanning his 30 year career. Harewood was born in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, and attended St Benedict’s Junior School, and then went on to Washwood Heath Academy. As an alumni he went back, and made a documentary about turning a group of Washwood Heath students into Shakespearean actors - in just five days. | Getty Images Photo: (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
8. Alison Hammond
Alison Hammond is a television personality and presenter that initially appeared on-screen for the first time in the third series of reality show, ‘Big Brother’ (2002). She has since become a presenter on ITV’s This Morning (2003-present), and has appeared on multiple reality shows, including ‘I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!’ (2010), ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (2014), and ‘I Can See Your Voice’ (2020). Hammond was born and raised in Kingstanding, North Birmingham, and attended Cardinal Wiseman School. She is a proud Brummie, and her popularity is not surprising with her down-to-earth bubbly personality. | Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images