British television has given us everything from polished presenter names to gloriously over-the-top comic personas. Some are legal changes, some are stage names, and some are characters rather than the person's own identity.
A stage name, pen name, ring name or mononym can be used publicly without replacing the person's legal identity. We use precise labels so a professional name is not accidentally presented as a legal change.
A name used publicly for work. It may never appear on official documents.
A change reported as having been formalised through the legal process available in that country.
A publishing or sporting identity, usually separate from the person's legal name.
A one-word name, nickname or middle name used as the public identity.
Bruce Forsyth was born or originally known as Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson and became famous under a different professional name. Dropped the Johnson for the stage.
Rylan Clark was born or originally known as Ross Richard Clark and became famous under a different professional name. Goes by Rylan.
Katie Price was born or originally known as Katrina Amy Alexandra Alexis Price and became famous under a different professional name. Modelled as 'Jordan'.
Michael Barrymore was born or originally known as Michael Ciaran Parker and became famous under a different professional name. Entertainer and presenter.
Caprice uses a one-name professional identity based on the birth name Caprice Bourret. Model and businesswoman.
Freddie Starr was born or originally known as Frederick Leslie Fowell and became famous under a different professional name. Comedian and singer.
Harry Hill was born or originally known as Matthew Keith Hall and became famous under a different professional name. Comedian.
Roy Chubby Brown was born or originally known as Royston Vasey and became famous under a different professional name. Comedian; his real name inspired the town in The League of Gentlemen.
Vic Reeves was born or originally known as James Roderick Moir and became famous under a different professional name. Comedian and presenter.
Tess Daly was born or originally known as Helen Elizabeth Daly and became famous under a different professional name. Her modelling agency suggested Tess because another model was already using Helen Daly.
Piers Morgan was born or originally known as Piers Stefan O'Meara and became famous under a different professional name. Took his stepfather's surname Pughe-Morgan and later used the shorter professional name Piers Morgan.
Lily Savage is a stage persona created by Paul O'Grady. Paul O'Grady created Lily Savage, the sharp-tongued drag persona that made him nationally famous.
Dame Edna Everage is a stage persona created by Barry Humphries. Long-running comic character.
Examples include Rylan Clark, Tess Daly, Vic Reeves and Michael Barrymore. The reasons range from agency advice and existing performers to creating a more distinctive television identity.
No. Lily Savage was a drag stage persona created and performed by Paul O'Grady.
Dame Edna Everage was a comic character created and performed by Barry Humphries, not his legal identity.
Yes. A professional name can later become a legal name through the relevant process in the person's country.
These links support selected additions and key examples. The wider list was built from the research spreadsheet supplied for this project and editorially reorganised for clarity.
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