Great British Gent

Sir Winston Churchill has been named the greatest British gentleman of the last century according to a new poll by Austin Reed.

The former Prime Minister, who inspired the nation to stand in defiance of Hitler during World War Two, topped the poll of 4,000 people to uncover the greatest gentlemen in modern memory.

Churchill will forever be remembered for embodying the strength and spirit of Britain in one of its darkest periods, rousing the public with stirring speeches and broadcasts that gave hope to millions.

Runner up went to Sir David Attenborough, Britain’s best known natural history film-maker who brought the hidden secrets of the world to living rooms across the country with programs like Life, The Blue Planet and Frozen Planet.

Taking the bronze, Stephen Fry, whose intelligent and amusing contributions to our TV screens and Twitter feeds have made him a national treasure.

A spokesman for Austin Reed, who carried out the poll, said: “Sir Winston Churchill showed unprecedented courage and strength to lead this country and is a worthy choice as the greatest British gentleman. In fact, Austin Reed made Winston Churchill’s famous siren suits during the war.

‘’There were plenty of great contenders for the role, and the results are a pleasing reminder of the number of great characters and personalities that inspire the general public.

‘’It’s nice to see modern men in the list such as David Beckham, Jenson Button and David Tennant.

‘’They all epitomise effortless style and have a real flair for fashion – which is an essential trait for any gentleman.’’

It was a regal finish for Prince William who came in fourth, with this year’s Royal Wedding coverage evidence of the place the young Prince holds in the British public’s hearts.

And it was screen royalty that rounded off the top five in the shape of Colin Firth, who wowed us with his Oscar-winning portrayal of King George VI in The King’s Speech.

Actor David Niven took sixth spot, while it was 007 for former Bond star Roger Moore, with Michael Caine coming in eighth.

Sporting superstar David Beckham could only manage ninth place, while Saturday night sensation Bruce Forsyth completed the top 10.

Other men to feature included newsreader Trevor McDonald (11), actors Hugh Grant (12) and David Jason (14) and pop star Cliff Richard (17).

Former Doctor Who star David Tennant was voted the 22^nd greatest gent, and Sir Ian McKellen came in at 23^rd.

And there may be arguments at the palace as Prince Harry finished a place above his father, Prince Charles in 25^th.

A surprising appearance for Simon Cowell placed the usually sharp-tongued pop guru as the 35^th greatest British gentlemen.

Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton overtook his fellow driver Jenson Button to land 40^th spot, while vampire heartthrob Robert Pattinson made number 43.

A spokesman for Austin Reed added: “Everyone has a different view on what makes a proper English gentleman whether it’s manners, sense of humour or even accent and it’s good to see a diverse range in this list from Hugh Grant to Michael Parkinson or Trevor McDonald.

‘’A man’s dress sense is a huge part of his persona and British classic style has always been what one associates with the concept of a gentleman. Classic, heritage style is on the rise, and with that, we hope for a resurgence of the gentleman too.”

TOP 50 GREATEST BRITISH GENTLEMEN OF THE LAST 100 YEARS

1. Sir Winston Churchill
2. Sir David Attenborough
3. Stephen Fry
4. Prince William
5. Colin Firth
6. David Niven
7. Roger Moore
8. Michael Caine
9. David Beckham
10. Bruce Forsyth
11. Trevor McDonald
12. Hugh Grant
13. Cary Grant
14. David Jason
15. Richard Branson
16. Philip Schofield
17. Cliff Richard
18. Hugh Laurie
19. Michael Parkinson
20. Bobby Moore
21. Nigel Havers
22. David Tennant
23. Ian McKellen
24. Prince Harry
25. Prince Charles
26. Laurence Olivier
27. Leslie Phillips
28. John Thaw
29. Noel Coward
30. Christopher Lee
31. Daniel Craig
32. Pete Postlethwaite
33. Alan Rickman
34. Richard Burton
35. Simon Cowell
36. Jude Law
37. Bryan Ferry
38. Orlando Bloom
39. Murray Walker
40. Lewis Hamilton
41. Jenson Button
42. Larry Lamb
43. Robert Pattinson
44. David Walliams
45. Hugh Bonneville
46. Dirk Bogarde
47. Anthony Head
48. Michael Gambon
49. Sir Mick Jagger
50. Ed Westwick