New map shows most famous people linked to Bradford district

The tool, created by website The Pudding, reveals the people connected to each area who are the most searched for – with some obvious but also some more surprising results.

For Bradford, unsurprisingly given his global stardom, the most searched for person is Zayn Malik.

Zayn, from East Bowling, has enjoyed worldwide fame both as a solo artist and as part of boyband One Direction, and is in a long-term relationship with American supermodel Gigi Hadid.

In Shipley, the most searched for person is Tony Richardson, a theatre and film director and producer whose career spanned five decades.

Born in Shipley, Richardson – who died in 1991 aged 63 – won the Oscar for best director for his 1963 film Tom Jones, and directed a number of Shakespeare productions (Hamlet, Othello, A Midsummer Night’s Dream) in theatre as well as other famous plays including The Crucible.

He was married to acting great Vanessa Redgrave for five years in the 60s, and died from AIDs in 1991.

Further up in Bingley, perhaps unsurprisingly the most searched for person is Peter Sutcliffe.

The serial killer, who died in prison last year, was convicted for murdering and attacking numerous women during the 1970s. A lorry driver, he was born in Bingley and lived in Heaton until his arrest and conviction.

Over in Keighley the most searched for person is Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alistair Campbell.

He was part of the campaign which saw Blair become Prime Minister and was one of the most powerful men in Westminster during Blair’s time in office. He is now a freelance advisor, journalist and author, and has of late become a prominent mental health campaigner.

While Haworth is strongly associated with the Bronte sisters, the most searched for person is not Charlotte, Emily, Anne or even brother Branwell, but eldest sister Maria.

Said to be intelligent beyond her years, Maria died from tuberculosis aged just 11, but was said to have inspired the character Helen Burns in Jane Eyre.

Sister Charlotte is the most searched for person in Thornton and Allerton, which is where she was born before the family moved to Haworth.

She authored Jane Eyre, The Professor, Shirley and Villette, and her final novel Emma was unfinished when Charlotte died while pregnant aged just 38 after becoming seriously unwell.

Over in Queensbury, the name most associated with the village is retired wrestler Dave Taylor, who competed in WCW, WWF and WWE in America between 1995 and 2008, where he was closely associated to fellow Brit William Regal.

Taylor, 64, retired from professional wrestling in 2012.

In Little Horton, the most searched person is singer Kiki Dee (real name Pauline Matthews), best known for her duet with Elton John ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ and single ‘I’ve Got The Music In Me’ which were both UK Number Ones.

In nearby Wibsey, the top searched person is former Labour MP Gloria De Piero, who was MP for Ashfield in Nottinghamshire from 2010 to 2019.

A daughter of Italian immigrants who worked in Bradford’s textile mills, she attended Yorkshire Martyrs and Bradford College before going to university. Working as a journalist before entering Parliament, she has returned to the job after losing her seat, and currently works for GB News.

Two former cricketers feature in the district, Howard Cooper in Great Horton and Jack Firth in Cottingley.

Cooper played for Yorkshire in the 1970s as a bowler, taking over 200 wickets in 101 first class matches, while Firth played eight matches for Yorkshire and more than 200 for Leicestershire as a wicketkeeper in the 50s, and died in 1981 in Cottingley aged 64.

Actors Georgie Henley (Ilkley), Sam Riley (Menston), Michael Rennie (Idle) and Sophie McShera (Eccleshill) all also feature.

Henley, 25, played the youngest sibling Lucy in the Chronicles of Narnia film series, while Riley played singer Ian Curtis in biographical film Control in 2007, winning a host of awards and nominations for his portrayal of the Joy Division frontman.

Rennie, who died in 1971 aged 61, is best known for playing alien Klaatu in film The Day the Earth Stood Still and appeared in more than 50 films, while McShera, 36, has appeared in Downton Abbey, Waterloo Road, The Queen’s Gambit, and in the live-action remake of Cinderella as one of the hateful stepsisters.

Former Countdown presenter Richard Whiteley is the most searched person for Baildon, while weatherman Jon Mitchell is top in Burley-in-Wharfedale and trials biking multiple world champion Dougie Lampkin is top in Silsden.

In Clayton, the most searched person is Albert Pierrepoint, who worked as a hangman from 1932 to 1956, executing between 435 and 600 people during his career, including murderers, war criminals,  and people found guilty of treason and treachery.

After retiring, in his memoirs Pierrepoint concluded that the death penalty was not a deterrent against crime, and said his long career “had not prevented a single murder”. The death penalty was abolished nine years after Pierrepoint retired.

In surrounding areas, Jack P Shepherd, who plays David Platt in Coronation Street is top in Pudsey, Sooty puppeteer Harry Corbett is top in Guiseley, England’s youngest ever Test cricketer and Yorkshrie legend Brian Close is top in Rawdon, discoverer of oxygen Joseph Priestley is top in Birstall, Mr Men and Little Miss creator Roger Hargreaves is top in Cleckheaton, rugby league and union international Sam Burgess is top for Liversedge, and Card Factory founder and Huddersfield Town owner Dean Hoyle is top in Heckmondwike.