The Best of the Worst

In 2011, a year after the BBC’s poll to discover the 100 greatest Britons, Channel 4 allowed viewers to vote for the worst Britons. Unlike the BBC, Channel 4 did not allow votes for people who were not alive at the time of the poll.

Many of the people on the list of 100 Greatest Britons are there because of significant achievements in the world of science, music, literature and exploration. Many of those on the 100 Worst Britons list are there precisely because, in the opinion of the voters, they haven’t achieved anything worthwhile but are nonetheless in the public eye due to different reasons. For example, the reality TV show, Pop Idol, has been a huge hit in the UK and it provides the list with seven people, including judges, presenters and former contestants. And judging by the list, the British public has a particular dislike for TV presenters and politicians.

Most interesting are the people who appear in both the 100 Greatest list and the 100 Worst list. These are controversial figures who have large numbers of supporters but who are also detested by large numbers of people. Two former Prime Ministers fall into this category: Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Two singers appear on both lists: Cliff Richard, who first became a pop star in 1950s and is still performing, and Robbie Williams, who has millions of fans worldwide but whose personality many people find arrogant. Queen Elizabeth II appears as number 10 on the list of greatest Britons and number 24 on the list of worst Britons. This might be a reflection of the public’s attitude to the monarchy as an institution, rather than the personality of the Queen herself. Entrepreneur and adventurer, Richard Branson is on both lists, too. Many people admire his energy and achievements, building successful companies in the fields of air travel, music, publishing, mobile phones and space tourism. However, many people also dislike his public image.

In fact, looking at the lists as a whole, being in the public eye too much seems to be the main cause of disapproval. Although he is a hero for many young footballers, number 91 on the list of 100 Worst Britons is David Beckham, and his wife, Victoria, is number 13.