Christine Hamilton
Encyclopedia
Christine Hamilton is a British television personality and author, and the wife of former British
Member of Parliament Neil Hamilton
who was Minister for Corporate Affairs between 1992-1994.
She is most famous for her defence of the allegations of corruption and 'cash for questions' made against her husband whilst he was an MP. The failure of their attempt to sue Mohamed Al-Fayed
led to the former MP going bankrupt.
After many years working as secretary to various MPs, first Wilfred Proudfoot
, then Gerald Nabarro
and latterly her husband – she came to wider public attention when she confronted her husband's opponent Martin Bell
on Knutsford
Heath during the 1997 general election
campaign. After the election, Christine and Neil Hamilton appeared together on Have I Got News For You
, an appearance that established her as a chat-show personality and she subsequently appeared on myriad programmes including her own 'Christine Hamilton Show' on BBC Choice where she interviewed celebrities who had 'been through stormy waters' of some kind, ranging from Jonathan Aitken
to James Hewitt
, from Bernard Manning
to Ivana Trump
, and from Paul Merson
to John Fashanu
. She appeared in the first reality television
programme, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2002, coming third. In 1999, she was on the front-page of The Sun
when she was snapped kissing young Conservative
Will Goodhand at an Oxford University Conservative Association
dinner.
Along with her husband, Christine Hamilton was arrested in May 2001 by police investigating an alleged rape
that was quickly found to be entirely false. Hamilton described the experience as ".. ghastly and humiliating" and said, "The whole thing is just nonsense on stilts." Their accuser was later imprisoned for attempting to pervert the course of justice
. The police made a full apology.
She has published The Book of British Battleaxes, and she changed her name by deed poll to British Battleaxe on 9 February 2009, as promotion for The Legal Deed Poll Service
, an online deed poll provider. She writes many articles for various newspapers and magazines.
Christine was the first woman to take the role of 'Narrator' in the Rocky Horror Show during its 30th Anniversary tour, appeared in pantomime at Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
as "Bossy Fair Battleaxe" in Jack & the Beanstalk, toured her One-Woman Show 'Share an Evening with Christine Hamilton', and appeared several times in The Vagina Monologues, including in the West End at Wyndhams Theatre. In 2005 Hamilton became the first 'Face of British Sausage Week', touring the UK in a quest to promote the ever popular British banger. Christine Hamilton and her husband have also had a very popular show at the Edinburgh Festival
in recent years. In summer 2010, she appeared in Celebrity Masterchef, reaching the final alongside Dick Strawbridge
and eventual winner Lisa Faulkner
.
She is renowned for her conference and after-dinner speeches which she gives to audiences ranging from all-male business groups to the Ladies Who Lunch. Her autobiography For Better For Worse was published in 2005. In April 1997 Daily Mail
columnist Lynda Lee Potter said of her:
She Twitter
s as @brit_battleaxe.
TV
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Member of Parliament Neil Hamilton
Neil Hamilton (politician)
Mostyn Neil Hamilton is a former British barrister, teacher and Conservative MP. Since losing his seat in 1997 and leaving politics, Hamilton and his wife Christine have become media celebrities...
who was Minister for Corporate Affairs between 1992-1994.
She is most famous for her defence of the allegations of corruption and 'cash for questions' made against her husband whilst he was an MP. The failure of their attempt to sue Mohamed Al-Fayed
Mohamed Al-Fayed
Mohamed Abdel Moneim Al-Fayed is an Egyptian businessman and billionaire. Amongst his business interests are ownership of the English Premiership football team Fulham Football Club, Hôtel Ritz Paris and formerly Harrods Department Store, Knightsbridge...
led to the former MP going bankrupt.
After many years working as secretary to various MPs, first Wilfred Proudfoot
Wilfred Proudfoot
George Wilfred Proudfoot is a retired British Conservative Party politician and former Member of Parliament . He was also a prominent North Yorkshire businessman, well known for his ownership of the Proudfoot supermarket chain and Radio 270...
, then Gerald Nabarro
Gerald Nabarro
Sir Gerald David Nunes Nabarro was a Conservative Party politician of the 1950s and 1960s. Nabarro had a flamboyant public profile and a reputation for taking maverick political stances.-Early life:...
and latterly her husband – she came to wider public attention when she confronted her husband's opponent Martin Bell
Martin Bell
Martin Bell, OBE, is a British UNICEF Ambassador, a former broadcast war reporter and former independent politician...
on Knutsford
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
Heath during the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
campaign. After the election, Christine and Neil Hamilton appeared together on Have I Got News For You
Have I Got News for You
Have I Got News for You is a British television panel show produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. It is based loosely on the BBC Radio 4 show The News Quiz, and has been broadcast since 1990, currently the BBC's longest-ever running television panel show...
, an appearance that established her as a chat-show personality and she subsequently appeared on myriad programmes including her own 'Christine Hamilton Show' on BBC Choice where she interviewed celebrities who had 'been through stormy waters' of some kind, ranging from Jonathan Aitken
Jonathan Aitken
Jonathan William Patrick Aitken is a former Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom, and British government minister. He was convicted of perjury in 1999 and received an 18-month prison sentence, of which he served seven months...
to James Hewitt
James Hewitt
James Hewitt is a former British household cavalry officer in the British Army. He had an affair with Diana, Princess of Wales for five years, receiving extensive media coverage after revealing details of the affair.-Early life:...
, from Bernard Manning
Bernard Manning
Bernard John Manning was an English comedian and nightclub owner. He was born and raised in Manchester in northwest England....
to Ivana Trump
Ivana Trump
Ivana Trump is a former Olympic athlete, socialite, and fashion model noted for her marriage to mogul Donald Trump.-Early years:...
, and from Paul Merson
Paul Merson
Paul Charles Merson is a retired English football player, and former player-manager of Walsall. His playing career has included spells at Arsenal, Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and finishing his playing career at Tamworth. He also played for England 21 times...
to John Fashanu
John Fashanu
John "Fash" Fashanu is a British television presenter and ex-footballer of Nigerian and Guyanese descent. In his former career, he was a centre-forward, who scored 134 league goals in a career lasting 17 years...
. She appeared in the first reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
programme, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2002, coming third. In 1999, she was on the front-page of The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
when she was snapped kissing young Conservative
Conservative Future
Conservative Future, abbreviated to CF, is the youth movement of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom for members aged up to 30 years old.Founded in 1998, Conservative Future is the largest political organisation on British campuses...
Will Goodhand at an Oxford University Conservative Association
Oxford University Conservative Association
The Oxford University Conservative Association, or OUCA is a student political organisation founded in 1924 whose members are drawn from the University of Oxford...
dinner.
Along with her husband, Christine Hamilton was arrested in May 2001 by police investigating an alleged rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
that was quickly found to be entirely false. Hamilton described the experience as ".. ghastly and humiliating" and said, "The whole thing is just nonsense on stilts." Their accuser was later imprisoned for attempting to pervert the course of justice
Perverting the course of justice
Perverting the course of justice, in English, Canadian , and Irish law, is a criminal offence in which someone prevents justice from being served on himself or on another party...
. The police made a full apology.
She has published The Book of British Battleaxes, and she changed her name by deed poll to British Battleaxe on 9 February 2009, as promotion for The Legal Deed Poll Service
Deed of Change of Name
A deed of change of name is a legal document in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, which enables a single person or a family to officially change his or her name...
, an online deed poll provider. She writes many articles for various newspapers and magazines.
Christine was the first woman to take the role of 'Narrator' in the Rocky Horror Show during its 30th Anniversary tour, appeared in pantomime at Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
as "Bossy Fair Battleaxe" in Jack & the Beanstalk, toured her One-Woman Show 'Share an Evening with Christine Hamilton', and appeared several times in The Vagina Monologues, including in the West End at Wyndhams Theatre. In 2005 Hamilton became the first 'Face of British Sausage Week', touring the UK in a quest to promote the ever popular British banger. Christine Hamilton and her husband have also had a very popular show at the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
in recent years. In summer 2010, she appeared in Celebrity Masterchef, reaching the final alongside Dick Strawbridge
Dick Strawbridge
Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Francis "Dick" Strawbridge, MBE, , is a British engineer, television presenter and environmentalist...
and eventual winner Lisa Faulkner
Lisa Faulkner
Lisa Tamsin Faulkner is an English actress and television personality.-Early life:Faulkner was educated at Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston upon Thames.When Faulkner was 16, her mother, Julie, died of cancer...
.
She is renowned for her conference and after-dinner speeches which she gives to audiences ranging from all-male business groups to the Ladies Who Lunch. Her autobiography For Better For Worse was published in 2005. In April 1997 Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
columnist Lynda Lee Potter said of her:
"With more women like her Britain would never have lost the Empire."
She Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
s as @brit_battleaxe.
TV
- This WeekThis Week (BBC One TV series)This Week is a current affairs and politics TV programme in the United Kingdom on the BBC, screened on Thursday evenings, hosted by former Sunday Times editor Andrew Neil alongside former Conservative Member of Parliament and Minister Michael Portillo, and a left leaning guest panellist on...
(2005-)..... Herself - Discussion Contributor/Reporter - The Alan Titchmarsh ShowThe Alan Titchmarsh ShowThe Alan Titchmarsh Show is a British daytime TV chat show broadcast between 3 and 4pm weekdays on the ITV Network.-Format:The programme made its debut on ITV in 2007. It focused on the theme of "The Best of British" focusing on food, entertainment and celebrities in a mid-afternoon slot...
(2007-)..... Herself - Discussion Contributor - This MorningThis Morning (TV series)This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
(2009—)..... Herself - Occasional Newspaper Reviewer