BIRTHDAYS
Damon Albarn, signer-songwriter and composer, 50; Michael Atherton, broadcaster and former England cricket captain, 50; Norman Bailey, bass-baritone, 85; Professor Robert Bennett, Director of Research and Emeritus Professor of Geography, University of Cambridge, 70; Alan Bleasdale, screenwriter and producer, 72; Professor Victor Bulmer-Thomas, economist and former director, Chatham House Royal Institute of International Affairs, 70; Joe Calzaghe, former world boxing champion, 46; Geoffrey CliftonBrown MP, 65; Joseph Connolly, writer and former bookseller, 68; Barry Cryer, writer and comedian, 83; Professor Patrick Dowling, engineer and former chairman, British Science Association, 79; Sir Mo Farah, Olympic 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres champion, 35;
Russell Howard, comedian, 38; Sir Chris Hoy, Olympic cycling champion, and racing driver, 42; Jason Kenny, Olympic track cycling champion, 30; Chaka Khan (Yvette Stevens), singer, 65; Tony McPhee, singer, songwriter and guitarist, 74; Andrew Mitchell MP, 62; Michael Nyman, composer, 74;
Professor Timothy Pedley, GI Taylor Professor Emeritus of Fluid Dynamics, University of Cambridge, 76; Marti Pellow, singer and actor, 53; Amanda Plummer, actress, 61; Gail Porter, television presenter and former model, 47; Henry Porter, novelist and London editor, Vanity Fair, 65; Sir Steve Redgrave, Olympic rowing champion, 56; Kim Stanley Robinson, novelist, 66; Shelley Rudman, former skeleton bobsleigh world champion, 37; Professor Richard Whish, Emeritus Professor of Law, King’s College London, 65.