Pitt in Who's Who

2009-12-07 21:16

London - Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, Hollywood actor Brad Pitt and Brazilian author Paulo Coelho are among new entries in Who's Who, the British guide to society's most influential people published on Monday.

World number one Federer, 28, is among the youngest new entrants to the 162nd annual edition of the book, which also lists Blackburn Rovers manager Sam Allardyce and Everton manager David Moyse.

Another new sports entry is Claire Taylor, the cricketer named player of the World Cup after England's victorious campaign in Australia in March and the first woman to be named one of the Wisden annual's Five Cricketers of the Year.

In the world of entertainment, Pitt and fellow US actor Morgan Freeman made their debut alongside British actor Anna Friel and Coelho, whose 1987 novel The Alchemist became a bestseller in 74 countries.

British comedians Ricky Gervais, responsible for hit sitcom The Office, and Matt Lucas and David Walliams, the duo behind the Little Britain series, are among the 1 000 new entries this year.

Importance

Fashion designer Christopher Bailey, the creative director of Burberry, and Tim Hincks, the chief executive of Endemol UK, the production company that makes Big Brother, also feature.

First published in 1849, Who's Who "celebrates the diversity of human achievement, recognising the people who have reached the pinnacle of excellence in their field", according to a spokesperson.

The 2010 edition contains more than 33 000 entries, compiled from questionnaires submitted by the individuals concerned. They remain listed until they die, when they are transferred to Who Was Who.

While most of those included are British, international figures are included due to their presence and importance in British life. Britons with hereditary titles are automatically included, and make up 10% of the listings.

- SAPA