Michael Portillo Bio | Wiki
Michael Portillo (Full Name: Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo) is a well-known British journalist, broadcaster, and retired politician whose broadcast series include railway documentaries like Great British Railway Journeys and Great Continental Railway Journeys. A retired member of the Conservative Party, Michael was Member of Parliament (MP) for Enfield Southgate from 1984 through 1997 and Kensington and Chelsea from 1999 through 2005.
Initially elected to the House of Commons in a 1984 by-election, Michael worked as a junior minister under both Margaret Thatcher and John Major, prior to entering the Cabinet in 1992 as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, prior to being promoted to Secretary of State for Employment in 1994. He unexpectedly lost the hitherto safe Conservative Enfield Southgate seat during the 1997 general election. Michael retired from the House of Commons and from active politics during the 2005 general election.
Since retiring from politics, Michael has pursued his media interests by presenting and participating in a wide range of television and radio programs. His passion for steam trains led him to make the BBC documentary series Great British Railway Journeys, starting in 2010, in which Michael travels the British railway networks, referring to many editions of Bradshaw’s Guide. The show’s success led Michael to present a series about railway systems in other nations.
Michael Portillo Age
Michael was born on May 26, 1953, in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England. He is 69 years old. Michael celebrates his birthday on May 26, every year.
Michael Portillo Height
He is a man of above-average stature. Michael stands at a height of 5 ft 11 in ( Approx1.78 m).
Michael Portillo Family
He was born in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England to his parents. Michael is the proud son of an exiled Spanish republican father named Luis Gabriel Portillo (1907–1993) and a Scottish mother named, Cora Waldegrave (née Blyth) (1919–2014). Michael’s dad a devout Catholic used to be a member of left-wing movements in the 1930s and fled Madrid when it fell to General Franco in 1939, settling in England. His father became head of the London Diplomatic Office of the Government in Exile in 1972. His maternal grandfather, John Blyth, served as a prosperous linoleum manufacturer from Kirkcaldy. He does not have any siblings.
Michael Portillo Wife
Michael is married to his wife Carolyn Claire Eadie. The pair married on 12 February 1982. The two met at a teen party married in the year 1982. Carolyn has been very supportive of her husband’s versatile career. The two became unable to be parents as a result of a cancer operation that Carolyn had to undergo.
Michael Portillo Great Continental Railway Journeys
He presents the British series Great Continental Railway Journeys. During the early series, Michael explores the railway networks of continental Europe, but in later series, he also ventured further afield. Michael refers to a 1913 copy of Bradshaw’s Continental Railway Guide, as he describes how the places he visits have modified since Edwardian times. Its first series was initially broadcast on BBC Two in 2012, and the seventh series became first aired in 2020.
Michael Portillo Great American Railway Journeys
He presents a BBC travel documentary series Great American Railroad Journeys and broadcast on BBC Two. Making use of an 1879 copy of Appleton’s Guidebook to the railroads of the United States and Canada, Michael travels across the United States and Canada primarily by train, though at times using other forms of transportation where necessary. Over his journeys, Michael makes stops to learn how places, events and people, and the railroads of the 19th century influenced the country’s growth into a major superpower.
When initially broadcast, every series consisted of 30-minute episodes, shown on consecutive weekday evenings. By 1 January 2020, 4 series of the program have been broadcast since its start on 1 February 2016.
Michael Portillo Net Worth
He is a well-known British journalist, broadcaster, and retired politician whose broadcast series include railway documentaries like Great British Railway Journeys and Great Continental Railway Journeys. Therefore, Michael has accumulated a decent fortune over the years. Michael’s estimated net worth is $1 million.
Is Michael Portillo Married
Yes, Michael is married to his wife Carolyn Claire Eadie. The pair married on 12 February 1982. The two met at a teen party married in the year 1982. Carolyn has been very supportive of her husband’s versatile career. The two became unable to be parents as a result of a cancer operation that Carolyn had to undergo.
How Old Is Michael Portillo
Michael is a 69-year-old who was born on May 26, 1953, in Bushey, Hertfordshire, England.