Great British Railway Journeys: Oxford to Abingdon
06:35 am - 07:10 am, Wednesday, April 1 on U&Yesterday (27)
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About this Broadcast
Oxford to Abingdon
Season 12, Episode 1
Armed with his 1930s Bradshaw's guide, Michael Portillo sets out on another railway adventure as he explores Britain between the world wars. He begins with a tour of the Home Counties and beyond, starting in the city of Oxford, where in 1921 women were awarded degrees for the first time. At Somerville College, Michael finds out about pioneering crystallographer Dorothy Hodgkin, the only British woman to win a Nobel Prize in chemistry
HD
subtitles
16x9
Education/Science/Factual Topics
General
Leisure Hobbies
Tourism/Travel
Cast & Crew
Michael Portillo
(Presenter)
Tom Richardson
(Director)
Alison Kreps
(Series editor)
John Comerford
(Executive producer)
More Information
Did You Know..
Michael Portillo
(Presenter)
Born:
May 26, 1953
in
Bushey, Hertfordshire
Best Known For:
Losing his parliamentary seat in 1997.
Early-life:
Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo was born in north London on May 26, 1953. He is the son of Luis (an exiled Spanish republican) and Scotland-born teacher Cora. As a child he wanted to become an actor, and appeared in a TV advert for Ribena. After attending Harrow County School for Boys, Michael went on to graduate from Cambridge with a first class degree in history and worked at a shipping company for a year. In 1976, he moved to the Conservative Research Department, where he spent three years. He worked for various government ministers until 1983.
Career:
Portillo entered the House of Commons in 1984 as the MP for Enfield Southgate following the murder of the previous incumbent, Sir Anthony Berry, in the IRA bombing of Brighton's Grand Hotel. He was a minister for 11 years and held three positions in the Cabinet, including Secretary of State for Defence. In 1997, he was one of many Tory MPs who lost their seats at the general election that saw Labour sweep to power. He returned to the Commons between 2000 and 2005, becoming Shadow Chancellor. However, his decision to leave politics led to a new career as a political pundit and a TV presenter, fronting documentaries on subjects as diverse as the death penalty, the railways and composer Wagner.
Quote:
On losing his Enfield seat in 1997: 'Well it was certainly a great opportunity to return to normal life.'
Trivia:
Portillo has been married to Carolyn Eadie since 1982.
Tom Richardson
(Director)
Alison Kreps
(Series editor)
John Comerford
(Executive producer)
