Simon Hattenstone



Profile:
Full name: Simon Hattenstone

Area of interest: Sports, arts and film

Journals/Organisation: The Guardian

Email: [mailto:s.hattenstone@guardian.co.uk s.hattenstone@guardian.co.uk]

Personal website:

Website: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/simonhattenstone

Blog: comment is free/Simon Hattenstone

Representation:

Networks: https://twitter.com/#!/shattenstone



Biography:
About:

Education: Leeds University: BA Hons English; PGCE

Career: GP Magazine: sub-editor; Evening Standard: mac operator; 1990-2000 Guardian: sub-editor, film editor, assistant arts editor, writer

Current position/role: features writer and sports columnist


 * also writes/written for:

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Other activities:

Disclosures:

Viewpoints/Insight:

Broadcast media:

Video: Brits Abroad BBC; The Curse of Noel Edmonds Channel 5

Controversy/Criticism:

Awards/Honours: shortlisted: UK press awards interviewer of the year 1997

Scoops: One of the few people to have interviewed 'graffiti artist' Banksy face-to-face: Something to spray - You may not have heard of him, but you've probably seen his work. From policemen with smiley faces to the Pulp Fiction killers firing bananas, Banksy's subversive images are daubed on walls everywhere - and now he's putting on an exhibition - 17th July 2003

Other: Manchester City fan



Books & Debate:

 * Ronnie: the autobiography of Ronnie O'Sullivan OCLC51271367, 2003
 * Steve and me: my friendship with Stephen Lawrence and the search for justice OCLC51271967, 2003
 * Out of it : the story of a boy who went to bed with a headache and woke up three years later OCLC42003295, 1998

Latest work: The best of times: what became of the heroes of '66? ISBN 0-852-65064-7, 2006

Speaking/Appearances:

Debate: 

The Guardian:
Column name:

Remit/Info: sport

Section: sport

Role:

Pen-name:

Email:

Website: comment is free/Simon Hattenstone; The Guardian/Simon Hattenstone

Commissioning editor:

Day published: Wednesday

Regularity:

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Average length:


 * also an occasional features writer for Weekend Guardian



Articles:

 * It’s not all bad news – we’ve got Venus, Serena, Roger and Rafael - The Australian Open finals will be contested by four beloved giants of tennis. In the era of Trump and Brexit, their stories remind us that good things still happen - 28th January
 * G4S should be a failed company by now. But the government won’t allow it - Despite a litany of failures, most recently losing control of HMP Birmingham, G4S continues to be bailed out by the state and awarded new contracts - 23rd December 2016
 * Footballers have talked about child sex abuse. But the problem doesn’t stop there - Attitudes within football to sex and sexuality have always been abusive and primeval. Will the recent revelations be a force for the change the sport needs? - 15th December 2016
 * Cameron shouldn’t be allowed to break his tax credit promise. Here’s the solution - Governments lie in order to get elected. We tolerate it, but we shouldn’t. So how about a new rule: breaking a manifesto pledge triggers a general election - 30th October 2015
 * A moment that changed me – joining the union and taking a stand - I was doing well in my first job when my boss took me to one side and said: ‘I’m sorry, Old Schnauzer. We’re going to have to let you go.’ - 9th July 2015



Articles: 2014

 * I don’t want to be English if all it represents is poshness or football yobbery - Scotland’s referendum forced me to confront my own identity and I didn’t like what I saw. Perhaps it’s time we English had a referendum on independence - from England - 23rd September
 * Rolf Harris, Savile and Clifford all pulled the wool over my eyes - Although I interviewed all three and saw signs of inappropriate behaviour, there were no clues to the truth about their dark sides - 3rd July 2014
 * My Passport Office hell - Much as I love my daughter, I shouldn't have to pay an extra £55.50 just so she gets her passport in time for our holiday - 11th June
 * Make mine a girly drink – and I'm not ashamed to say it - I grew up as happy to get wasted on Baileys and Bloody Mary as bitter. But Martini may be on to something with its retro relaunch - 21st March 2014
 * It's World Encephalitis Day. But to survivors like me today is Look After Your Brain Day - Encephalitis left me in horrific pain for years – but I was one of the lucky ones. Today let's start giving our brains the care they deserve - 22nd February 2014



Articles: 2013

 * On child abuse, the police still aren't doing their best for victims - With Eric Allison: Despite reports and soul-searching following the Jimmy Savile scandal, vulnerable victims are not being well served - 19th July 2013
 * Duwayne Brooks and the Lawrences are not alone in needing answers - There must be a public inquiry into all those spied on and smeared by police. The 'Life on Mars' defence is not enough - 26th June 2013
 * Michael Gove's GCSE U-turn is a reprieve for second chances - Children develop in different ways at different ages. Gove's plan to turn some pupils into second-class citizens at 14 was unfair - 8th February 2013
 * Oprah's Lance Armstrong interview: no point nitpicking – this was TV history - Oprah began with the money shot, so it could only go downhill. But it's still up there with Frost-Nixon and Bashir-Diana - 19th January 2013



Articles: 2012

 * This child abuse crackdown comes too late for too many - The case of prolific paedophile Neville Husband is a tale of horrendous abuse and deplorable handling by officials - 8th November 2012
 * How Morrissey fell for the Stephen Colbert effect - The satirist's five-minute prodding and poking of Morrissey is a classic example of the interviewer as irritant - 12th October 2012
 * Olympic torch sails to its destination - The torch has spent 70 days travelling the country and – despite moments when the procession felt like a corporate jolly – there have been enough high points to make it a beacon of hope - 1st August 2012
 * Foul! And that's just the language on the pitch - The John Terry trial shows that you can bandy the C-word about all day, but it's only when it gets racial that abusive language becomes really serious - 11th July
 * Exercise is no panacea for depression – but it keeps it at bay - As a depressed manic exerciser, this churlish research dismissing exercise is patronising and misses the point - 6th June 2012
 * Would I pay £2,000 to interview Brad Pitt? Not for more boring anecdotes - It can cost £2,000 to interview Brad Pitt for 20 minutes – I'd want some proper exclusives for that, not the usual recycled claptrap - 24th May 2012
 * David Cameron's running problem - The prime minister looks as if he's joined the Ministry of Silly Walks – but what else are we joggers to do when we are waiting to cross a road? - 18th April 2012
 * Tennis is cheap, friendly and thrilling – so why are so few of us playing it? - A lack of winning stars shouldn't put us off this wonderful game – we may not have a Fed or Venus, but we'll always have Virginia - 6th April 2012
 * Kony 2012: shock, outrage and a hint of scepticism as UK pupils react to film - Simon Hattenstone sits down with a group of London teenagers to talk about a video watched by 50m over the past five days - 14th March 2012
 * "Harry Redknapp, is he the one with the really fit son? I want him as manager" - Capello is out, Pearce in – for now. Simon Hattenstone finds the debate about the England management alive and kicking at Wembley - 29th February 2012
 * Stephen Lawrence verdict does not end the debate on police racism - From the appalling treatment of Duwayne Brooks to the death of Mark Duggan, we can't be complacent about institutional racism - 4th January 2012



Articles: 2011

 * Chris Coekin: factory workers in focus - Inspired by old trade union posters, photographer Chris Coekin persuaded a group of workers to pose for him as their factory closed - 21st December 2011
 * Me? Competitive? I can't help it – I'm almost 50 - New research has shown that men are at their most competitive between the ages of 45 and 54 - 14th December 2011
 * My favourite film: Kes - In our writers' favourite film series, Simon Hattenstone finds real meaning in Ken Loach's film about a boy and a kestrel - 14th December 2011
 * No pride in Team GB's Olympic mascot - Pride the Lion is a limp retreat to our imperialistic past. It would be more appropriate to use a pigeon to represent us in 2012 - 7th September 2011
 * Gaga: Lording it'' - She is the biggest pop star in the world, who doesn't have fans so much as disciples. But has Lady Gaga's Jesus complex gone too far? - 18th May 2011
 * 35 years of hurt, Manchester City fans are ready to sing and cry'' - Even the recent crass spending could not diminish the meaning of a cup win to us long-suffering supporters - 14th May 2011
 * the UK's best Eurovision hope for years'' - They are the best Eurovision hope the UK has had for years. But could it be career suicide for the boyband? - 20th April 2011



Articles: 2010

 * bright idea was that?'' - How does it feel to invent something you later regret? Simon Hattenstone talks to the people who know - 17th November 2010
 * a faith in tatters'' - We made sense of life through this one rigidly ruled part of existence. Now it's all falling apart - 27th September 2010
 * lives the tangerine dream, at least for this Premier League season'' - Club and its squad of unknowns prepare to take on elite just 10 years after being in bottom tier of the league - 18th August 2010
 * pains: my journey into adulthood'' - Simon Hattenstone recalls his exhausting and exhilarating teenage years - 21st July 2010
 * debt to socialism'' - John Barnes has said England will never win the World Cup unless they understand football is a socialist sport – and I agree - 6th July 2010
 * Murray falls at Wimbledon semi-final - again'' - Murray has been maturing nicely into his Britishness in recent times. Earlier this year in Australia he even wept after losing to a majestic Federer - 2nd July 2010
 * Sidebottom ... 'He'd have died to be in the charts''' - Chris Sievey, creator of Frank Sidebottom, was heading for a pauper's funeral until a campaign by fans raised £20,000 for his send-off. And now there's talk of a cartoon, a film and a No 1 hit - 26th June 2010
 * Cup 2010: Who would be a goalkeeper?'' - Goalies have always been misfits. And, as England's Robert Green has discovered, they always seem to end up the villains. So why does anyone want the job? - 15th June 2010 (worldcup2010)
 * wants to be a millionaire?'' - What happens when you earn or inherit a fortune, but it makes you feel empty inside? We meet three of the wealthy elite who are giving their money away - 9th June 2010
 * Parker: A history of violence'' - Cornelia Parker has blown up huts and opened fire on a dictionary. Now she has built a giant gun and squashed an entire brass band. What's with all the pulverising? - 25th May 2010
 * election highlights Britain's confusion over social class'' - Simon Hattenstone returns to his childhood home of Salford to uncover the messy truth behind the rhetoric of a 'classless society' - 14th April 2010 (Election 2010)
 * John Terry, a football captain should be a moral leader'' - The squad needs a man to inspire them - not someone who is caught getting up to no good - 2nd February 2010



Articles: 2009

 * fail to restrain the police'' - The use of narrative verdicts is working against the families of victims such as Mikey Powell, who died in police custody - 28th December 2009
 * Hirst says anyone can be like Rembrandt. But does art world agree?'' - Duth master was no genius, says British artist but experts say that is simply 'not true' - 18th November 2009
 * it's a joke isn't it?'' - Terry Pinfold - Cody in Erwin James' prison diaries - was wrongfully jailed for 23 years for murder. Last month he went back to the court of appeal to fight the last conviction against him, for stealing a car used in a bank robbery - 9th November 2009
 * Dad's Army of British cryonics'' - In sleepy Sussex is a group of dedicated cryonicists who believe they hold the secret to eternal life. Simon Hattenstone joins them for a demonstration – but first they need to make sure the hosepipe isn't too leaky - 7th November 2009
 * joy of earning a free coffee, stamp by stamp'' - Why I love my coffee-shop loyalty card - 9th September 2009
 * Farage is the obvious choice to restore 'Order! Order!''' - Who better to oust Commons speaker John Bercow from his Buckingham seat than Ukip's celebrated motor-mouth? - 5th September 2009
 * Jackson: The seeds of self-loathing were sown with fists'' - What was it about Michael Jackson? Why were we so willing to forgive when normally we are so quick to condemn? - 26th June 2009
 * Ian Blair, the Met was racist'' - The former police chief's comments on the Stephen Lawrence investigation are way off the mark, as Stephen's friend can testify - 7th April 2009
 * 'I'm Cameron's warm-up act''' - Working class Muslim single mother Sayeeda Warsi explains why the government's attitude to minorities makes her proud to be a Tory - 28th March 2009
 * way out'' - Gordon Stewart died alone, drowning in rubbish piled solid to his ceiling. How did he end up in such a state? - 28th March 2009
 * 10: Celebrity pants'' - 'Jarvis Cocker's blue Y-fronts are as close to ironic pants as I've ever seen' - 25th March 2009
 * an M&S prawn sandwich: a jeweller's tale'' - Eighteen years ago Gerald Ratner called his own company's products 'crap'. Now the 'Icarus of bling' is making a comeback - 7th March 2009
 * Fred, just say sorry'' - Some £500bn of taxpayers' money has been spent bailing out the banks - including RBS, which this week announced record losses. Simon Hattenstone decides it is time that at least one banker apologised - 24th January 2009



Articles: 2008

 * show me the way to go home'' - Apart from the giddiness and cold sweats, Manchester City's incredible wealth makes me happy - I think - 3rd September 2008
 * great expectashuns'' - As Steve McClaren has so toe-curlingly shown, in the silly accent syndrome Britons have no peers - 16th August 2008
 * rides hiccup to join Hick up among the greats'' - Both enigmatic giants of the game, Mark Ramprakash and Graeme Hick are all the more loveable for their fallibility - 6th August 2008
 * When the Blacksmith is worth a dozen Tendulkars - 30th July 2008
 * Greg has opened up our eyes to Evert lasting love - After inspiring three husbands to success, Chrissie Evert must surely be sport's greatest muse - 23rd July 2008
 * It's hard to build a club without breaking the bank - The salutary tale of what happened when a certain disgraced financier (and Man City fan) turned his hand to running a football club - 16th July 2008
 * SuperMac, the CyBorg and their trip back to the future - The final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer was not merely the greatest but the most historic - 9th July 2008
 * Don't scratch Daley out of Britain's golden history - Daley Thompson won two gold medals in the toughest Olympic event - and he did whilst sporting a handlebar moustache! - 2nd July 2008
 * Moscow flyers signal arrival of new superpower - Euro 2008 - 25th June 2008
 * Revealed: why bloggers and emailers are worlds apart - 18th June 2008
 * Goodbye blue moon, you've left me standing alone - Supporting Manchester City is impossible after Thaksin's sacking of Sven - 11th June 2008
 * Oh dear, Ewan ... - So what do you do if you're watching an absolute stinker and tomorrow you are interviewing its star? - 16th May 2008
 * Ghosts of childhood past - Will Rachel Whiteread, unshowy as she is, be the Britartist who stands the test of time? - 10th May 2008
 * "I was born with a happy heart" - on the road with the formidable queen of country, Dolly Parton - 3rd May 2008
 * Cup Thai - Look through the Manchester City forums and there's one word that's mud. Shinawatra - 30th April 2008
 * V is for vendetta but Cruz does it better - Cruz Beckham one of a long line of sporting personalities to give the public the finger - 23rd April 2008
 * Three in one and one in three, the ultimate strike force - It pains me to admit it but Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez could be a better strikeforce than Best, Law and Charlton - 16th April 2008
 * Don't blame me if City reach for the stars - 9th April 2008
 * Players ran the distance but banked on bigger returns - Barclays' sponsorship of foothball players for Sport Relief came to just short of sod all - 2nd April 2008
 * Sex, pies and videotape: manager bids for posterior-ty - 26th March 2008
 * Keegan's calvary shatters my childhood dreams - 19th March 2008
 * Poetry in motion from Cup's natural-born giant killers - 12th March 2008
 * No one wants to know - Brian De Palma, Nick Broomfield and Paul Haggis have been called traitors and villains, their films branded 'Bin Laden cinema'. They are desperate to tell the truth about what is going on in Iraq. But there seems little appetite for war films right now - 8th March 2008
 * Spit happens, so why not celebrate the gift of the gob? - 5th March 2008
 * Never let it be said - The male habit of, ahem, adjusting oneself in public is a ticklish issue, but this Italian judgment is simply balls - 27th February 2008
 * Foul play - The Premier League welcomes footballers from around the globe, but Manchester City's attempt to sign a talented Iraqi has been thwarted - 28th January 2008
 * Spurs spring cultural revolution on the gang of four - 27th February 2008
 * Court of King Andy can't disguise this charmless man - Wouldn't it be strange if Andy Murray was the first British player to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in the mid-16th century and nobody gave a toss? - 20th February 2008
 * City found winning formula in a minute of meditation - 13th February 2008
 * Talking the talk: Collymore's last chance to bury flaws - 6th february 2008
 * Don't be cruel Fabio, or the hatred starts here - If Beckham had two broken legs I'd still wheel him on to the pitch and give him his 100th cap - 30th January 2008
 * Managers losing the plot is the same old story - 23rd January 2008
 * Club-class Anelka has always travelled in style - 16th January 2008
 * Why do my friends think I have a one track mind? - 9th January 2008



Articles: 2007

 * Murdoch's masters of alliteration have slapped us silly - 19th December 2007
 * Which way, Jose? - The ex-Chelsea manager clearly has the skills for any job: Hollywood star, Middle East envoy, contract killer... - 20th September 2007
 * The celebrity interview is dead - Lennon's attack on McCartney, Nixon's near-confession, Bacon's revelations: none of these could have happened today - 10th September 2007
 * No level playing field - The Foreign Office ruling that has refused entry visas to a Palestinian football team is unfair, illogical and plain prejudiced - 24th August 2007
 * Tea and sympathy - Modern offices are soulless, unfriendly places. No wonder workers yearn for the days when we all took lunch breaks and mingled by the tea trolley - 15th August 2007
 * A matter of life and death - As Clausewitz ought to have said, football is war pursued by other means. Discuss. - 7th July 2007
 * Citizen Sven - Sven Goran-Eriksson's pas-de-deux with Manchester City over the manager's job is good comedy, but distracts us from the real issue - 27th June 2007
 * Bally the kid - Alan Ball epitomised the spirit of '66: keen, dynamic and with an indomitable sense of fun - 25th April 2007
 * O'Sullivan's travails - Ronnie's return to form was magnificent. But his greatest quality as a sportsman will always be his uncompromising honesty - 22nd January 2007



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