Michael Portillo is a British journalist, broadcaster, and former Conservative Party politician. He is known for his television series, including railway documentaries like “Great British Railway Journeys” and “Great Continental Railway Journeys.”
Bio/Wiki
Age- 70 years
Full name-Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo
Height- 181 cm
Weight-78kg
Born- 26 May 1953
Birthplace- Bushey, United Kingdom
Spouse-Carolyn Eadie (m. 1982)
Profession-Journalist, Broadcaster, Politician
Nationality- British
Family
Portillo’s parents are Luis Gabriel Portillo and Cora Waldegrave Blyth de Portillo. His father, a devout Catholic, was involved in left-wing movements in the 1930s. When Madrid fell to General Franco in 1939, he fled to England and settled there.
Wife
On February 12, 1982, Portillo tied the knot with Carolyn Claire Eadie.
Children
Michael Portillo and Carolyn Claire Eadie do not have any children.
Career
He started his career as a graduate trainee with Ocean Group plc before joining the Conservative Research Department in 1976. Portillo entered the House of Commons in a 1984 by-election and served as a junior minister under Margaret Thatcher and John Major. In 1992, he became Chief Secretary to the Treasury and later Secretary of State for Employment in 1994. A Thatcherite and Eurosceptic, he was considered a potential challenger to Major during the 1995 Conservative leadership election but didn’t run. Instead, he became Secretary of State for Defence.
Portillo unexpectedly lost his safe Conservative seat in Enfield Southgate in the 1997 general election, known as the “Portillo moment.” He returned to Parliament in a 1999 by-election in Kensington and Chelsea, becoming Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. In 2001, he ran for party leadership but came in third place. Portillo retired from politics in 2005.
Since then, he has pursued various media ventures, including hosting television and radio programs. His love for steam trains inspired the BBC documentary series “Great British Railway Journeys,” which began in 2008. The show’s success led to similar series exploring railway systems in other countries. In 2022, he began hosting a political show, “Portillo,” on the British news channel GB News.
Net Worth
Michael Portillo’s estimated net worth is around $12 million.
