David Starkey, CBE, FSA (born 3 January 1945) is a British constitutional historian and a radio and television presenter.He was born the only child of Quaker parents, and attended Kendal Grammar School before entering Cambridge through a scholarship. There he specialised in Tudor history, writing a thesis on King Henry VIII's household. From Cambridge he moved to the London School of Economics, where he taught history until 1998.Starkey is a well-known radio and television personality, first appearing on television in 1977. While a regular contributor to the BBC Radio 4 debate programme The Moral Maze, his acerbic tongue earned him the sobriquet of "rudest man in Britain"; his frequent appearances on Question Time have been received with criticism and applause. Starkey has presented several history documentaries. In 2002 he signed a £2 million contract with Channel 4 for 25 hours of programming. Recently, he was a contributor on the Channel 4 series Jamie's Dream School. An accomplished author, Starkey has written several books on the Tudors.He was appointed CBE in 2007. He is an honorary associate of the National Secular Society and an ardent supporter of gay equality movements, with the exception of same-sex marriage, describing marriage as "part of the baggage of heterosexual society." He lives with his long-time partner in the south of England.
The BBC is in many ways wonderful, but it is not good at recognising when a programme has come to the end of its natural life. Programmes are like weeds - they spring up, grow quickly, and then should be allowed to die quickly. I think the BBC needs to be much more adventurous. I am horrified by this appetite they have for relaunches and remakes. They should be thinking about doing something new.
2
My sense in politics is that successful women are at least as brutal and nasty as the successful men, and Margaret Thatcher's an outstanding example.
3
Some of our very worst ministers have been women. Please let's confront this. We had Estelle Morris, who at least had the merit of realising she couldn't do the job and resigned within a year. It's true, she knew she couldn't do it. And we had Jacqui Smith, who with intensely strong competition, is probably the worst Home Secretary ever.
4
Women are not a panacea, they don't bring a miracle, they don't do mysterious good.
5
What I approved of with Margaret Thatcher was first of all that her high-camp quality was quite wonderful, especially after she had received voice training, and had this swooping contralto, with the occasional turns of basso profundo when she really got going.
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Fact
1
He was awarded the C.B.E. (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2007 Queen Elizabeth Birthday Honors List for his services to television history.
2
Supporter of the British Conservative Party.
3
Lecturer in History, Department of International History, London School of Economics, 1972-1998.
4
Was an Open Scholar at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.
5
Elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1984.
6
Elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1994.
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
David Starkey's Music and Monarchy
2013
TV Series documentary writer
Monarchy with David Starkey
2006-2007
TV Series documentary 5 episodes
Edward and Mary: The Unknown Tudors
2002
TV Series documentary
Henry VIII
1997
TV Mini-Series documentary
Director
Title
Year
Status
Character
Rome: The World's First Superpower
2014
TV Mini-Series documentary series director - 4 episodes
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
Timewatch
1982
TV Series documentary historical consultant - as Dr. David Starkey, 1996
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Richard III: The Princes in the Tower
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself
David Starkey's Magna Carta
2015
TV Movie documentary
Question Time
1993-2015
TV Series
Himself
Britain's Tudor Treasure: A Night at Hampton Court
2015
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Presenter (as Dr David Starkey)
Richard III: The Return of the King
2015
TV Movie documentary
This Week
2004-2014
TV Series
Himself
Newsnight
2013
TV Series
Himself
David Starkey's Music and Monarchy
2013
TV Series documentary
Himself - Presenter
South at Six
2013
TV Series
Himself
The Churchills
2012
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Monarchy in the UK
2012
TV Movie
Himself - Pro-Royal
10 O'Clock Live
2012
TV Series
Himself - Historian
Saxon Hoard: A Golden Discovery
2012
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Historian and author (as Dr David Starkey)
The One Show
2011
TV Series
Himself - Reporter
First Time Voters' Question Time
2011
TV Series
Himself
Fern
2011
TV Series
Himself - Special Guest
Jamie's Dream School
2011
TV Series
Himself
Breakfast
2011
TV Series
Himself - Historian and Broadcaster
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
2011
TV Special
Himself
Election 2010
2010
TV Movie
Himself
In Confidence
2010
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year
2010
TV Special
Himself
Monarchy with David Starkey
2004-2007
TV Series documentary
Himself - Presenter
Richard & Judy
2003-2007
TV Series
Himself
University Challenge: The Professionals
2006
TV Series
Himself
Breakfast with Frost
2005
TV Series
Himself
Reinventing the Royals
2002
TV Movie
Himself
Edward and Mary: The Unknown Tudors
2002
TV Series documentary
Himself - Presenter
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
2001
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself - Presenter
Elizabeth
2000
TV Movie documentary
Himself - Presenter
The Queen Mother: A Royal Century
1999
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Prince Edward & Sophie Rhys-Jones: The True Story
1999
Video documentary
Himself
Queen Camilla: Diana's Successor?
1999
Video documentary
Himself (as Dr David Starkey)
The Sunday Programme
1999
TV Series
Himself
Prince Charles at 50: Heir to Sadness
1998
Video documentary
Himself (as Dr David Starkey)
Dangerous Indiscretions: The Decline of the House of Windsor