How did stars do in their A-Levels? As students celebrate and commiserate, a look at a qualification-free billionaire, the straight-A Harry Potter star and Jeremy Clarkson's annual boast

Daily Mail​

7 hours ago

Pupils across the UK are celebrating an incredible year for A-level results - after scoring record top grades outside of the pandemic years.
And while teens of today are boasting bumper grades, a slew of stars will no doubt feel reflective of the fruits of their labour many moons ago.
Stars such as Emma Watson and Tinie Tempah have superb grades to their name, particuarly for the former who won a place at the Ivy League Brown University.
For others however - megabucks and super stardom were not born of the marks on a paper as Richard Branson famously left school with 'no qualifications' yet still went on to become one of the UK's most iconic billionaires.
No results day can go without Jeremy Clarkson, as the star has become renowned for his annual tweet in which he comforts students with the fact he received a C and two Us in and still has riches - this year boasting of his helicopter pad.
Jeremy's tweet this year boasted of his helicopter pad
Emma Watson
Despite having to study for her exams while filming one of the biggest film series of all time, the Harry Potter star still managed to achieve excellent results.
She shared that for her A-levels she got straight As in 2008 for English Literature, Geography and Art.
The actress, best known for playing Hermione Granger, then went to study English Literature at the highly-acclaimed Brown University in America.
Richard Branson
One of the UK's most high profile billionaires, Sir Richard Branson, famously left school with 'no qualifications'.
The Virgin founder and millionaire, who has dyslexia, dropped out of school aged 16 to start a magazine for students.
On his last day of school, his headmaster allegedly told Richard he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire, according to the Telegraph.
Richard often sends encouraging messages out to students via Twitter. Last year he wrote: 'Thinking of everyone receiving their a-levels results today.
'Remember that your grades don't define you, or what you can do in life. I dropped out of school, partly because I was struggling with dyslexia, but later realised it was my biggest strengths.'
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy has often opened up about receiving a C and two Us in his A-levels.
The TV presenter tweets a supportive message every year, which always revolves around how he left school with disappointing grades and now has a lot of money.
First starting in 2014, he tweeted: 'If your A level results aren't joyous take comfort from the fact I got a C and two Us. And I have a Mercedes Benz.'
In 2013, he penned: 'It's not the end of the world if your A level results aren't what you'd hoped for. I got a C and 2 Us and here I am today with my own brewery.'
This year's witty update saw the star pen: 'If your A level results are disappointing, don't worry. I got a C and two Us and here I am today, installing lights for a helicopter landing pad in my garden.'
Geri Horner
Ginger Spice scored an A in English Language at Camden School for Girls, but she didn't bother with university.
Instead, Geri worked as a nightclub dancer in Majorca and became a glamour model at the age of 19.
The singer then joined the Spice Girls as they went on to become the best-selling female group of all time.
Simon Cowell
The X Factor creator and music mogul left school earlier with three O-levels behind him, which is the equivalent to a GCSE
The X Factor creator and music mogul left school earlier with three O-levels behind him, which is the equivalent to a GCSE.
Although he has no A-levels, Simon got his first big break by working in the mailroom at his dad's record label, EMI, before being promoted to talent scout and crawling his way to the top.
Simon went on to create some of the most successful singing competitions ever including The X Factor, Pop Idol, America and Britain's Got Talent.
Tinie Tempah
Before finding fame in the music industry, Tinie Tempah - real name Patrick Okogwu - studied media studies, religious studies and psychology and earned two Bs and a D.
In 2020, he offered a cash prize to students who scored top grades in their A-Level results.
The rapper wished school leavers luck on receiving their results, before offering £100 to those who got A grades or above if they sent him a photo of them with proof and the video for his song Whoppa in the background.
He penned on Twitter: 'Good luck to everyone getting their A-level results today. If you didn't get the results you were expecting or into the uni you hoped don't sweat you can appeal if your mock results were better.
'If not, it's not the end of the world.'
Lord Alan Sugar
Results: The Apprentice's Lord Alan Sugar left with six GCSES, although he claims these qualifications were tougher than today's standard
The Apprentice's Lord Alan Sugar famously didn't do well at school and dropped out aged 16.
He left with six GCSES, although he claims these qualifications were tougher than today's standard.
In 2019, he tweeted: 'Get you facts right I got 6 old fashioned GCE's which are 10 times harder than the multiple choice answer A levels of this day and age.'
Lord Sugar then went on to set up his own business Amstrad at 21-years-old.