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Original poster

Anyone watching Great Britons?

27 replies

Fionn · 25/10/2002 22:46

Watched Andrew Marr champion Charles Darwin this evening. Must admit the story of Darwin's research for The Origin of Species did confirm for me why I'm not religious! I even thought Jeremy Clarkson managed not to be a twat for a change when he did Brunel, he made a compelling case. Can't believe that Rosie Boycott is going to put the case for Diana being in the Top 10, though the perpetuation of the myth is interesting. Anyone else interested in this?

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bossykate · 26/10/2002 09:33

hi fionn, yes i have been watching this, but have to say i lost interest half way through the darwin thing - even though i like andrew marr and am convinced about the impact darwin had on the world (maybe that's why then! - didn't need further convincing!). i also thought clarkson did a good job with brunel - the poll results showed as much, although i suspect they will have jumped for darwin after last night. diana in the top ten - give me strength!

personally, i'm torn between churchill and elizabeth I.

Azzie · 27/10/2002 05:33

Agree, bossykate. Whatever you think of Diana (don't want to start a flame war here ) I don't see how you can rate her alongside Darwin, Brunel, Churchill, Elizabeth 1 etc.

CP · 28/10/2002 19:19

We managed to catch the top 14 or so and I also wonder how they could rate Diana up there with the rest of them, I mean I know she did some fantastic stuff and all but can you really compare her to Churchill, Elizabeth 1 & Charles Darwin? The sad thing is that as she is so 'recent' she may well get the public vote as she is still so fresh in our memories, and in many of our hearts as well I suppose.

Lucy123 · 28/10/2002 20:14

Agree about diana and to be honest, i don't think Lennon really deserves to be in the top 10 Britons of all time either. I think they should ban anyone from the last 30 years in these things - let history tell who really is/was great. That way perhaps Robbie Williams wouldn't have won that best-all-time-musician thing.

The really sad thing is I'm rubbish at history and couldn't remember the names of the people i'd have voted in (thingy Bevan, Prime Minister residing over the creation of the NHS, thingy Turin the computer-inventing-code-breaker guy etc.) Perhaps this is the problem.

XAusted · 28/10/2002 20:21

Agree completely, Lucy123. Diana may have been a good Briton but Great? And Lennon was a great songwriter but he hardly changed the world did he?
I reckon Churchill will win because everyone is so aware of his achievements.

slug · 29/10/2002 13:09

Churchill, who was vehemently opposed to women getting the vote certainly won't be getting mine!

Marina · 29/10/2002 13:18

I must try and catch up with this lot - I missed the first couple and am also gobsmacked at the idea of Rosie Boycott of all people making the case for Diana (agree with others' views here on her "greatness" as opposed to her many acts of kindness). Especially wish I had seen Clarkson on Brunel - we went to Bristol earlier this year for the first time and were so impressed with the bridge and the SS Great Britain.
Still feel ultimately my vote would go to Shakespeare for sheer genius and worldwide life-enhancement. Somebody please tell me he actually made it into the Top 10?

Bozza · 29/10/2002 14:17

Yes Marina he did.

Bozza · 29/10/2002 16:06

I think it was Brunel, Churchill, Cromwell, Darwin, Elizabeth I, Lenon, Newton, Shakespeare, Diana - can't think of the other. How annoying.

Tinker · 29/10/2002 23:19

Watched this tonight and still didn't understand why she was 'great'! An hour long programme of how tragic her life had been and that she had been nice to people but, er, 'great'? When? Where?

Rosie Boycott looks like an older Madonna.

Ghosty · 30/10/2002 08:01

I am not following this program - not showing in NZ (whyever not?) but I did hear about it on a radio programme.

I think most of those listed by Bozza definitely deserve to be in the Top 10 but can't for the life of me see why anyone would think John Lennon and Princess Diana should be on that list!

Don't get me wrong ... I love JL - amazing musician, a man ahead of his time etc ... and I cried for a week when Diana died so gutted was I by the tragedy of her death (almost felt it was a close relly)

BUT I would not say that either of them are in the same league as the others ...

clary · 30/10/2002 15:40

Bozza the other one is Nelson. I'm surprised so few people here have mentioned Shakespeare who surely with his influence on our language has been just the greatest...also I'm a big fan of Brunel (used to live in Bristol, Marina, agree about bridge and SS GB) and thought Clarkson, usually so annoying, was absolutely excellent. Missed Darwin but not that fascinated by him anyway. Found Di programme strangely gripping but really cannot see her as great - poor little rich girl is very much my reaction, tho have always felt sorry for her children losing their mum so young. Churchill will win is the general view in this office but agree with slug about why i shan't be voting for him. May wait and vote for whoever will keep Di from winning!

Harrysmum · 30/10/2002 15:58

Still can't see why Elizabeth 1 is on the list rather than any other monarch. Surprisingly convinced by the programme last night having found Darwin not terribly exciting. Not sure why Brunel over any other revolutionary engineer. And after slug's revelation about Churchill he won't be getting my vote either. Doesn't leave many options...

SueDonim · 31/10/2002 07:38

This programme sounds really interesting - wish I could see it, too. I guess Churchill has to be in the top ten in spite of his attitude to women's vote, as we'd be living a very different life today if he hadn't been around.

QEI, was pretty good as far as monarchs go in that she ruled benevolently for the times, being for the most part tolerant of religion and oversaw a flowering of the arts, including Shakespeare (who is also a Good Egg). She also defeated the Armanda (not personally but YKWIM)and of course she only relucantly executed her cousin()

Brunel (DH's hero, along with Nelson) was so revolutionary and imaginative in his engineering, I suppose - everyone else said iron ships would sink.

As a person, I loathed JL, and whilst Diana's death was sad and she's done good work for AIDS and landmine victims, it's not enough to make her great. If I was looking for someone from that kind of world I think Bob Geldof would come to mind more readily.

I'll have to search for a website now, to find out more about Great Britons!

allatsea · 31/10/2002 10:09

I thought that the whole top 100 was very interesting, and a reflection on tv and films on our consciousness. Not wanting to start a row, but would George Harrison have polled as high if he hadn't died so tragically, would Diana have featured at all if she hadn't? Would the clock maker, written about in Longitude appeared without the book/tv programme etc. I think that Elizabeth I is interesting, I feel that it is as if she's representative of her time...

slug · 31/10/2002 12:27

Churchill was also responsible for the campaign at Gallopoli. Don't think any of us antipodeans like him.

SueDonim · 31/10/2002 12:59

True, Slug, I'd forgotten that. Not that I am an expert on wars - I leave that to DH. It was all pretty horrific, so many lambs to the slaughter everywhere, in WWI.

Tinker · 31/10/2002 18:54

Diana is currently number one, for god's sake!! The 'Hello' generation are out in force. This has to be STOPPED!!!

Vote at Great Britons

WideWebWitch · 31/10/2002 19:28

Madness, I've just been and voted for Darwin instead and given my views on how unbrilliant St Diana was...

Ghosty · 02/11/2002 00:00

I have just voted for Shakespeare ... then I looked at the top 100 and ended up ROFL ... who put Robbie Williams in that list?

Yes, I fancy him ... always have done especially in the Take That days but really, what is going on?

Am trying to pick myself up again but everytime I think about it I fall over again

Agree with Tinker and WWW - please don't let Diana win (I loved her too - see earlier post) but she was NOT great in the sense that the others were!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chinchilla · 02/11/2002 16:16

I was going to vote for Shakespeare, as I LOVE reading, and think he was great. However, I had a last minute change of heart, and opted for Darwin. His theories on evolution changed the world, so I think that he deserves a vote. Don't suppose that will change the outcome though! I loved Diana (except during that TV interview), but don't think that she should be in the top ten. And WHAT is John Lennon doing there? Mad!

SueDonim · 02/11/2002 17:06

I voted for Darwin, too. It was a hard choice though, between the real contenders. Still, we'll get more chances to vote - I just wish I could see the programmes!

Original poster
Fionn · 25/11/2002 23:05

My opinion of Anne Robinson has gone down even further after watching last night's discussion. It was potentially a very interesting programme with interesting speakers but her insistence on playing a milder version of the no-nonsense schoolmarm role was totally wrong for the programme. She lacked the subtlety necessary for chairing a debate and it just made her look like a stupid philistine which she probably isn't.
Striking how many of the Top 10 had unhappy childhoods - Lennon and Newton abandoned by their mothers, Elizabeth I growing up with the knowledge that her father had had her mother executed...
At least Diana didn't win, there is hope for the Uk!

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Tinker · 25/11/2002 23:10

Isn't there something in that, that high achievers are often found to have had a parent die whilst they were kids (the achievers that is )

Original poster
Fionn · 25/11/2002 23:18

Yes I've read that too Tinker but I wonder how different it is to have a loving parent die when you're young and to know you were abandoned by them through choice.

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