There's quite a few famous faces that have graced Leeds Beckett and Uni of Leeds' campuses over the years, including Hollywood actors, politicians, musicians and more.
Whilst there's plenty more Leeds university alumni to be uncovered, we've picked 15 faces from across Leeds' universities that you might not have known spent time studying for their degrees in our city...
Image: Bastille, Facebook
Dan Smith. / Image: Wikicommons
BRIT award winner and lead singer of Bastille, Dan Smithstudied English (2007) at the University of Leeds and will be returning this year to play a set at Millennium Square to celebrate 10 years of debut album Bad Blood.
Emma Mackey. / Image: Emma Mackey, Instagram
Chris Pine. / Image: Wikicommons
Sex Education and Barbie actress Emma Mackey (2016) and Hollywood actor Chris Pine both also attended the university.
Pine completed a year abroad at the university, and recently admitted on radio that he had a go at the infamous Otley Run during his stint living on Brudenell Road, saying "I don’t remember much of it but yes I have done it.”
Keir Starmer. / Image: Wikicommons
Alastair Campbell. / Image: Wikicommons
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer also studied at the university, as well as former Government WhipAlastair Campbell, who got his PGCE in the city.
Ricky Wilson. / Image: Kaiser Chiefs
ALT-J. / Image: Wikicommons
Kaiser Chiefsfrontman Ricky Wilson completed a Graphic Arts & Design honours degree (2000) in the first few years of the band's beginning, going on to shoot to fame just five years later when I Predict A Riot became a must-download track for the nation.
Similarly, members of alt-indie band Alt-J also met whilst studying Fine Art and English Literature (2007).
Alistair and Jonny Brownlee. / Image: The Brownlee Brothers, Facebook
Sportswise, we're not short of athletes from the local area, but perhaps most notably the Brownlee brothers have become known as one of the university's most successful alumni.
Alistair Brownlee MBE studied Sports Science and Physiology (2009) and Jonny Brownlee MBE, History (2012) and both brothers received an LLD in 2013.
Michael Lawrence. / Image: Leeds Beckett University
Former IBF featherweight champion Josh Warrington reportedly studied Dental Technology (2013) and in the world of rugby, Leeds Beckett University saw no less than fourteen students, graduates, and members of staff taking part in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup, including BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science student and Leeds Rhinos player Keara Bennett and Jamaica captain Michael Lawrence, who graduated with a degree in Sports Coaching.
Jay Rayner. / Image: Jay Rayner, Instagram
Jay Rayner studied Political Studies (1987) and recently revisited the city to review MorMor's residency at Kino as well as heading back to Leeds Kirkgate Markets to grab a mackrel sarnie from Mr Mackrel, ‘the best £5 you can spend on lunch anywhere in Leeds’ according to the food critic.
Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine. / Image: My Dad Wrote A Porno, Twitter
Jamie Morton, James Cooper and Alice Levine, hosts of My Dad Wrote A Porno first met at the University of Leeds and came together to produce a six seasoned podcast that has been downloaded over 430 million times since first airing in 2015.
Feature Image - Wikicommons / Instagram
Which famous faces should we add to our Leeds alumni list? Let us know by sending a message to @thehootleeds on Twitter.
Leeds
Leeds pizza shop hailed ‘exceptional’ and ‘best in the UK’ by major reviewer
A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.
Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.
Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.
And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.
The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.
In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.
Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".
As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.
And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."
The 42-year-old Kirkgate Market stall serving freshly shucked oysters for £1.90 a pop
Clementine Hall
Tucked away in Leeds Kirkgate Market you'll find a wonderful seafood stall selling freshly shucked oysters for £1.90 each.
It's places like these that remind us why we love Leeds so much.
Established in 1880, Hayes Seafood is widely regarded as the oldest trader within the historic Kirkgate Market.
For the past 42 years, it has been run by Cliff and Michelle, the loveliest couple who welcome every customer with open arms.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The menu here is small but perfectly formed, focusing on fresh, ready-to-eat seafood that you can enjoy with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of mayonnaise at most.
Delivered fresh every morning, there's pre-cracked crab shells, brown and white crab meat, cockles, crawfish tails - all perfectly prepared for you to eat at their bar or high tables opposite.
But, it's the oysters that you'll see people queueing for. And rightly so.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Everything here is prepared to order right in front of you, and for no extra fee. You can choose from two types of oysters: super salty Lindisfarne oysters or the slightly sweeter English Loch Fyne.
We recommend having a couple of each, pulling up a stool right by the counter and getting stuck in. If you ask Cliff nicely, he might tell you a bit about the history of the place - but you may have to order a couple more oysters for that.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You're left to dress them yourself, whether you prefer dash of fiery tabasco or a few pickled shallots. But to be honest, they're delicious just as they come.
This spot is a real piece of Leeds history, and the queues at lunchtime as well as the repeat regular customers proves just how special it is.
All it's missing is a champagne stall next to it...now wouldn't that be perfect?
Sophie Smith -
6th April 2023 
