The city boasts of having talented exports, from movie stars and musicians to everyone’s favourite Geordie duo.
If you went to the same school as one of Newcastle’s celebrity alumni, then you’ll definitely have grown up hearing stories about them.
Schools across the region are deservingly proud of their famous alumni, who have gone on to high achievements after their time in education.
We’re taking a look at the famous ex-students, and which Newcastle schools they studied at - before making it big!
Schools across the region are deservingly proud of their famous alumni, who have gone on to high achievements after their time in education.
9. Neil Tennant
Neil Tennant is a musician, singer, songwriter and co-founder of the synth-pop duo, Pet Shop Boys. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe formed the Pet Shop Boys in 1981, and to date have produced fourteen albums, and many hit singles’ including, ‘West End Girls’, ‘It’s a Sin’, and a synth-pop version of ‘Always on My Mind.’ Neil Francis Tennant was born in North Shields, in Newcastle upon Tyne and attended St Cuthbert’s Grammar School. Tennant has referred to his education at St Cuthbert’s as an unhappy time in his life. He wrote about his Catholic school and strict upbringing in his songs - ‘This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave’ and ‘It’s a Sin.’ Prior to forming the Pet Shop Boys, Tennant worked as a production editor at the UK branch of Marvel comics. In the early 80s, at the time when the synth-pop duo initially formed, Tennant was actually an assistant editor at British teen pop magazine, Smash Hits. Photo: Photo by Clemens Bilan/Getty Images