Famous People from Cardiff

Ever wondered which famous faces come from our city of Cardiff? From famous authors to actors, many well-known celebrities are proud to call Cardiff home - find out who below!

From musicians to presenters to comedians, lots of notable faces have originated or grown up here in Cardiff. Take a look at our list below to find out!

Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl, a famous novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter and wartime fighter pilot, was born in the Cardiff suburb of Llandaff. Dahl sold over 250 million copies of his stories worldwide, his most famous being 'Matilda', Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' and 'The BFG'. 

Griffith Rhys Jones

Griffith Rhys Jones OBE, often known as Griff, is a comedian actor, writer and TV presenter, starring in a number of series such as 'Three Men in a Boat', 'Not the Nine O'Clock News' and 'Alas Smith & Jones'. 

Shirley Bassey

Shirley Bassey DBE is a well-known singer born in Tiger Bay, Cardiff in 1937. Bassey is known for her powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films - her most popular being 'Diamonds are Forever'. Bassey was the first Welsh person to gain a number 1 single back in 1959.

Ryan Giggs

Ryan Giggs OBE is a professional football coach and former player, co-owning Salford City and managing the Wales National Team. Giggs was born in Cardiff and moved to Manchester age six, eventually going on to play for Manchester United who he was loyal to for 23 years. 

Charlotte Church

Charlotte Church is a British singer-songwriter, actress, television presenter and political activist born in Llandaff, Cardiff. She rose to fame at the age of just 11 when she became a classical singer, but later branched out to sing pop music in 2005. Her first album was called 'A Voice of an Angel' and was released in 1998.

Ken Follett

Ken Follett CBE is a famous novelist who was born in Cardiff in 1949. He is known for his thriller and historical novels, of which he has sold 160 million copies. His notable works include 'Eye of the Needle', 'The Key to Rebecca', 'The Pillars of the Earth'.

Craig Bellamy

Craig Bellamy is a former professional footballer who began his career playing for Norwich City before transferring over to Coventry City and Newcastle United in the Premier League. He was born in Cardiff in 1979. 

Shakin' Stevens

Shakin' Stevens (real name Michael Barratt) is a singer-songwriter, best known for his Christmas hit 'Merry Christmas Everyone' and being the UK's biggest-selling singles artist of the 1980s. He was born and grew up in Ely, Cardiff.

Noel Sullivan

Noel Sullivan (born as Noel Hayes) is a singer and actor who was born and grew up in Cardiff. He is known for being a member of the former band Hear'Say after appearing on the talent show Popstars in 2001. He has also worked as a videographer. 

Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale is an international professional footballer, who was born in Cardiff in 1989 and plays for the Wales National Football team and as a winger for Real Madrid. He is known in the football industry for his incredible striking from a distance.