Gyles Brandreth, the 78-year-old regular on ITV’s This Morning, captivates audiences with his commentary on news, royal stories, and witty anecdotes. Known for his signature knitted jumpers, he often shares glimpses into his family life, including tales of his late cat, Nala.
Gyles Brandreth’s Accomplished Family
Brandreth and his wife, Michèle Brown, have three talented children who have carved successful careers. Their daughter Aphra Brandreth serves as the Member of Parliament for Chester South and Eddisbury. Another daughter, Saethryd, works as a journalist and ghostwriter, while son Benet pursues a dual career as a barrister and novelist.
Aphra Brandreth’s Political Journey
Aphra ran as the Conservative candidate for Kingston and Surbiton in the 2019 general election, securing second place behind Ed Davey, now leader of the Liberal Democrats. She won the newly formed Chester South and Eddisbury seat in the 2024 general election with 19,905 votes, defeating Labour’s Angeliki Stogia (16,848 votes), with Reform UK’s Peter Langley in third.
This constituency incorporates parts of her father Gyles’s former seat, City of Chester, which he represented as a Conservative MP from 1992 until his 1997 defeat. He then returned to media work.
Following her victory, Aphra shared her excitement: “I’m excited, and I think it’s going to be a steep learning curve. Obviously, my dad was an MP, so he has given me some good insight into the role, but of course it has changed.”
She added: “He has been a huge champion and supporter of mine, and I’m very lucky to have such an amazing dad.” Aphra noted her parents were “over the moon” and “very excited” about the result.
On Good Morning Britain, Gyles expressed pride in his daughter’s achievement: “I’m bursting with pride. Wearing my heart on my sleeve because Aphra Brandreth, against the odds, was chosen by the people to be their new MP with a majority of 3,000, over Labour and with Reform trailing.”
He highlighted her campaign: “What’s interesting… was that it was an entirely positive campaign, played locally. Her commitment to the community was extraordinary and she has achieved a wonderful result.”
