Bernard Levin
British journalist, writer and broadcaster (1928-2004) · United Kingdom · On the map · Journalists · Died at 75
Henry Bernard Levin was an English journalist, author and broadcaster, described by The Times as "the most famous journalist of his day". The son of a poor Jewish family in London, he won a scholarship to the independent school Christ's Hospital and went on to the London School of Economics, graduating in 1952.
Bernard Levin is read about 66 times a day, in 6 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 22 June 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 60 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?People around Bernard
Close ties
Media & music
Photos 6
Christ's Hospital school in West Sussex
Levin's LSE tutors, Karl Popper (l.) and Harold Laski
Lewis Carroll's The Walrus and the Carpenter (1871), borrowed by Levin as nicknames for Harold Macmillan and Harold Wilson; illustration by John Tenniel
Among Levin's many topics - top Eldridge Cleaver, Wagner; below Field Marshal Montgomery and a Death watch beetle
Levin interviewing the Wagnerian bass Martti Talvela for the BBC in 1972
Funerary monument, Brompton Cemetery, LondonAwards
About this person
After a short spell in a lowly job at the BBC selecting press cuttings for use in programmes, he secured a post as a junior member of the editorial staff of a weekly periodical, Truth, in 1953.
Where to find them
The same award as Bernard
Geraldine McCaughreanBoth received Fellow of the English Association
Maureen DuffyBoth received Fellow of the English Association
Celia ReesBoth received Fellow of the English Association
Peter PorterBoth received Fellow of the English Association
Bernardine EvaristoBoth received Fellow of the English AssociationVeronica WedgwoodBoth received Fellow of the English Association